New Sheffield Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay oversaw a 0-0 draw with fierce rivals Sheffield United in the Steel City derby at Bramall Lane this evening.
This was the first Championship match of the season in which there were no shots on target in the first half as Luhukay set up the Owls to be organised at the back.
There were more chances after the break as Joe Wildsmith saved from Clayton Donaldson's header and Owls defender Daniel Pudil shot narrowly wide with a 25-yard volley.
Wednesday captain Glenn Loovens was sent off on 61 minutes for a second bookable offence, but the visitors hung on for a point to extend United's winless run to 10.
Relive how the Friday night action unfolded with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Jos Lukukay, anyone? No, me neither. Well the new Sheffield Wednesday manager has a huge chance to make a massive first impression on Owls fans as he takes on rivals Sheffield United in his first match in charge. Let's see who the former Stuttgart boss has picked in his first lineup...
SHEFF UNITED: Moore; Baldock, Basham, Stearman; O'Connell, Stevens, Fleck, Lundstram, Duffy; Clarke, Donaldson
Subs: Blackman, Sharp, Wilson, Wright, Leonard, Evans, Lafferty
Subs: Blackman, Sharp, Wilson, Wright, Leonard, Evans, Lafferty
SHEFF WED: Wildsmith; Venancio, Loovens, Pudil; Palmer, Jones, Wallace, Reach, Fox; Joao, Rhodes
Subs: Dawson, Butterfield, Nuhiu, Matias, Boyd, Clare, Thornley
Subs: Dawson, Butterfield, Nuhiu, Matias, Boyd, Clare, Thornley
Luhukay was in the stands for Wednesday's disappointing 0-0 draw with Carlisle United in the FA Cup third round last week, which saw caretaker Lee Bullen finish with a record of one win from four games, and has made two changes with Daniel Pudil and Jordan Rhodes coming into the starting XI.
The new Owls manager has to cope without first-choice goalkeeper Keiren Westwood, Sam Hutchinson and Barry Bannan, as well as top scorer Gary Hooper so Lucas Joao is paired with Rhodes up front.
It appears as though Wednesday have matched up United with a 3-5-2 formation, with Pudil partnering Glenn Loovens and Frederico Venancio in the back three and Liam Palmer and Morgan Fox chosen at wing-back as the Owls look to make up the 12-point gap on their opponents.
After ringing the changes for the 1-0 FA Cup win over Ipswich Town, Blades manager Chris Wilder has reverted to the same team which started the New Year's Day draw with Derby County, meaning that new signings James Wilson, Ryan Leonard and Lee Evans are all on the bench.
Striker Leon Clarke - the Championship's top scorer with 15 goals - has bagged six times in five previous Football League matches against the Owls, averaging a goal every 49 minutes. Ironically, he failed to score in four Steel City league derbies when playing for Wednesday.
Clarke was at the double in September's reverse fixture at Hillsborough when United were 4-2 winners. The Blades have not done a league double over their Steel City rivals since 2005-06, when they won promotion to the Premier League under Neil Warnock.
United were in top form for the meeting at Hillsborough but won't enter this derby with as much confidence having only won one of their last nine league matches to slip outside of the playoff positions. However, Wilder will still be thrilled to be seventh in the league upon their arrival from League One.
The Blades have lost only one of their last 14 home matches against Wednesday in all competitions - a 2-1 defeat in February 2009 when there were two goals in the first five minutes, and former Arsenal striker Arturo Lupoli scored the winner. There has been eight draws in that run, though.
It has been a tumultuous few years for Sheffield football, and this is actually the first Championship meeting between the sides at Bramall Lane in the since September 2009, when United won 3-2. A good omen for Chris Wilder's men - that match also played on a Friday.
Lukukay brings with him an abundance of experience from Germany and is going to need all of it to turn a disappointing Wednesday season around. The Owls are 15 points worse off than they were at this stage last season 30 compared to 45 after 26 games - and are 13 adrift of the playoffs.
The Owls have lost their last two league games by two or more goals without scoring. The last time they endured a run of three defeats by this margin without finding the net was in 1999, which ended with an 8-0 defeat at Newcastle. Imagine the scenes in Sheffield if there was a repeat tonight...
PREDICTION: It couldn't get any tougher for Luhukay in his first game in charge and he has shifted things tactically, which is a big risk against a United side which is so well drilled. I think the Blades will come out flying and it will be too much for Wednesday - 2-0 home win.
KICKOFF: Bramall Lane is absolutely rocking as the game gets underway. Sheffield stands still...
CLOSE! Lundstram nearly sends the Blades into a sensational early lead, with a left-footed volley which drops onto the roof of the net after a corner had been cleared to him at the edge of the box.
