The Owls have played a game fewer than Plymouth Argyle in second – who sit below Wednesday on goal difference – and Ipswich. After beating MK Dons 5-2 at Hillsborough to move above Plymouth, who drew 0-0 with Fleetwood Town, manager Darren Moore insisted there was still more work to be done.

He said: “It will ebb and flow. We just need to stay consistent with our work and hopefully top of the league now. There’s lots and lots of work and it’s back to the drawing board on Monday.”

Wednesday missed out on promotion last season after they were beaten by Sunderland in the play-off semi-finals but Moore’s side are in a strong position to secure a return to the Championship.

Sheffield Wednesday's Josh Windass celebrates after their side's second goal of the game (scored by George Byers) during the Sky Bet League One match at Portman Road Stadium, Ipswich on Saturday February 11, 2023. Picture: Rhianna Chadwick/PA

The Owls have 68 points from 31 games, to give them a points per game ratio of 2.19. If they maintain that return until the end of the season, they will finish the campaign on 100 points. That total would be more than enough to clinch automatic promotion.

In the last five completed third tier campaigns, the maximum points required to secure an automatic spot has been 90, which happened last season as Rotherham United pipped MK Dons to second place.

The lowest tally has been 81 while the average points needed over the last five seasons has been 86. It is likely the Owls will need around that number again but with an eight-point cushion to Ipswich they are in a healthy position.

To work out the possible points tally required – rather than looking at the total gathered by the second-placed side in each respective season, we have added one more point to the final tally of the team finishing third, giving a better indication of the minimum points required in each of the last five campaigns.

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - JANUARY 07: Josh Windass of Sheffield Wednesday celebrates with team mates after scoring their sides second goal during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Sheffield Wednesday and Newcastle United at Hillsborough on January 07, 2023 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

For example, Peterborough United were promoted with 87 points in 2021 while third-placed Blackpool ended the season with 80, meaning 81 points was enough to secure automatic promotion. Data from the 2019-20 season has not been included due to the League One campaign being cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The number of points Sheffield Wednesday will need to be promoted from League One to the Championship