Sheffield Wednesday face Derby County and Ipswich Town before May’s final day showdown with Fulham.
Sheffield Wednesday players celebrate Daniel Pudil’s winner against Queens Park Rangers
A second successive Championship play-off campaign is well within Sheffield Wednesday’s grasp, as the Owls head into the final three games of the regular season.
Win the first two of those and Carlos Carvalhal’s side would require only a point against sixth-placed Fulham at Hillsborough on the final day to secure their place, assuming the Cottagers – and Leeds United – match Wednesday’s results until then.
While the Owls’ other two opponents no longer have anything left to play for, their supporters should know better than to write off Derby County and Mick McCarthy, the Ipswich Town manager.
Wednesday haven’t beaten Derby since May 2006 – a run spanning 17 matches – while Barnsley native McCarthy has avoided defeat in 14 of his 15 encounters with the side from down t’road – his only loss coming in the first of those while manager of Millwall in 1995.
The Owls’ old foe, Mick McCarthy
Both sides have already beaten the Owls this season and one suspects at least one of those results will need to be avenged if the Yorkshire side are to still have a chance come Fulham’s visit.
Win both and it could be the biggest clue yet that Sheffield Wednesday are, indeed, on their way back.
How will Sheffield Wednesday fare against Derby County/Ipswich Town?
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