Sheffield Wednesday: Why Sam Hutchinson insists he doesn't care about Owls' record against league's big boys

The Owls head to leaders Newcastle United today having lost five of their eight meetings against top-10 clubs this season. Their only victory came away at Huddersfield Town over two months ago.

Wednesday’s results against the best were not up to scratch last season but Carlos Carvalhal’s side still reached the Play-Off Final.

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Hutchinson told The Star: “I remember sitting down here last year before the play-offs and saying we hadn’t beaten any of the top six and then we went in and beat Brighton and got to the Play-Off Final. Again, I just think statistics can work in your favour or not work in your favour. As long as we are up there at the end of the season, I don’t really care.

“If you get enough points, if we finish second or we finish in the play-offs third of fourth or wherever, and we get enough points accumulated by beating teams below us or getting draws against the top 10, no one is going to complain about that.”

Big things were expected of the Owls after Carvalhal’s charges came so close to going up last year. Despite a slow start, Wednesday lie in sixth position and tonight’s televised clash at St James’ Park, kick-off 7:45pm, marks the halfway point in the campaign.

“At Sheffield Wednesday, it is always a big pressure,” said Hutchinson. “I just think it is what it is in football. Every club has pressure and it’s how you deal with it.

“It has to be a good thing.”

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While the defensive midfielder refuses to give up hope of securing automatic promotion, Hutchinson accepts the play-offs is a more realistic target.

When asked if the Owls can catch Newcastle and second-placed Brighton and Hove Albion, Hutchinson said: “Yes. Until it is mathematically impossible, of course.

“You see there are always slip ups in the Championship - if we get some consistency, and I don’t think we’ve been outplayed in any game.

“Brighton were a lot stronger than us at home but we still lost 2-1 and at the end there was a chance we could have drawn, and we weren’t good on that day. We haven’t played anyone who are a lot better than us in this league so why not?”

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