PREVIEW: Sky Blues Travel to Sheffield Wednesday This Weekend

City are looking to extend their unbeaten run to nine matches...

18 December 2020

The Sky Blues travel to Hillsborough to take on Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday afternoon. Here’s everything you need to know about our opponents.

Fact File

Name: Sheffield Wednesday

Founded: 1867

Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium (first opened 1899)

Capacity: 34,854

Nickname: The Owls

Address: Hillsborough, 76 Penistone Road North, Sheffield, S6 1SW

Pitch Size: 116 x 75 yards

The Opposition

Sheffield Wednesday are currently bottom of the table seven points adrift of safety and haven’t won in their last nine league matches.

The Owls are managed by Tony Pulis, who was appointed in November after the club’s poor start to the season, and have the likes of Josh Windass, Barry Bannan and Jordan Rhodes in their squad.

The Yorkshire club have lost four games in a row in the league and haven’t won at home since a 1-0 win against Bournemouth at the beginning of last month.

Tony Pulis.jpg

Manager

Tony Pulis was appointed Sheffield Wednesday manager in November this year, having spent over one year out of the game following a spell with Middlesbrough.

The 62-year-old began his managerial career with Bournemouth before taking charge at Gillingham in 1995 and leading them to promotion from the Third Division in his first season in charge.

He led the Gills to the Second Division play-off final just three seasons later, where they were beaten by Manchester City after conceding twice in injury-time before losing on penalties.

Short stints with Bristol City and Portsmouth would follow before becoming Stoke City manager in November 2002.

He kept the Potters in the First Division against the odds, following his mid-season appointment, and spent a further two seasons with the club before a falling out with the chairman saw him depart in June 2005.

After keeping Plymouth Argyle in the Championship following a 10-month spell in charge of the Pilgrims, he returned to Stoke in June 2006.

Pulis led Stoke to the Premier League for the first time in their history after finishing as runners-up in 2007/08 and consolidated their place in the top-flight over the next five seasons.

During his seven years in charge, Pulis also guided the Potters to the FA Cup final, losing 1-0 to Man City at Wembley, and took them into the UEFA Europa League group stages before departing in May 2013.

He returned to management with Crystal Palace in November that same year and lifted the Eagles from the foot of the Premier League table to 11^th which earnt him the Premier League Manager of the Year award.

Pulis left Palace just before the start of the 2014/15 campaign and returned to the dugout with West Bromwich Albion in January 2015.

He would spend two and a half seasons with the Baggies, retaining the club’s top-flight status during his time in charge, before being sacked in November 2017.

Just one month later, Pulis was appointed as Middlesbrough manager and led the Riverside club into the play-offs where they were beaten in the semi-finals by Aston Villa before spending one more season with the Teessiders.

He is yet to win a game as Sheffield Wednesday boss and drew three of his opening four matches in charge of the Owls.

With Sheffield Wednesday, Pulis has managed eight matches recording zero wins, three draws and five defeats.

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Last Six Games

Lost – Nottingham Forest 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday (Sky Bet Championship)

Lost – Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Barnsley (Sky Bet Championship)

Lost – Huddersfield Town 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday (Sky Bet Championship)

Lost – Norwich City 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday (Sky Bet Championship)

Drew – Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Reading (Sky Bet Championship)

Drew – Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Stoke City (Sky Bet Championship)

Richard Wood Celebrating.jpg

Last Time We Met

The two sides last met in the Championship back in May 2010, playing out a 1-1 draw at the Ricoh Arena.

The visitors took the lead on 67 minutes when Luke Varney found the net from a tight angle.

However, the Sky Blues equalised on 79 minutes when former Owls man Richard Wood found the net to bring City level.

Head-to-Head Record

Sky Blues Wins – 31

Draws – 23

Sheffield Wednesday Wins – 28

Club Connections

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Leon Clarke

Current Shrewsbury Town striker Leon Clarke enjoyed a goal laden spell with the Sky Blues having played for Sheffield Wednesday earlier in his career.

Clarke began his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers, scoring 15 goals in 83 appearances for the West Midlands club across four seasons, whilst also spending time on loan at Kidderminster Harriers, Queens Park Rangers and Plymouth Argyle.

He completed a move to the Owls in January 2007 and scored 18 goals in 87 appearances for the Hillsborough club over four seasons, which included loan spells with Oldham Athletic and Southend United.

Following short permanent stints with QPR, Swindon Town and Charlton Athletic, in which time he also had temporary spells with Preston North End, Chesterfield, Crawley Town and Scunthorpe United, he initially joined the Sky Blues on trial with a view to a permanent move, before signing on loan in January 2012.

The move was made permanent later that month and Clarke excelled with the Sky Blues, scoring eight goals in 11 appearances, before enjoying a fine start to the 2013/14 season, netting 15 goals in 23 league outings, having formed a deadly partnership with Callum Wilson.

He departed City having scored 28 goals in just 45 appearances, with his form earning him a move to former club Wolves, who he helped win the League One title.

After a brief spell on loan at Wigan Athletic, Clarke enjoyed a fruitful one season spell with Bury, scoring 15 league goals, before joining Sheffield United in July 2016.

He helped the Blades win the League One title during his first season with the club, before enjoying a superb second campaign with the Yorkshire side, scoring 19 league goals.

The 35-year-old also contributed to the Blades promotion to the Premier League, scoring three goals, and, despite finishing the season on loan at Wigan, made two appearances in the Premier League last term.

He signed for his current employers Shrewsbury in September this year and has one goal in six appearances for the Shrews.

