Sheffield Wednesday now find themselves five points outside the Championship’s top six after back-to-back wins on the road.
As things stand, Danny Rohl’s Owls sit in 12th place of the Championship table going into their game against Preston North End at Hillsborough on Saturday.
Last time out, Sheffield Wednesday came from behind to beat Derby County at Pride Park, ending an 18-year wait for a win away against Derby.
Back-to-back away wins has placed the Owls just five points outside the Championship’s top six, whereas at this stage last season, Wednesday were dead last.
They’re 18 points better off now than they were at this point last season. Rohl and the players are getting a lot of praise from fans who, after a mixed start to the season, aren’t considering any potential play-off chances just yet.
But BBC pundit Rob Staton has now weighed in with a top six claim.
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Sheffield Wednesday could achieve top six with ‘really good loan signings’
Speaking on Football Heaven in the wake of the win at Derby County, Staton suggested that Sheffield Wednesday could make the Championship play-offs with a strong January transfer window.
He said: “Just a couple of really good loan signings maybe, during January, who knows what that could lead to.
“Because Wednesday needed play-off form just to stay up in the second half of last season. Play-off form in the second half of this season, could mean actual play-offs. Stranger things have happened.
“Have you been that impressed by the teams in front of Wednesday in the table when you’ve seen them? Your West Broms. Your Norwichs. Your Watfords. Your Blackburns this season.”
The Championship’s top 12 right now with Sheffield Wednesday midtable
Sheffield United are in 1st place right now. They’re closely followed by Burnley, Leeds United and then Sunderland.
Sunderland thumped Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 earlier in the season but are now winless in six, and just eight points in front of the Owls.
Middlesbrough are in 5th and Watford in 6th, both on 30 points compared to Wednesday’s 25, which all of a sudden makes Sheffield Wednesday’s quite mixed first half of the season look like a very strong one.
Owls fans won’t get carried away in a play-off dream, knowing that January is crucial, as Staton points out, and that finances are ever-tight at Hillsborough.
But current form; with four wins in their last five away games and one defeat in five, certainly suggests Sheffield Wednesday can make a go of it.
Here’s what the Championship’s top half looks like right now…
| 1 | Sheffield Utd | 18 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 9 | 16 | 38 |
| 2 | Burnley | 18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 23 | 6 | 17 | 36 |
| 3 | Leeds | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 31 | 13 | 18 | 35 |
| 4 | Sunderland | 18 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 26 | 13 | 13 | 33 |
| 5 | Middlesbrough | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 32 | 21 | 11 | 30 |
| 6 | Watford | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 26 | 24 | 2 | 30 |
| 7 | West Brom | 18 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 28 |
| 8 | Blackburn | 17 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 21 | 17 | 4 | 28 |
| 9 | Norwich | 18 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 35 | 27 | 8 | 25 |
| 10 | Millwall | 17 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 25 |
| 11 | Bristol City | 18 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 24 | 21 | 3 | 25 |
| 12 | Sheffield Wednesday | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 22 | 27 | -5 | 25 |