Sheffield Wednesday boss addresses Sunderland challenge after sacking calls following Swansea defeat

Sheffield Wednesday boss Xisco Munoz says there are no excuses when his side host Sunderland - following calls from a section of The Owls’ fanbase for the Spaniard to be sacked.

Wednesday are bottom of the Championship with two points from eight games ahead of Friday’s meeting with The Black Cats at Hillsborough.

The match will follow Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat at Swansea last weekend, when some fans in the away end chanted for Munoz to be sacked while criticising his style of football.

Asked about facing Sunderland, Munoz, who replaced Darren Moore at Hillsborough following the club’s promotion from League One, replied: “It’s a big challenge because it’s one team that last season was challenging for promotion to the Premier League.

“In our team, the half in our team was challenging for promotion to the Championship. It’s a big challenge, but I’m not afraid about that and there is no excuse.

“In the Championship we need to give a better performance. I’m not afraid of the situation. I believe in my squad, I believe in my players and I know they give 100 per cent.

“What is important for us is our stadium and we need to give more, but we need them now.

“We need to arrive more, we need to shoot more, we need to give more consistent performances but this is the solution, it’s what we try to find and this is what we want for Friday night.”

Asked if the Sunderland fixture is a must-win game, Munoz added: "This is my big challenge. This is what I try to push the players into. It’s important we arrive at the game and give full power and give shots, chances, corners and we try and try and try.

"This is what we want. This is the positive things I have in my mind and we need to be like we were in the first half (against Swansea)."

The Wednesday boss also said there are no new injury concerns ahead of the match against Sunderland, with suggestions winger Mallik Wilks could be part of the squad for the first time this season.

Defender Momo Diaby remains sidelined with a foot issue.