Sunderland vs Sheffield Wednesday: Owls defender names key factor for Owls against Black Cats

Wednesday face the Black Cats over two legs in the next few days as the two sleeping giants look to book their spot at Wembley, and Palmer – who has been promoted from League One with the Owls before – says that he's looking forward to it.

Both games are set to attract big crowds to the Stadium of Light and Hillsborough, and Palmer says that they’ll be expecting a bit of a frantic start. For him, though, it’s all about maintaining a level of calmness and sticking to what Darren Moore has set out for them.

Speaking to the media ahead of Friday night's game, the long-serving Owls defender said, “It's an exciting opportunity. In the last few weeks there have been pressure moments but we have come through them and that has made us stronger… We know it's a massive occasion, the lads have been involved in play-off games and promotion games - so we have experience.

“You're in football for these games, both teams have a brilliant following, we go to their backyard first and I'm sure our fans will make themselves heard. We expect a fast start, a fast tempo but for us it will be about sticking to the gameplan, working hard for each other.

“Patience will be key. Don't get frustrated, don't do things out of the ordinary, calm minds, calm temperament. We know what this means to the fans.”

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