After a summer of change at Hillsborough, Sheffield Wednesday have not enjoyed a smooth start to life back in the Championship after Xisco Munoz was appointed as new manager, replacing Darren Moore who led the Owls to promotion through the League One playoffs last season.
The new boss’ first competitive game in charge of the South Yorkshire outfit came in their curtain-raiser at home to newly-relegated Southampton at the beginning of August, and despite withstanding heavy pressure for the
majority of the contest, they looked set to come away with a point as Lee Gregory levelled the scores at a goal apiece early in the second half, only for Che Adams to snatch all three points for the visitors with an 87th-minute winner.
The Owls then hosted fourth-tier Stockport County in an EFL Cup first-round tie, and after looking set to fall to a 1-0 defeat following Paddy Madden’s early opener, they would forc
e a penalty shootout thanks to Tyreeq Bakinson’s 97th-minute equaliser before prevailing to advance to the second round as Josh Windass, Callum Paterson, Barry Bannan and Gregory all converted from the spot.On the back of that first triumph of the season.
Munoz’s men most recently travelled to take on Hull City last Saturday, and after initially going ahead through Juan Delgado, they quickly fell well behind as Ozan Tufan levelled from the spot and netted two further second-half goals.
before Aaron Connolly added a fourth and Michael Smith hit an injury-time consolation in a 4-2 defeat at the MKM Stadium.Now left somewhat disappointed by their start to the season and last weekend’s display, Sheffield Wednesday will be keen to rebound on Saturday and put their first points of the season on the board at Hillsborough.
They meet a Preston North End side who have enjoyed a more positive start to the new term after their disappointing end to last season under the management of Ryan Lowe.
The Lancashire side eventually finished the 2022-23 Championship campaign in 12th spot in England’s second tier with 63 points, six off the playoff places having failed to win any of their last five outings, and they set out to improve this time around, starting with a trip to Bristol City in the opening round of league games.
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Lowe’s men looked set to fall to a 1-0 defeat in that game, following Sam Bell’s opener early in the second half, but they managed to salvage a point as Will Keane netted an 86th-minute opener on debut, before meeting Salford City in the EFL Cup first round and dropping out after an unsuccessful penalty shootout, following a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes in which Ben Woodburn and Duane Holmes drew them level after going two goals behind.
With their focus fully on Championship action, the Lilywhites then welcomed Sunderland to Deepdale last Saturday and put their first three-point haul on the board, as Keane opened the scoring in the first half, before Jack Clarke drew their visitors level from the penalty spot and Mads Frokjaer-Jensen netted the decisive goal on the hour mark.
Now with four points from their opening two difficult games, Lowe’s men should travel to South Yorkshire with some confidence as they seek to make it back-to-back wins and three games unbeaten to start the Championship term.
