Sheffield Wednesday v Hull City: Christmas spirit gives two imperfect sides cause for 2024 optimism

But irrespective of what happens on Monday evening, both can take some guarded optimism into 2024.

Hull once more showed a lack of ruthlessness as they threw away a 2-0 lead at home to Blackburn Rovers on Friday but on the back of their second December bout of back-to-back defeats, winning 3-2 was a huge tick in the box marked "character".

The Owls are showing it too in the face of injuries and suspensions.

Akin Famewo and Will Vaulks strained hamstrings on a cold Friday night in Preston – the last thing they needed with Bambo Diaby starting a three-match ban and Dominic Iorfa, Callum Paterson, Michael Smith and John Buckley injured.

An 85th-minute red card for George Byers, hacking down Mads Frokjaer-Jensen, did not exactly help either, nor Tyreeq Bakinson’s apparently impending move to Standard Liege, making Danny Rohl even less inclined than usual to use him.

The early-season Owls might have folded but Marvin Johnson's calm first-half finish to a Bailey Cadamarteri pass secured a 1-0 win over North End – Wednesday's fourth in seven December games.

That they are still in the Championship relegation zone – six points from safety – shows how hard a dreadful start has made their task.

But the longer the Christmas schedule goes on, the more spirit trumps skill in importance, and both Yorkshire sides have it.

"Friday was a character game and I think the players showed bucketloads," said Hull coach Liam Rosenior. "Even when they had 10 men (after two Dominic Hyam yellow cards) I wanted us to be disciplined and organised because you have more space in transition and that's where all our chances came from."

Defeats to Bristol City and Sunderland weighed heavily on Hull minds beforehand, as did a league table which saw them back in the top six afterwards, admitted Alfie Jones – at fault when he was unable to cut out the long ball from which Sammie Szmodics scored Blackburn's first goal, but making up for it with the winner.

By taking an early two-goal lead through the outstanding Liam Delap and Aaron Connolly, then letting Rovers level before the break, Hull were forced to showcase more character than they would have liked.

"We needed it after the last two results," admitted Jones. "I feel we should have more points from the last two games but we don't. We could have crumbled but we've got a good squad and a good mentality.

"Two-nil up – at home as well – I felt we were comfortable then the (second) goal's sloppy on our behalf. Just before half-time it's a killer.

"There were a couple of words said and then it was just about showing that reaction, winning the game.

"It was about making sure we started fast because we knew they were going to come out, especially scoring before half-time. I thought we controlled it and we created a lot of chances as well."

With half the possession Preston had on Friday, the Owls were forced to do it the hard way too.

“It was a tough game,” said Rohl, able to bring Josh Windass back from injury as a substitute. “It was about second balls and a lot of action around the boxes with crosses.

"When you see the spirit, and the culture we have, it’s really fantastic.

"We have four games in eight days – it’s hard, especially when you want to play with our intensity, pressing, transition and ball possession."

That trademark Rohl intensity will be in Rosenior's mind when he picks Monday's team. "We had some tired legs on Friday," he said. "I felt it wasn't the right game to rotate the team because I wanted to give that group the chance to put things right from the Sunderland game. I'll have a look at Sheffield Wednesday and assess what we need to do because we're going to have to at least match that intensity and try and come up with the best team, the best gameplan."

Ending a tough month in the play-off positions was significant.

"I'd be lying if I said we don't look at the table because we want to be in the top six and keep pushing up," said Jones. "We look at the results and that but it's just about keeping focussed, staying in our lane and doing what we need to do."

Rosenior added: "You want to be in and amongst it while learning your lessons as you go.”

Both sides are a long way from perfect, but both have something precious to give them a chance of achieving their goals in May.