Sheffield United: 6-2 Sheffield Wednesday showing v Watford will have Chris Wilder licking his lips | OneFootball

The Owls 6-2 hammering at home to Watford on Saturday is far from the ideal warm up for the first Steel City derby of the season at the weekend.

Sheffield Wednesday's preparations for the upcoming Steel City derby against local rivals Sheffield United took a huge blow over the weekend, as a chaotic display saw them fall to a heavy Hillsborough defeat at the hands of Watford,

That is something the Blades will hope to capitalise on next weekend, although they have a tough test away at Bristol City to contend with before they can fully focus on the task at hand at Bramall Lane.

After a difficult start to the campaign, Danny Röhl's Owls had been in steady form of late prior to the 6-2 home humbling against Tom Cleverley's Hornets, losing just two of their previous eight Championship clashes and picking up 12 points in the process.

However, Wednesday - fresh off the back of taking Premier League side Brentford to penalties in their midweek EFL Cup clash - put in a terrible second-half showing that saw them concede on five occasions.

Heading into the break with the scores level at one apiece, after Owls striker Michael Smith canceled out Ryan Porteous' opener, Röhl's side fell apart in the second period, as Tom Ince's penalty was added to by a four-goal spree from Watford striker Vakoun Issouf Bayo.

While Wednesday have a chance to put things right before they head to Bramall Lane, as Norwich City visit Hillsborough on Tuesday evening, a high-flying United side will be licking their lips at the thought of getting at a defence that has just shipped a mammoth amount of goals in one match.

Sheffield United possess multiple attacking threats that will worry Sheffield Wednesday & Danny Rohl

Chris Wilder's Blades have made a sold start to life back in the second-tier following relegation from the Premier League last time out.

Beaten only twice in the league to date, the Blades currently sit in third place, four points behind early pace-setters Sunderland after 13 games - and it would be just two points if not for a pre-season two-point deduction.

United boast an array of quality attacking options that offer a varied threat of pace, power, and craft, and will be relishing the thought of taking on a Wednesday side that leaves a lot to be desired from a defensive viewpoint.

The likes of Liam Palmer, Dominic Iorfa, Di'Shon Bernard, and Akin Famewo have struggled to keep opponents at bay, with the former three starting against Watford for an Owls side that have let in 24 league goals already - only Portsmouth and Plymouth have conceded more - and sit 15th in the league standings.

With that in mind, United's forward options Tyrese Campbell, Rhian Brewster, and physical Welsh international Kieffer Moore will fancy their chances of causing their rivals a plethora of problems on Sunday.

They'll be looking to the likes of playmakers Callum O'Hare, Gustavo Hamer and Jesuran Rak-Sakyi to provide for them, and the trio are more than capable of giving the creaking Owls back-line another difficult afternoon.

While Wilder has a multitude of attacking options at his disposal, his side is also defensively resolute, conceding just six times in the league thus far, the joint-best in the division.

All things considered, the Blades supporters are probably looking forward to the South Yorkshire derby more than their Owls counterparts.

Norwich City clash gives Sheffield Wednesday a chance to build confidence ahead of Steel City Derby

Danny Röhl and his players have an opportunity to right the wrongs of the Watford defeat before heading into the pressure-cooker atmosphere that awaits them on the other side of the Steel City at the weekend.

An unpredictable Norwich City side visit Hillsborough on Tuesday night, and the Owls will look to shake off their calamitous recent showing by getting a convincing win against a Canaries outfit that have become draw specialists of late.

Johannes Hoff Thorup's men have taken a point from four of their last six matches, but lost at Cardiff City last time out, and despite boasting a strong squad, have struggled for any kind of consistency and momentum.

They do have some talented attacking options to call upon, however, with the skillful Emiliano Marcondes, Anis Slimane, and Borja Sainz, who has been in fine form of late, backing up the dangerous and effective Josh Sargent.

While fellow forward Ashley Barnes is currently out injured, City will be a tough test for the Owls' defence on Tuesday, and one that Röhl will hope his side pass with flying colours as he looks to rebuild confidence ahead of the trip to Bramall Lane.

Wilder's Blades, by contrast, will already be champing at the bit to get after their city rivals and earn the bragging rights from the first Steel City clash of the season, and it could be the best possible time for the red and white side of Sheffield to welcome Wednesday to Bramall Lane, given what just happened on Saturday.