Sheffield Wednesday knew they were going to face an uphill battle playing away at table-topping Leicester City, but conceding after just four minutes was always going to make an already tough task even harder.
Abdul Fatawu capitalised on a poor Owls error playing out from the back to make it 1-0 early on, with Enzo Maresca's confident Foxes going on to clinch a 2-0 win after that.
Wednesday did try to get back into the contest with four shots on target to Leicester's three, but Danny Rohl's men must have been resigned to the fate of losing again in the Championship when Jamie Vardy hammered home a swift Foxes attack.
The Owls lack a direct threat going forward who can score a goal from nothing when the game is against them, with one ex-Wednesday man playing that role perfectly for his current employers ever since exiting Hillsborough.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing's time at Wednesday
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing's time with the Owls was short-lived, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man only lasting one season in South Yorkshire before seeking pastures new at the end of his short-term contract with the club.
Turning down an opportunity to stay put at Hillsborough – with the 31-year-old flat-out refusing to put pen to paper on an extension – this is a situation that will anger Rohl and Co still, considering what the winger has gone on to do in the division below with Derby County after waving the Owls goodbye.
Mendez-Laing wouldn't set the world alight in South Yorkshire however, only bagging two goals and helping himself to three assists from 19 appearances in total.
Yet, with the likes of Anthony Musaba and Djeidi Gassama blowing hot and cold down the wings for Wednesday, Mendez-Laing could have been a useful head to have around the building now to give the Owls an injection of added creativity when needed.
Sheffield Wednesday flop has become a goal machine after leaving for £0
Sheffield Wednesday would love to have this potent striker back at the club.
ByKelan SarsonFeb 11, 2024
Derby are the real winners at the expense of Wednesday's agony, managing to sign Mendez-Laing for nothing and helping turn the experienced asset into a machine at League One level after an unmemorable stint at Hillsborough.
Mendez-Laing's numbers at Derby
Ageing like a fine wine at Pride Park, alongside fellow veterans Conor Hourihane and James Collins, Mendez-Laing has been a key player for Paul Warne's Rams this season as they aim to return to the Championship come the end of April.
This season alone, the Derby number 11 has managed to amass an impressive nine goals and 15 assists from 36 appearances in all competitions, with one of those goals coming last time out as Warne's promotion-chasers won in comfortable fashion away at Exeter City.
Described as a "crucial" presence by football journalist Jacob Hackett for Warne this season off-the-back of these heroics, his continued star quality for Derby means the 5 foot 11 winger is now onto 43 goals and assists in total from 87 games for the club.
Wednesday would kill for a player of Mendez-Laing's calibre in their ongoing fight against the Championship drop now, rueing the forward's decision to walk away from South Yorkshire instead of just staying put.
Season
Games played
Goals
Assists
2023-24
36
9
15
2022-23
51
8
11
Stats by Transfermarkt
Rohl and Co will hope the loan signings of Ian Poveda and Ike Ugbo can continue working wonders, steering the relegation-threatened Owls to a deserved 2-0 win over Birmingham City last time out on home turf.
Whereas, Mendez-Laing will aim to have the last laugh over his former employers by sealing promotion to the second tier with the Rams whilst Wednesday face the anxiety of keeping their heads above water in the division.
