Sheffield Wednesday go up against a strong Hull City side today, in what is a tough 2024 opener for the Owls.
Sheffield Wednesday kickstart the New Year with a Yorkshire derby against Hull City at Hillsborough.
Both teams ended 2023 on a positive with Wednesday winning 1-0 at Preston and Hull City beating Blackburn Rovers 3-2.
But the two teams have endured very differing seasons so far.
The Owls remain in 23rd place of the table but have re-closed the gap to safety to six points, whilst Hull City sit in 6th as they eye up an unlikely play-off finish under Liam Rosenior.
The former Derby County boss is earning plaudits for his side’s strong season so far and their exciting style of play.
Hull have already scored 40 goals in the Championship this season and eight of them have come from an in form Aaron Connolly.
The Irishman re-joined on a permanent deal in the summer, leaving Brighton, and after an injury-hit start to the campaign he’s since found form with eight total goals in the Championship and three in his last four.
Sheffield Wednesday must stop ‘natural’ finisher Aaron Connolly, or pay the price
Not only do the Owls face a potent attacking side today, with Connolly in form and fronting the attack, but Wednesday do so with depleted numbers throughout the side, especially at the back.
Danny Rohl is without centre-back Bambo Diaby today as he serves the second of a three-game suspension, whilst left-back Akin Famewo is expected to miss out.
After Wednesday had begun to shore up defensively, shown in games against the likes of Leicester City towards the end of 2023, Rohl now has to deal with a lack of numbers at the back and field a makeshift defence.
And Hull will no doubt relish playing against a Sheffield Wednesday defence that’s likely never played together, at least under Rohl this season, so it’ll be tough for the Owls.
But one consistent at the back this season has been Di’Shon Bernard.
He’s become a fan favourite since signing on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United last summer, and with numbers light, he’ll likely return to the middle of the defence after playing on the right last time out.
And so the Jamaican international will no doubt be tasked with Connolly who often plays as a lone striker, and this could be where the game is won or lost today; Hull boss Rosenior previously described the 23-year-old striker as a ‘natural’ striker.
Connolly is a rapid centre-forward who can run in behind opposition defences effectively, though he’s best at being that poacher-type striker; jumping on loose balls in the box, flicking on quick crosses and whatnot.
So Bernard may not necessarily be tasked with running around after Connolly tomorrow, but in marking him in key areas and beating him to crosses into the box.
It’ll be a real test of the inexperienced 23-year-old Bernard but a good performance here would really showcase the progression he’s made since joining Sheffield Wednesday in the summer.
Kick off today is at 3pm.