Sheffield Wednesday suffered a heavy defeat in their last Championship match, losing 4-0 to Sunderland.
The Owls, who had started the 2024/25 season strongly under Danny Rohl with a win over Plymouth Argyle in the Championship and a victory against Hull City in the Carabao Cup, were brought back down to earth in this encounter.
Sheffield Wednesday looked promising in the early stages against Sunderland, but after conceding the first goal at the 11-minute mark, they struggled to recover. Sunderland led 3-0 by halftime and added a fourth goal shortly after the restart.
From Sunderland’s perspective, the goals were well-executed, but from Sheffield Wednesday’s viewpoint, they were poorly defended. The third goal, scored by Luke O’Nien, was particularly controversial, with several Sheffield Wednesday players and fans believing it was offside.
Former Premier League referee Chris Foy has since weighed in on the incident, offering his analysis.
**Chris Foy Clarifies Luke O’Nien’s Goal Against Sheffield Wednesday**
In an appearance on Sky Sports’ “Behind the Whistle,” Chris Foy explained that Josh Windass was the player who inadvertently kept O’Nien onside when the ball was played through to the Sunderland defender.
Foy stated, “This decision is a brilliant one, showcasing the excellent awareness and judgment of the assistant referee. Watching the play in real-time, it might appear that the Sunderland attacker was offside. However, when you pause the footage at the moment of the initial shot, it’s clear that Sheffield Wednesday’s No. 11 on the near side was playing the attacker onside. The assistant referee rightly kept his flag down, and the goal was correctly awarded.”
**A Difficult Defeat for Sheffield Wednesday**
After reviewing the goal and match highlights, most Sheffield Wednesday fans accepted that Windass had indeed played O’Nien onside, and that the team’s overall performance was simply poor.
Windass, in particular, had a tough game, being partially responsible for several of Sunderland’s goals. He lost his marker on the first goal and made an ill-advised flick from a James Beadle pass, which led to the second goal.
Despite this setback, Windass remains a key player for Sheffield Wednesday. He will need to put the Sunderland game behind him and focus on returning to form ahead of a challenging match against Yorkshire rivals Leeds United at Hillsborough on Friday night.