Duffy cuts inside and picks out the run into the centre of the box of Baldock, who had lost his marker Fox. However, the wing-back could not bring the ball under control and a possible chance goes begging.
As expected, United have started at a very fast tempo and already this new-look back three of Wednesday has been tested already with a couple of challenging balls for Donaldson to run onto.
Wednesday's first venture forward brings promise as Pudil whips in a great ball just above the head of Joao. Palmer picks it up and fires across goal, forcing Basham to block behind for a corner.
Baldock loves to get forward and has been very prominent in the first 10 minutes. He combines with Donaldson to win United a corner, from which they try a training ground routine which goes wrong.
Wednesday's defenders have not given Leon Clarke an inch yet, with Pudil and Venancio following him into the middle third and getting very tight to him. It will be interesting to see if that is an instruction from Luhukay and continues throughout the match.
Stevens skips past Palmer on the United left and fizzes a cross towards the penalty spot, but Clarke and Donaldson had run into the six-yard box and no Blades player was hanging back.
The pace of the game has slowed slightly and United have wrestled control of possession. Wednesday have seen through the first 15 minutes though which was always going to be dangerous the way that Wilder sets his teams out to start quickly.
CHANCE! Perhaps a half-chance, at least, for Jordan Rhodes as Palmer floats a cross into the box, and the former Middlesbrough striker peels off Basham and glances a header a few yards wide.
So far what has been noticeable is how the four wing-backs have been the most dangerous attackers for either side. Fox has been more reserved for Wednesday, but Palmer has got forward down the right and Stevens and Baldock have joined in at every opportunity.
Midway through this first half and neither goalkeeper has had to make a save yet. That is not to say that it has been a boring start, as there have been several promising openings which have just lacked an end product.
YELLOW: Very silly defending from the experienced Loovens, who goes straight through the back of Donaldson in front of the assistant referee on the byline. United were countering from a Wednesday set piece but Donaldson had been forced wide and the visitors had numbers back.
Reach punts the ball forward and Joao is briefly interested before Moore comes off his line to claim. The United back three has looked very solid so far and it will take good deliveries like the one we saw from Palmer a few minutes ago to really test them.
SHOT! We know Reach can hit them from distance, and when his long-range hit is blocked and falls to Joao, he tries a Cantona-esque trip which lands on the roof of the net. It looks close but Moore was never really troubled.
Wednesday are having a decent period, keeping the ball quite nicely and Joao in particular is looking quite bright. In contrast, Clarke has been very quiet but the visitors will know he can strike at any time.
A mini-victory for Wednesday - they have quietened the Brammal Lane crowd - but United are trying to do something about that by flying into some tackles. Baldock and Basham are the ones getting physical.
Handbags between Joao and Baldock over on the Wednesday left after the Portuguese had been ushered out of play. Referee David Coote sensibily calms things down and keeps his cards in his pocket.
SHOT! Joao creates some space for himself on the edge of the box but drags an ugly 20-yard shot wide. The Wednesday forward is causing a few problems for United but they need not worry if his finishing continues to be that poor.
CHANCE! A really good Wednesday counter sees Joao tee up Wallace for a shot from an angle. The Scotsman's usually trusty left foot lets him down as he slices wide of the near post.
O'Connell is inches away from getting on the end of a wonderful set-piece delivery from Duffy.
YELLOW: A brilliant run from Fleck as he darts through the middle, skipping past several players before being hacked down by Venancio, who rightly enters the book. Great stuff from Fleck who hasn't seen much of the ball this half but has just reminded Wednesday of his threat.
SHOT! From the resultant free kick, Duffy lifts it over the wall but a few yard wide.
HALF TIME: SHEFF UNITED 0-0 SHEFF WED:
Half time in the Steel-City derby and Wednesday have managed to contain their hosts very well. Jos Luhukay will be very happy with their defensive organisation and they have grown into the game nicely.
STAT: This hasn't felt like a bore draw, but it is the first game in the Championship this season that there has not been a single shot on target from either side during the first half.
There have been a few half-chances, the best of which have fell to Wednesday with Jordan Rhodes heading and Ross Wallace shooting wide respectively. Nothing from Leon Clarke at all yet.
The underlapping runs of the United centre-backs have caused the Owls a few problems, but the back three implemented by Luhukay has remained organised and has been well protected by David Jones.
Could we see any of United's new signings in the second half? James Wilson seems the most likely candidate with Donaldson proving ineffective so far. The Manchester United youngster could be a really good foil for Clarke.
KICKOFF: The second half is underway with both managers resisting the temptation to make changes...
United work the ball nicely from right to left and O'Connell knocks a ball into the box for Clarke to challenge for. The striker wins his header, but it comes to nothing and the flag is raised anyway.
SHOT! Wednesday take their turn to get their centre-back forward now and the ball breaks to Pudil, whose left-footed shot arrows through a congested box but wide of Moore's goal.