Clinton Morrison.jpg

Clinton Morrison

Former Republic of Ireland international Clinton Morrison enjoyed a two-season spell with both the Sky Blues and Sheffield Wednesday.

Morrison began his career with Crystal Palace, netting double figures in each of his four full seasons with the Eagles, scoring 71 goals in 180 appearances for the Selhurst Park club.

He secured a move to Birmingham City for a club-record fee in July 2002 and spent three seasons with the club in the Premier League, scoring 16 goals in 97 outings, before returning to Palace in August 2005.

The striker once again found his best form with the Eagles, hitting double figures in each of his three seasons with the club, adding a further 41 goals and 135 appearances to his tally.

He arrived at the Sky Blues in August 2008 and once again achieved double figures during his two seasons with the club in the Championship, making 101 appearances and scoring 23 goals.

Following his spell with City, he joined Sheffield Wednesday in July 2010, scoring 14 goals in 72 matches for the Owls in League One.

After short loan spells with Milton Keynes Dons and Brentford, he signed for Colchester United before finishing his career with Exeter City.

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Match Officials

John Brooks will be the man in the middle on Saturday afternoon, taking charge of his 14th game of the 2020/21 season.

He last refereed the Sky Blues on the opening day of the season, when the Sky Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat to Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

This will be Brooks’ fifth season as a Football League referee and he has officiated the Sky Blues on four occasions, with City drawing one and losing three of those matches.

So far, Brooks has awarded 42 yellow cards and one red card across 13 matches in the Championship and Carabao Cup.

He will be assisted by Akil Howson and Daniel Leach with Simon Mather acting as fourth official.

Match Previews

Match Reports

REPORT: Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Sky Blues

The Sky Blues suffer defeat at Hillsborough...

19 December 2020

The Sky Blues eight-game unbeaten run in the league came to an end after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday afternoon.

Tom Lees scored the game’s only goal on 67 minutes to condemn City to defeat in the league for the first time since early November.

City pressed for an equaliser late on, but couldn’t find the crucial goal they needed to rescue a point as they now turn their attention to Boxing Day and their clash with Stoke City.

Mark Robins made one change from the side that drew with Huddersfield Town in midweek, with the suspended Gus Hamer replaced by Max Biamou and Matty Godden coming onto the bench.

The Sky Blues made a quick start at Hillsborough when Biamou won possession inside the Sheffield Wednesday half before driving into the box and seeing his effort pushed behind by former City man Keiren Westwood.

Fankaty Dabo’s cross was then headed just wide of the left-hand post by Leo Ostigard as City presses for an early opener.

The chances continued to come City’s way when Sam McCallum’s long throw landed at the feet of Biamou inside the six-yard box only for Westwood to come out and smother the ball at the striker’s feet.

The hosts created their first chance of the game when the ball broke kindly to Adam Reach on the edge of the penalty area only to sky his effort well over the crossbar.

Shortly after, Ben Sheaf made a superb block to deny Josh Windass, diving in the way of the forward’s effort when he had just Ben Wilson to beat.

Tyler Walker then suffered an injury shortly before half-time with Amadou Bakayoko coming on in his place.

HALF-TIME: SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 0-0 SKY BLUES

City’s first chance of the second-half came from a Ben Sheaf free-kick 25-yards from goal which was comfortably held by Westwood.

The hosts responded when Windass tried his luck from the edge of the penalty area only to be denied by a fine stop from Wilson low down to his left.

The Sky Blues continued to cause problems down the left-hand side when McCallum’s cross turned shot forced Westwood into an acrobatic save.

City came close again when Sheaf’s cross was headed towards his own goal by Chey Dunkley, under pressure from Bakayoko, and tipped over the bar by Westwood.

The Sky Blues were then denied the opening goal when Ostigard’s powerful header from Allen’s cross was cleared off the line by Liam Palmer.

Sheffield Wednesday took the lead on 67 minutes when Bannan’s floated free-kick was turned home by Lees at the back post.

City responded with a free-kick of their own that was flicked on by Bakayoko and pushed away by Westwood before Ostigard turned the rebound into the side netting.

Robins made a triple change with just over 15 minutes left to play with Julian Dacosta, Ryan Giles and Godden all introduced as City chased an equaliser.

The home side worked a short corner to Reach 25-yards from goal with the midfielder once again wasteful with his effort.

Another McCallum long throw caused the hosts some problems with the ball dropping to Godden on the volley, but the striker wasn’t able to keep his effort down.

City were kept in the contest in the final minute when Wilson made an excellent save to deny Windass, standing tall when the forward was one-on-one.

FULL-TIME: SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 1-0 SKY BLUES

Goals: Lees (67’)

Yellows: Pelupessy (50’), Ostigard (66’), Reach (79’)

Sheffield Wednesday XI: Keiren Westwood (GK), Liam Palmer, Tom Lees, Chey Dunkley, Liam Shaw (Rhodes 64’), Kadeem Harris, Barry Bannan (van Aken 83’), Joey Pelupessy, Adam Reach, Callum Patterson, Josh Windass (Kachunga 90’+3)

Unused Subs: Joe Wildsmith (GK), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Matt Penney, Osaze Urhoghide, Izzy Brown, Alex Hunt

Sky Blues XI: Ben Wilson (GK), Fankaty Dabo (Dacosta 73’), Leo Ostigard (Giles 73’), Kyle McFadzean (C), Dom Hyam, Sam McCallum, Ben Sheaf (Kastaneer 83’), Jamie Allen, Callum O’Hare, Tyler Walker (Bakayoko 42’), Max Biamou (Godden 73’)

Unused Subs: Lee Camp (GK), Josh Pask, Jordan Shipley, Will Bapaga