Sheffield Wednesday beat Preston North End on Friday night to return to winning ways and Michael Ihiekwe was simply outstanding. The defender starred at the heart of the defensive unit and showcased his class to Danny Rohl.
The Owls won the game courtesy of a goal from Marvin Johnson. It ensured that Wednesday remained in the hunt to survive in the Championship and gives the team a lift going into a big game against Hull on New Year’s Day.
Wednesday star Ihiekwe was a vital player during the game against Preston. His robust style of defending helped Wednesday claim a clean sheet and the impetus to pick up a big three points.
Ihiekwe shines as Wednesday win at Preston
The 31-year-old hasn’t always been considered the first choice at centre-back under Rohl. He was an unused substitute for three consecutive games before coming in against Preston.
In total, Ihiekwe has made eight appearances in the Championship for Wednesday during 2023/24 and he will have an argument that he should be featuring more. Indeed, the stats from Friday back him up on that front.
Who Scored showcased that he made a staggering eight headed clearances during his 90 minutes on the pitch. He also finished with a pass success ratio of 75% which isn’t bad at all for a central defender.
Ihiekwe made 11 clearances in total as Wednesday defended solidly throughout, whilst he also completed one tackle during the 1-0 win.
Rohl must start utilising Ihiekwe even more
The experienced player was integral under Darren Moore as the team achieved promotion last season. Ihiekwe was one of the first names on the Wednesday team-sheet but this season has been a struggle.
Ihiekwe was often not even in the squad under Xisco Munoz. At times, that must have proved frustrating, with the Owls losing for fun in the opening months of the season.
Now, the defender will hope that he’s finally proven himself to Rohl once and for all. Wednesday have some big games coming up and Ihiekwe will want to reclaim his established place back in the team.