In summary, then
Both Wednesday’s Liam Palmer - deservedly named man of the match – and Derby’s Lee Grant tell Sky they believe a draw was a fair result, though Wednesday’s industry and verve might have deserved more, particularly in the first half. Derby were hassled out of playing the way they like to but had probably the game’s best chance when Johnson’s shot smacked the crossbar. So Wednesday’s unbeaten home run continues, as does Derby’s in fixtures against these opponents. A watchable enough game but not one that quite took off. Thanks for your company. Bye.
Full-time: Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Derby
90+3 mins: One of Derby’s best moves comes to nothing when Keogh’s pass is headed back by Bent for Martin who belts it narrowly wide, but the former is flagged for offside. And that’s that.
90-2 mins: The decibel level is raised as Wednesday win a throw in a promising position on the left, they knock it about a bit, then lose possession and gain disciplinary points as Forestieri goes in late and is the latest player to be booked. The free-kick is punted forward by Keogh – and drifts out for a goalkick.
90 mins: We’ll have three extra minutes
90 mins: Derby press, and Thorne finds some space 25 yards out but slices a shot wide.
88 mins: Wednesday break nicely through Bannan and Wallace who link-up well before the former finds Pudil on the left, and he wins a throw in an attacking position. From which nothing materialises other than a goalkick.
86 mins: The crowd is a slightly disappointing 19,252. Wednesday’s pricing policy continues to rankle, clearly. Meanwhile Bent slots the ball into the net after a long Derby ball forward but he’s obviously offside.
84 mins: Wednesday win a free-kick on the left by the corner flag after Christie fouls Pudil, and from it Loovens spurns a great chance, rising above Shackell to send a downward header wide. He should have done better.
82 mins: Wednesday counteratrtack as Forestieri, who’s had a fine game, feeds Lee who finds Bannon; it’s worked back through Hooper to Forestieri, whose effort is blocked.
80 mins: Derby win an indirect free-kick inside the box when Loovens’ back-pass is handled by keeper Westwood, who I guess had no choice given the pressure. And from it, Johnson HITS THE BAR! And clear.
79 mins: Wednesday chance: Wallace cuts inside from the right and sends a rasping 25-yarder over the bar, following a neat move in which the sub Hooper was prominent
78 mins: Martin finds some space 40 yards out but is robustly robbed by Hutchinson. Derby want a free-kick but don’t get one. Wednesday break and Hooper finds some wriggle room in the area but not quite enough to prevent the eventual defender’s challenge ending the move. It’s a game of half-chances only at the moment.
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76 mins: Palmer turns defence into attack brilliantly, cutting out a dangerous pass from Weimann, before the move breaks down on the left. When it does, Wednesday make a substitution, Joao going off for Gary Hooper. Derby do likewise, Bent replacing Weimann. Are Derby about to go more direct and muscular?
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74 mins: Wednesday appeals for a corner are turned when Lee over-runs it by the right byline before his cross is deflected behind. Bit of a lull at the moment.
70 mins: Bannon’s cross finds Pudil, it breaks for Lee, but his shot is blocked. Derby break but a foul spoils it again, this time from Pudil, who is booked. The free-kick is larruped into the box and, guess what, the move breaks down with a foul on Hutchinson this time.
68 mins: Weimann, who’s coming more into the game, breaks clear on halfway but is fouled by López, but Derby can’t do much with the free-kick and Christie’s ball in is intercepted easily. Wednesday break and Wallace overhits a cross this time. Ho hum.
67 mins: Derby chance: Martin is played clear on the left, his pull-back is worked back for Johnson, whose fierce accurate shot is parried away by Westwood.
65 mins: A period of scrappy play precedes another menacing foray down the right from Palmer, but his cross in is curled too near to Grant, who catches comfortably.
63 mins: There’s just a little more space opening up at both ends now as Wallace and Forestieri almost work a chance inside the area. Wednesday come again and Joao wins a throw after going out wide and seeing a cross cleared.
Derby Subs: Baird and Russell for Warnock and Ince, the latter in particular having been off his game today
60 mins: Wednesday break swiftly and Joao feeds Forestieri who wins a corner after a good last-ditch tackle by the impressive Shackell. Derby clear the danger but Wednesday are enjoying a spell of possession again now.
57 mins: Wallace swings a lovely long ball out wide to Palmer, whose ball in finds Forestieri but he can’t work the opportunity and Derby clear. Johnson clatters Wallace, continuing what appears to be a little feud.
55 mins: Derby are just snapping into their challenges a little more briskly in this half but Wednesday are still pressing them hard in midfield. And they miss a good chance, when Joao links up with Forestieri, the former’s shot is blocked and it comes to Pudil in space on the left whose shot is wild and wide. A waste.
54 mins: Westwood needs to stretch back to fist the corner away, but it comes back at him only for Weimann to be flagged for offside, which is just as well for him as his header was horribly miscued wide.
53 mins: A faint chant of “Is this a library?” goes up from, presumably, the Derby fans but it’s so faint it could probably be aimed right back at the away end. Derby win a free-kick outside the are after a foul by Hutchinson, who’s the latest player to be booked. Martin’s shot is deflected wide for a corner off the wall.