SAVE! A goalkeeper is called into action for the first time and it is a brilliant save from Joe Wildsmith, who tips over the crossbar from Donaldson's near-post header after Duffy's cross.
CLOSE! This game is picking up pace now and Pudil is the man threatening for Wednesday. A clearing header drops to him on the edge of the box, and the defender beautifully cuts across the ball with a left-footed volley which skims across the turf and very nearly into the bottom corner.
United keep the ball for a good minute or so and yet the final ball is a very hopeful dink from Stevens. That is a testament to the organisation that Wednesday have displayed under their new boss.
SHOT! Moore gets down well to save from Reach's shot, but nearly spills the ball with Joao and Rhodes poised to pounce. He takes a knock for his troubles but is okay to continue.
The Blades work the ball across the ball and eventually tee up Fleck, whose shot is blocked by his own teammate in Duffy. Every time a United player was lining up a shot, a Wednesday player was charging out.
STAT: Leon Clarke has only had 15 touches throughout the first hour of this match. That is the fewest of any player on the pitch, including both goalkeepers. That is another mini-victory for Wednesday.
RED CARD: This is going to completely change this game because Loovens has been sent off. It is a definite second yellow as he clumsily bundles into Donaldson on the left flank, leaving the referee with very little choice but to send off the Wednesday captain.
SUBSTITUTION: Wilder responds by bringing on James Wilson in place of Donaldson. Can the Manchester United loanee make himself an instant Blades hero with a winning derby goal?
Basham wriggles away from Fox and does brilliantly to wrap his foot around the ball to deliver a dangerous cross to the near post. Wilson sticks a foot out but Pudil gets a block in to concede a corner.
SUBSTITUTION: Luhukay takes his time before deciding how to respond to the red card, and decides to sacrifice Rhodes for George Boyd, that reshuffle is likely to see Fox moved inside because the new Wednesday boss will want to retain this back three that has worked so well.
Great one-two between Baldock and Lundstram, who continues his run into the box but finds a obstacle he can't pass in Pudil, who is having an excellent game after being drafted into the team.
YELLOW: Wallace is all fired up tonight and absolutely flies into Fleck, charging across and catching him heavily on the shin with his studs, getting a very deserved booking. It is a nasty tackle and could even have earned the winger a red.
CLOSE! The free kick delivery from Duffy is good and Clarke heads just wide at the near post, failing to make clean contact on his header. That was the chance that the striker has been waiting for.
CHANCE! Wallace falls asleep from a United corner and does not follow the run of Fleck, who collects the ball short, advances on goal and works Wildsmith with a shot from a tight angle.
Wilder is barking instructions from the touchline and seems to be getting frustrated with what he perceives to be time-wasting. Wednesday have clearly decided to settle for what would be a very good draw.
Clarke is waiting for a tap in from a great early cross from Lundstram, only for Venancio to stretch out a leg and intercept the cross, albeit forcing Wildsmith into some good reactions on his own line to prevent an own goal.
SUBSTITUTION: Luhukay wants more of a presence up front to held Wednesday keep hold of the ball, replacing Lucas Joao with Atdhe Nuhiu, who could yet steal the Owls a winner from a set piece.
Wednesday could be down to nine with Wallace escaping a yellow card for a dive, which was penalised by the referee but not with a second booking, much to the frustration of Fleck.
SHOT! Wilson comes deep to collect the ball, spins and fires a 25-yard shot which Wildsmith holds. Meanwhile, Nuhiu gets a yellow card for a filthy tackle on O'Connell.
United are committing eight or nine players forward with every attack, but still cannot break down this organised Wednesday defence as Duffy's hopeful cross drifts behind harmlessly.
SAVE! Moore is in real pain after colliding with teammate Stearman, but shows get reflexes to get up off his haunches and push a Reach volley destined for the top corner over the crossbar.
There will be FOUR minutes of stoppage time, with Moore called into action again with Wallace cutting inside and drilling a 25-yard shot which the United goalkeeper blocks, but fumbles.
SUBSTITUTION: Final change for Wednesday as Wallace leaves to boos to be replaced by youngster Sean Clare.
Duffy drills the ball into a good area, but Stevens takes it off the foot of Wilson and the danger passes.
FULL TIME: SHEFF UNITED 0-0 SHEFF WED
Not quite the fireworks we were expecting from the Steel City derby. Glenn Loovens' red card did create an interesting finish, but Wednesday's organisation throughout earned them a deserved point against their fierce rivals. A very encouraging start for new manager Jos Luhukay.
That's it from Bramall Lane. It may have been goalless, but there is plenty to read about in our match report. Thanks for joining us tonight, and please return for tomorrow's coverage from the Premier League and elsewhere. Until then, goodbye...
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
