Nigel Pearson, the Bristol City manager, is urging his team to show “enthusiasm and desire” when they travel to Yorkshire to play relegation-threatened Sheffield Wednesday today.

City, with Nahki Wells and Famara Diedhiou their joint top scorers with ten goals each, sit in fourteenth place with five games remaining, out of reach of a play-off spot, but also eleven points clear of the relegation zone. Wednesday are second from bottom in the standings, still eight points from safety.

City finally reached the 50-point mark last weekend with their draw at home against Nottingham Forest which ended three straight defeats, including a 3-1 defeat to Coventry on April 5.

Now the manager is calling on his team to end the season strongly.

“Against Coventry we became unstuck because we weren’t driven enough on the day and it has to be a collective effort,” he told Robins TV.

Pearson is both a former Wednesday player and a past team-mate of manager Darren Moore but insists there is still a strong desire to claim all three points.

He spent seven years at Hillsborough between 1987 and 1994.

“I don’t get sentimental about returning in a professional sense, because I have a job to do,” he stressed.

“Having said that, Sheffield Wednesday was a big part of my life and it continues to be a part of my family’s life.

“I spent seven years there, a big chunk of my playing career but I always go back there with my professional hat on. That’s just the way it is.”

Pearson added: “I know Darren [Moore] really well from my days at West Brom. He’s a good guy and a determined man as well, so I don’t expect this to be anything other than a tough game.

“We have to go about it in the correct manner for us. We have our own motivations to win the game.”

In what has been an inconsistent season for City, Pearson is confident his side can finish on a high if they take the right attitude into their remaining games.

“After last weekend’s game there is a relatively positive feel, but the important thing is we strive to get performances right,” Pearson added. “We have games people will think are more winnable, but I know all these games between now and the end of the season are very much dependent on how we go about it ourselves and that’s the key factor.”