Nuhiu stresses wins are more vital than goals

The 24-year-old Austrian has been a key part of the Owls’ 10-game unbeaten run – which has hoisted them six points clear of the relegation zone – but he has netted just three times in his first season in English football.

While departed loan striker Connor Wickham (eight goals in 11 games) and Chris Maguire (five goals in eight games) have hogged the goalscoring headlines, Nuhiu’s ability to hold the ball up as a target man has impressed.

However, the 6ft 4ins striker has spurned too many chances in front of goal – particularly headers – and is keen to address that problem.

“Three goals and two assists; I know I have to score more goals, this is a fact,” he admitted.

“But we worked hard to win games. I will work hard to score, but the most important thing was to win.

“It doesn’t matter who is scoring. Right now this has brought us out of the relegation zone because we are a team and it doesn’t matter who scores.

“Always as a striker you have pressure, but you have to be strong enough to take it. I learned this at different clubs, so it is not something that is new for me.

“You have to face that, no problem. What I want to know is that the managers appreciate (me); I think he (Stuart Gray) does.

“You have to maybe do the work and the other guy scores. I don’t mind if we win.”

While Nuhiu may frustrate some Owls fans with his lack of goals, his massive heart has endeared him to the Hillsborough faithful. When Maguire netted a 97th-minute winner against Barnsley at Hillsborough last Saturday, substituted Nuhiu sprinted from the dug-out and was one of the first to congratulate his team-mate by the corner flag in front of the Kop.

He recalled: “I was a bit angry because I was taken off, then when we scored I was very happy.

“To score in the 97th minute doesn’t happen very often. It’s a thing you have to appreciate and enjoy; it’s a derby as well.”

Nuhiu has had few chances to rest by being taken out of the firing line this season due to Wednesday’s shortage of strikers. One exception came in the 5-2 demolition of Reading at Hillsborough when Wickham and fellow loan striker Matty Fryatt ripped the Royals apart as Nuhiu watched from the sidelines.

“We played a fantastic game,” he said. “The difference was we lost straight away (after) to Derby.

“We are playing away, Reading are on fire, so it’s going to be difficult but we don’t need to be worried.”

The Owls have signed defender Adedeji Oshilaja, 20, on an emergency loan deal from Cardiff City, until March 12.