Reading v Sheffield Wednesday: Pressure back on us in survival battle – Owls chief Irvine

The Owls have won five games out of nine since Irvine's appointment last month but back-to-back home defeats against Doncaster Rovers and Ipswich Town have increased the pressure ahead of today's trip.

Defeat at the Madejski Stadium could plunge the Owls back into the relegation zone if Crystal Palace also avoid defeat at Doncaster.

Irvine said: "If our record had been 'win, lose, win, lose, win, lose' people would have been saying it was a good start but – because we have not played well in the last two games – it has put the pressure back on.

"When I took charge, I said that every game was 'huge' so, with 14 to play, nothing has changed. Obviously we know that, with each game that passes, we need to be that little bit closer to the target we have set. We now need six wins out of 14 to stay up."

After playing four games at home in the last month, the Owls have a spell of four games out of the five on the road.

Irvine's options are boosted by the return of strikers Jermaine Johnson and Francis Jeffers after six weeks on the sidelines, but the lack of competition in a small squad remains a major concern.

"I would like to think that all the players feel as if they are under pressure to perform but, obviously, the more choices you have, the more pressure they are under," said Irvine. "There are no wholesale changes I can make and if I started putting square pegs into round holes it would only add to the problems."

With captain Darren Purse and full-back Lewis Buxton ruled out, Irvine will again turn to Richard Hinds and Frank Simek.

Irvine has been impressed with the attitude and performance of his players in training this week. "You always learn more about people's personalities and characters when you go through a more difficult spell so let's see how the players bounce back from our last two games," he said. "They have been terrific and trained really well this week and the quality of the football has been very good. I have been delighted with the way they have come back but the acid test is on Saturday."

Reading reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 83 years but needed a two-hour replay against West Bromwich in midweek to secure the date with Aston Villa. The Royals have lost only four games out of 15 under new manager Brian McDermott but are only a point above the Owls in the relegation scrap.

"People will look at the fact that they went to extra-time in midweek and think they will be tired," said Irvine. "But I honestly don't think that will be the case. Footballers nowadays should be able to recover and be ready to go again on Saturday. Playing all those game makes you battle-hardened rather than softer. This will be an extremely difficult game against a team in form."