Can Sheffield Wednesday put a tough year behind them to start afresh with a much needed win?
The side have not experienced victory since beating Portsmouth 2-0 in September and will be hoping to claim just their second the season as they visit Preston North End on New Year’s Day (15:00 GMT).
But while Wednesday are deep into bottom of the table, North End are just one point outside the top six and eager to end a three match winless streak before they start falling off the pace.
-
Preston North End came from behind to beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 back in November and will be aiming to complete a league double over the Owls for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign.
-
Sheffield Wednesday have won on only two of their last 25 away league trips to face Preston North End (D10 L13), winning 2-0 on New Year’s Eve 2011 and 1-0 on 29 December 2023.
-
Preston North End have lost 10 of their last 13 New Year’s Day fixtures (W3), last winning on January 1st at home to Port Vale in League One in 2014 under Simon Grayson.
-
Sheffield Wednesday have won their first league fixture in each of the last three calendar years, scoring at least three times in each win – the Owls last started four consecutive years with victories between 2001 and 2004.
-
Preston North End’s Michael Smith has been directly involved in five goals across his last five Football League appearances on New Year’s Day (4 goals, 1 assist), assisting for Sheffield Wednesday against Derby last year. That run started with a goal vs PNE for Rotherham in 2019.