Xisco Munoz apologised to Sheffield Wednesday’s supporters and said he would give it “until my last second” after a 1-0 defeat at West Brom left the Sky Bet Championship’s bottom team with the worst start in their history.

John Swift’s 13th-minute goal left the Owls with an eighth loss from the first 10 games of the Sky Bet Championship season, and they are already seven points adrift of the safety line.

Manager Munoz, 43, who led Watford to the Premier League in 2020-21, has taken just two points all season and none have come outside Yorkshire. Wednesday are also without a goal in 312 minutes of football.

“I understand the fans and I can only say sorry because it’s tough for everybody,” said the Spaniard.

“But as a manager, I can say we will continue until my last second.

“This is my life and I try to give my best to my players until my last minute.”

Munoz suggested he is running out of options after trying different permutations.

“We tried to change the formation and the players – I have used 24 or 25 players this season,” he added.

“We can play 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 5-3-2 but right now, we’re not finding the solutions.”

Munoz insisted he will keep persevering trying to find a winning formula.

“We need to continue trying to find what is better for us, we need to find which players we can use for the next game, what can hurt the opponent and how we can make better of these situations,” added the Spaniard.

“We played against a difficult style and a good team but the difference was nothing.”

West Brom made it five games unbeaten, during which they have kept four clean sheets and climbed to fifth.

Swift lashed home the only goal from six yards after Darnell Furlong played the ball down the right, Akin Famewo missed the chance to cut it out and Jed Wallace crossed low.

But just after the goal, Wednesday’s Juan Delgado missed Ashley Fletcher’s cross from point-blank range, then Tyreeq Bakinson’s curling shot was clawed away by goalkeeper Alex Palmer.

West Brom head coach Carlos Corberan saluted match-winner Swift, who scored his fifth goal of the season.

“When a player of his quality is mentally ready to compete he can be the difference,” he said.

Corberan admitted Albion found it hard going to find more goals.

“You change the feeling and change the game when you score from the opportunities you have,” he said.

“It was difficult to combat them from the set-pieces because they had a very physical team and when we won the second balls in the set-pieces, we couldn’t score the second goal to change the game.

“After one second ball and one set-piece, it led to two big opportunities that led Alex (Palmer) to achieve the clean sheet and the three points.”

Sheffield Wednesday manager Xisco Munoz pleaded for unity at the struggling Championship club after fans turned on him during a 3-0 defeat at Swansea.

The winless Owls were brushed aside by their fellow strugglers in south Wales to the disgust of a large travelling contingent who called for Spaniard Munoz to go.

Wednesday offered little all afternoon, with a first-half Jamal Lowe penalty and later strikes by Jerry Yates and Charlie Patino proving their undoing.

Munoz said: “The performance was very strange. In the second half we had chances to score, but we are in difficulty now.

“Everything is negative but it’s important we stay together, I need people to help me in this situation.

“I know how hard the players are working every day. We can put the focus on me, but I will continue until my last day.

“I am not stupid, I knew the situation when I signed here. I understand the unhappiness.”

Swans boss Michael Duff went into the game with his side having failed to win any of their opening seven matches and only one point better off than their opponents.

Victory went some way to lifting the gloom, though restless Swans fans may still take some convincing Duff is the long-term solution.

The former Barnsley boss admitted during the week that he had been feeling the heat, even admitting his mother-in-law had criticised him over recent poor results.

After the final whistle, Duff said: “She was at the game! I’m a lucky man. I’ve a supportive family and a loyal dog. When we win, he wags his tail when I come home.”

But Duff added: “It’s not about me. I carry the can, but I won’t be coming in on Monday high-fiving anyone.

“I’ve said to the players to enjoy it for now. Hopefully winning can become a habit.

“I’m proud of the players and pleased with our crowd as well.

“A few passes went astray early on but there was no negativity.

“My overriding emotions are pride and relief.

“I am proud of the players and pleased with the crowd as well.

“At 0-0 a few passes went astray but there was no negativity in the ground at all.

“The players stayed together and showed a lot of energy and quality and could have scored a couple more goals.

“Once the second goal went in you could feel almost a sigh of relief in the stadium rather than a cheer because everyone has been feeling it.

“Everyone wants to do well but everyone has to be pulling in the same direction. Today I felt it was a little bit more how we want things to be.”

Sheffield Wednesday manager Xisco Munoz said his focus is on the future despite his side remaining without a victory this campaign following a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough.

Darragh Lenihan’s second-half goal for Boro cancelled out Anthony Musaba’s opener.

It was 23rd against 24th in South Yorkshire and that is where the draw sees the sides remain; both are now without a win in their first seven matches in the Sky Bet Championship this season.

Munoz said: “One of the problems we had in the last game was not finding solutions, but we did that today. We gave a good performance in the first half.

“We tried to change things in the second half and build on the positives. We can’t change everything in only a few days. For me, it’s important to try and give better things like in the first half.

“We’re trying to find the balance. The first half was at a good level but in the Championship you can’t have control for 90 minutes. It became a totally different game in the second half.

“I think the fans enjoyed the first half. You could hear it and this is what I want. We need to enjoy when we play at home. I understand if some people don’t like my style.

“My focus is on the future. I know what I can improve in this team and most importantly I believe in these guys.”

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick said he was proud of the way his players got back into the game after half-time.

Carrick said: “It was a game of two halves. I think in the first half we were second guessing things and we lacked that belief and confidence.

“We wanted three points but sometimes that can turn to desperation and that can be dangerous. It can make things tense and I think we tensed up a bit in the first half, we were almost over trying.

“We showed what we were capable of in the second half and it was really encouraging for the players, I’m proud of them. Being behind at half-time is a difficult place to be.

“Going behind kick-started us; it gave us the freedom of expression to chase the game down. In terms of reaction, character and personality I never doubted them.

“We had some good spells of play in the second half. We were doing lots of good things, especially down the sides, we just didn’t quite get the end part right.

“Of course, we expected to pick up more points than we have but I really enjoy working with this group of players. The boys are frustrated, we wanted to come here and win but it wasn’t to be.”

Xisco Munoz celebrated his first win as Sheffield Wednesday manager as they beat Stockport 4-1 on penalties after Tyreeq Bakinson levelled for the home side deep into time added on to make it 1-1 and force a Carabao Cup shoot-out.

Stockport’s Paddy Madden struck in the 16th minute with a fine finish, meeting Akil Wright’s cross with a volley and sending the ball into the roof of the net.

Bakinson equalised deep into time added on following a scramble inside the area.

Munoz said: “The most important thing is that we are in the next round. In England, it doesn’t matter if you are in League One or League Two or the Championship or the Premier League.

“When you are in the League Cup, someone can take you out.

“We had six new players in our squad and they arrived five days ago and this is the first time they have played together.

“We must start thinking about the important things, such as more accuracy, concentration and power. It’s important to try and come into the game with full power.”

Stockport manager Dave Challinor was left to rue the late goal his side conceded.

He said: “When you get so close, it’s obviously disappointing. There are bits we can do better and we understand that.

“We defended most moments and then we haven’t defended one moment.

“Then you maybe go into the penalties thinking, ‘If we’ve conceded in the 98th minute, maybe it’s not our night’.

“We dust ourselves down. We have two hard luck stories in two days and we have to make sure that we don’t get into the habit of that.

“There are huge positives. For the lads to go out there and perform in the manner they did. Young ones, especially, will have enjoyed it and it’ll have done them the world of good.”