49 mins: Warnock is Ok to continue, for now, and Derby get forward and Ince wins a throw on the right in a promising position. From it, Christie swings a ball in but it’s cleared. Keogh, the centre-back, then forages forward for Derby and wins a free-kick. From it – Derby’s best chance – Johnson meets the diagonal delivery with a firm header that goes just over.
46 mins: Wednesday regain possession swiftly from kick-off, but don’t manage to do anything with it. But Johnson gives it away and the home side can build again. Warnock’s gone down injured after a challenge with Lee and the referee calls a halt.
Peep!
We’re underway again
Elsewhere, Bury have won 1-0 at Rochdale to seal their place in the FA Cup third round. The players are back out at Hillsborough. Wednesday are late out because, Sky sources tell us, Glen Loovens was in the toilet. Thanks for sharing.
Half-time verdict-ette: Wednesday have undoubtedly been the better side – there’s a nice blend of energy and invention to their midfield play, but they might regret not having had more attempts on target. Derby have been shackled though you can’t rule out the likes of Martin snaffling up a chance. I’m off to forage for a half-time snack – back shortly.
Half-time: Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Derby
Wednesday end the half with another spell of possession, but it ends with Shackell, who’s defended tenaciously, clearing with a punt upfield and into touch. But Wednesday come back and win a corner through Lee, who’s been very busy in the last 15 minutes. But the ball in is overhit and that’s half-time.
45 mins: We’ll have two additional minutes at the end of this half.
44 mins: More Wednesday attacking: Palmer gets clear down the right and wins a throw after his low skidding ball in is skimmed back out. Derby can’t clear though and when the ball is eventually headed back in for Lee, he spies half an opening from an angle but can’t quite get hold of it and hooks it wide.
43 mins: Martin wins the ball well in midfield for Derby, lays it off neatly to Butterfield, who plays it wide for Christie, who stumbles and runs it out of touch to general home-fan amusement.
42 mins: Wednesday go down the other end, win a corner, which Bannan belts in only for Shackell to head clear. It’s worked back to Bannan who sets Lee clear inside the area and the ball in is only partially cleared. Derby have to scramble it away for a corner again. But it ultimately comes to nothing when Wallace’s ball back in is gathered by Grant.
39 mins: Forestieri and López link up well again with a neat little one-two in tight space but Wednesday can’t quite make all this industry and artistry convert itself into many serious goalscoring chances. They might just be ruing not having made their dominance count thus far, especially as Thorne exposes some worries in the defence with a probing ball through to Martin which is just snuffed out by Pudil
36 mins: Lee wins the ball in the middle and sends an exquisite ball out wide to Palmer, it’s worked forward to Wallace who is challenged and goes down. No foul is given, though it could have been, and after the ball goes out for a throw Wallace needs a minute or so of treatment. The red card odds in this game have, I imagine, dipped in recent minutes.
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33 mins: Wednesday win possession again and Joao has half a shout for a free-kick just outside the area when he goes to ground seeking to trick his way through. Nothing’s given though and Derby break and a cross from the right is headed wide by Martin.
32 mins: Derby win a throw out on the right deep in Wednesday’s half but they’re really struggling to find space, and Thorne’s aimless ball in is easily gathered by Westwood.
31 mins: It’s getting a bit feisty out there now, this time in the other direction, with Johnson clattered on halfway by Lopez this time, who becomes the first Wednesday player to be booked.
30 mins: Yellow card – Derby’s frustrations manifest themselves in another clumsy foul, on Lopez by Butterfield, who’s also booked.
28 mins: Forestieri raises Wednesday’s shots off target tally by one more as he picks the ball up 40 yards from goal, forages forward and cracks another shot just over.
27 mins: Bannon nearly finds Wallace in space with an almost-delicious 40 yard pass from inside his own area but it’s just snuffed out – it’s a measure of Wednesday’s confidence if nothing else.
26 mins: Bannon wins a header on halfway and drives through the centre before belting a 25-yard shot well over the top. The home side’s midfield dominance continues.
25 mins: Wednesday win a throw by the corner flag when Johnson rises forcefully above Wallace to nod out, the latter crumpling to the ground but it was a fair, if zealous, challenge. The throw comes to nothing.
23 mins: Yellow card: Thorne comes in hard on Forestieri on a 50-50 challenge that he loses. He’s booked for his trouble – it was a reckless little foul too.
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21 mins: Derby keep the ball for a while but they’re being pushed back – Joao and Forestieri pressing diligently, which forces them to knock it long and very hopefully straight to Westwood.
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18 minutes on the clock also sparks a mass round of applause for Wednesday fan Caroline Everest, the teenager whose death has sent shockwaves through the community.
18 mins: Derby hit back, Warnock gets some space on the left and his ball in needs to be hacked out for a throw, but the subsequent move breaks down when Martin, quiet thus far, is flagged for a marginal offside.
16 mins: Wednesday continue to assert themselves, now pressing high up the pitch, as everyone’s chums – the Sheffield Wednesday Band – spark up Sloop John B.
