Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen said his players were physically ready for their home match against Stoke City, despite a disrupted summer and concerns over the squad’s preparation. The claim matters because Wednesday’s small, recently assembled group faced a demanding early-season test after beginning the Championship campaign with a defeat.

Pedersen indicated that the team’s fitness work had progressed and that he was focused on making the side competitive against Stoke. Wednesday had lost 2-1 at Leicester City in their opening league fixture, while the Stoke match was their first home league game of the season.