Stuart Gray has tagged Wednesday’s Boxing Day home clash with Blackpool a must-win game after last weekend’s 4-0 defeat at Fulham.
Gray described the near-5000 fans who went down to Fulham as “unbelievable from the first to 95th minute” and said the players owe them – and the home supporters – a victory.
He said: “It’s a must-win game for us. I expect to win every match we play at home and that should be our mindset.
“We have to win this one and then the next one at Wigan.”
Glenn Loovens faces a late test on a hamstring injury picked up during the defeat at Fulham. He was replaced by Claude Dielna during the second half and, if Loovens fails to recover in time, then Gray is likely to again replace him with Dielna.
Gray also has to decide whether to make changes up front, with Wednesday struggling badly to make any impression in terms of finishing.
We have scored just five league goals and registered only two Championship wins in 11 games at Hillsborough this season and Gray has called on his forward players to show more bravery.
He said: “Attacking-wise we need to be a bit braver in the opposition box … we need to show more self-belief, a little bit more confidence and bravery and a wilingness to get beween the posts to stick the ball in the net.”
Bottom-of-the-table Blackpool come to Hillsborough on the back of a 6-1 home defeat to Bournemouth and 10 points from safety and, on paper, should provide the ideal opportunity for Wednesday to register a third home league win, along with some much-needed goals at S6.