15 mins: Chance! Wallace ends a fine move featuring a nice give and go from Joao and Palmer before it’s knocked back to Wallace who lets fly with a cracking half-volley that Grant tips over brilliantly.
13 mins: Wallace feeds Pudil on the left but his ball in is nodded away, though only as far as Palmer who forages forward again, winning a throw, and setting up a spell of Wednesday possession, which culminates in Thorne fouling Joao and conceding a free-kick, which Bannon overhits – goalkick. But promising from Wednesday at the moment, for whom Forestieri is particularly making himself a presence.
11 mins: Forestieri robs Johnson in midfield, escapes past Thorne and wins a free-kick for Wednesday 45 yards out. Bannon’s curling delivery has some menace but Joao is punished for a push as the ball is headed away. Free-kick Derby.
9 mins: Butterfield imposes himself well in midfield, wining the ball and setting up a long spell of Derby possession, much of which is spent in their own half and they go nowhere when it’s punted forward. Wednesday attack more directly with Palmer escaping down the right again and putting a tantalising ball in which just eludes Joao
Here’s Andrew Battarbee with the game’s first email:
Overheard in an S6 chippie.
Derby fan: What do you call cobbs round here?
Chip shop person (emphatically): bread cakes
There: some local colour for you.
But must we always be divided as a nation?
5 mins: Christie wins the first corner for Derby after taking on Bannan down the right and forcing him to nudge it behind. From it, the ball is cleared only as far out as Butterfield who lays it off but the resultant hoik into the box drifts wide.
4 mins: Wallace feeds Palmer into space with a clever flick down the right-hand side, the latter escapes to the by-line but Derby clear and play settles down again. But a good early statement of Wednesday’s potential slick threat.
2 mins: Westwood slices out after the ball is played back to him, giving Derby the chance to enjoy a bout of possession, and the ball is played forward to Johnson near the by-line who forces Hutchinson to concede the throw but nowt comes of it.
Peep!
And we’re underway. Wednesday kick off, defending the Kop end.
The players are on their way out. To the refrain of Simple Minds’ Waterfront, for some reason. I’ve not been to Hillsborough for three years or so, how long has this been the theme?
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“We don’t have any fear coming to a place like this,” says Paul Clement while looking like he’s bouncing oddly on the soles of his feet. Carlos Carvalho agrees, saying it’ll be “very hard” against a fine side, while backing his latest central defensive pairing of Hutchinson and Loovens.
Apropos of nothing, some light pre-match reading – the Augsburg goalkeeper penalty spot sabotage scandal:
Probably tired and hungover, having to get up on a Sunday morning for an away trip.
The teams
Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood; Palmer, Loovens, Hutchinson, Pudil, Wallace, Lee, López, Bannan, Forestieri, João. Subs: Wildsmith, Semedo, Nuhiu, McGugan, Hooper, Wiggins, Sougou
Derby County: Grant; Christie, Keogh, Shackell, Johnson, Warnock, Butterfield, Thorne, Ince, Weimann, Martin. Subs: Mitchell, Kendrick, Bent, Russell, Baird, Pearce, Shotton.
So Wednesday are rejigged a fair bit – Westwood, Palmer, Bannan, Lopez and Forestieri are all back in the starting lineup.
For Derby, Grant replaces Carson, who the club say has a slight back injury, while Bradley Johnson replaces Jeff Hendrick in the middle.
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Preamble
Good afternoon, and welcome for what should be an intriguing set-to between two upbeat sides. Derby appear comprehensively revitalised this term under Paul Clement after Steve McClaren presided over the mother of all title automatic promotion play-off bid chokes last season, while Sheffield Wednesday have hauled themselves out of a fairly relentlessly doldrum-ish period. Even in being well-beaten by sexy stylish New Stoke in midweek, their fans sang merrily throughout about “being on their way back”. Carlos Carvalhal has certainly helped change the mood music around Hillsborough.
Carvalhal, however, does go into this one with a few knack problems. The impressive central defender Tom Lees is out with a hamstring injury, and right-back Jack Hunt was doubtful yesterday, though Glenn Loovens has recovered. The Wednesday manager refuse to get his excuses in early though. “We don’t have any kind of problems for Sunday,” he chirped. “By that I mean I don’t want any kind of excuses and talk about players that can’t play.
Derby arrive on the back of hard-earned wins against Cardiff and Hull, though Clement warns: “We will have to be at our best, like we were at Hull, to get a result at Hillsborough.” They’ve won 10 of their last 13, so you’d give them a decent chance of doing so, and they’ve not lost to Wednesday in 12 meetings either, and Chris Martin, Tom Ince and Jacob Butterfield can pose a threat to a depleted defence. Wednesday, however, are unbeaten at home since late August – only Middlesbrough have won here this season.
A win would haul Derby level with Boro in second place; a win by three catapults them ahead on goal difference, while Wednesday can sneak into the top six with victory, and help counter the sense that this season’s Championship might be about five teams cutting loose from the rest.
Kick-off 1.15pm.
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