Sheffield Wednesday are preparing for their biggest game of the season so far, and Dominic Iorfa has been instrumental in getting his teammates ready for the Steel City derby.
For Sheffield Wednesday fans, nothing means more than a victory over Sheffield United this weekend. The opportunity to get one over their fierce rivals in the first meeting between the two teams since 2019 is a tantalising one.
But, the Owls go into the game as the underdogs, with their opponents flying high in the league and possessing a squad which has experience of playing in the Premier League last season.
Danny Rohl described the derby as a ‘special’ game and will likely have no issues getting his players motivated for Sunday afternoon’s crunch game.
Still, every little helps, and Dominic Iorfa has been offering his sage advice to the rest of the squad in the buildup to the game.
Dominic Iorfa reminds teammates what Steel City derby means
As Sheffield Wednesday legend Lee Bullen pointed out, Iorfa is one of three Owls players who have experienced this derby before, along with Barry Bannan and Liam Palmer.
Iorfa is well aware of the responsibility this gives him within the squad, and he told The Yorkshire Post how he has embraced that this week.
“For me, my first start for the club was actually in the derby. It’s come full circle and I look forward to it and know all the boys are as well,” Iorfa said.
“A lot have not been part of the game and only a handful have played in this kind of game before. Everyone is up for it,” he added. “They don’t know what to expect, which is good to be fair. We have told them, without putting too much pressure on them.”
Iorfa explained how much the “bragging rights” mean to the people of Sheffield, too, and that he is regularly “stopped in the street” by fans to discuss the upcoming game, making it hard not to think about the weight of expectations.
Sheffield Wednesday need huge performance from Dominic Iorfa
Iorfa was in fine form during his 57-minute outing against Norwich City on Tuesday night, with a well-taken goal to double Wednesday’s lead in the first half, and a resolute display at the back to shut the Canaries out.
The 29-year-old will need to showcase his defensive talents once more on Sunday, and then some. Only four teams have scored more than United this season, and with the Blades having home advantage, their players are sure to take the game to Wednesday.
| Team | MP | Goals Scored | Per Match | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunderland AFC | 14 | 23 | 1.64 Scored / match | 2.00 / match | 1.38 / match |
| Norwich City FC | 14 | 23 | 1.64 Scored / match | 2.50 / match | 1.00 / match |
| Leeds United FC | 14 | 22 | 1.57 Scored / match | 2.14 / match | 1.00 / match |
| Watford FC | 14 | 22 | 1.57 Scored / match | 1.83 / match | 1.38 / match |
| Bristol City FC | 14 | 18 | 1.29 Scored / match | 1.29 / match | 1.29 / match |
| Sheffield United FC | 14 | 18 | 1.29 Scored / match | 1.50 / match | 1.13 / match |
Iorfa will be the experienced head at the back, and will need to guide the likes of Di’Shon Bernard and indeed, James Beadle behind him in goal, throughout the game. If the strong defender can lead by example and set the tone, he could be crucial to Wednesday’s hopes.
There were fears that Iorfa may be injured after being forced off against Norwich, but the player himself has offered a positive update on that front this week.