Julian Borner took his opportunity to prove a point to Garry Monk when Sheffield Wednesday faced Bristol City.
On the chalkboard
It didn’t come in the best of circumstances, as Morgan Fox was replaced after sustaining a head injury, but when Borner came on in the 30th minute, he would have been thankful for the chance.
The German defender had not started any of the Owls’ last four games, with the first of those having been a suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards.
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He had come on for the final 12 minutes of the 4-0 win against Nottingham Forest, but this gave the 28-year-old a proper opportunity to show Monk he should be reinstated to the starting line-up.
Proving a point
That was taken, as he was indomitable during his time at the heart of the defence, showing how useful he can be, helping the team earn a clean sheet in their 1-0 victory.
He was successful in the one tackle that he attempted during his hour on the pitch, while he also made one interception.
Bristol City’s attackers were also unable to get the better of him when the ball was off the ground, as the German won all three of his aerial duels.
There was even quality shown on the ball, as he completed 80% of the passes that he attempted, as well as managing one key pass.
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He did end up picking up a cut to the face when competing with Famara Diedhiou, but in his typical no-nonsense style, he didn’t allow that to impact his game at all, while there wasn’t even a flinch at the time.
It was a solid overall performance from the defender, that will likely have got him into Monk’s thinking to start against Stoke City on Boxing Day.
In other news, the Owls have been offered a boost in their pursuit of Championship striker.
