Sheffield Wednesday v Sheffield United: Dominic Iorfa expecting 'electric' derby atmosphere but frankly says relax

It is six years since the 126-year-old ground hosted Sheffield United’s first team, and at this stage of the season the stakes are high.

Visitors Sheffield United are engaged in a tight Championship title race, whilst hosts Wednesday have not given up on making up the gap to the play-offs, which stands at five points before the runners and riders embark on their last nine games.

Iorfa is unusual in having experienced this occasion before – the Hillsborough version, at least, as the sides met at Bramall Lane in November when the hosts won 1-0. He is expecting a special atmosphere but feels he needs to be relaxed about it.

"I've played in a couple now and there might be other players in the team that are really stressing about it," he says. "Me, I found it kind of helps having played a few games for the club that it is just another game.

"You don't want to take it lightly but you just have to relax and when gameday comes, give 100 per cent."

His manager, Danny Rohl, has tried not to overplay the occasion.

"It's the normal preparation," he says. "It's about analysing the opponent, preparing the training, writing the matchplan, all the things we do usually and I think on Sunday the emotion will come.

"The focus is about three points. I know what it means for the people of Sheffield and our massive fans but for me it's important we have a clear mindset what we have to do."

Iorfa says the fans belting out Hi Ho Sheffield Wednesday as the players emerge will set the right tone.

"It still gets me every single time,” he says. “Every time they sing it, I just smile and I'm ready to go. It still gets me. It is electric when it's at full volume, to be sure."

And he cheekily suggested the atmosphere would be livelier than at S2 earlier this season.

"At the start of the game and when you're getting prepared, you notice it," says the defender who returned after a muscular injury in back-to-back away games over the last week.

"Once the game starts you kind of block it out and just focus on the actual game but it's the small moments when you notice the fans more – if there's a goal, a bad decision.

"I'll put it this way, the (derby) I played at Hillsborough, the atmosphere was much better (than November’s reverse game). So going into Sunday, we'll see.

"We all know the noise our fans can make. They play such a big part.

"It gives us a massive boost. For away teams, when Hillsborough is rocking you can kind of see their body language change, they're intimidated by it as well.

"When we're playing well and putting them under pressure you can see they take a backward step. It has a massive impact."

The 0-0 derby in March 2019 was Iorfa's first start for the club he joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of January that year. His three previous appearances, two at home, had been as a substitute.

"When I joined I knew it was a big club, I knew Sheffield United was a big club as well and I knew it was a big game growing up as a youngster watching it occasionally on TV but you don't really know how big it is until you join the area, and when you walk around the city, the amount of fans you bump into,” he says.

"When I walked out at Hillsborough for the first time in a derby, that's what made me realise, 'Wow, this is a massive game.'

"The two games I've played have been two tight games, so it's the atmosphere I remember more than anything. They're up close, competitive games."

The Owls' home form has been poor this season, with only five league victories, none since New Year's Day.

So it could prove important they ended a three-match losing streak with impressive away victories in their last two matches. A Plymouth Argyle side who have saved all their best form for Home Park this season were swept aside 3-0, then the Owls came from 2-0 down to beat Norwich City 3-2 on Tuesday.

"It definitely helps," says Iorfa, who was making his first appearances since January 4 in those matches. "Everyone's in good spirits, we've had two good results and the feel-good factor's really high.

"That just gives us more confidence going into the game.

"They do say form goes out of the window but it definitely does help if you're going into it on the back of a good result, which we are.

"We've had two good games now so we've got good preparation."

And being away for those games – the squad stayed down south inbetween time – has taken them away from the usual noise that accompanies a derby.

"We had Norwich and Plymouth so we couldn't actually think about the derby games, we had to get through them first, which thankfully we did," says Iorfa. "Now the derby has our full attention.

"Obviously fans have been looking forward to this game for a while, but us players, you can't afford to not concentrate on those games or you'll get beaten but now those games are done our full focus can be on the game."