The Sky Bet Championship weekend begins with a Yorkshire derby on Friday night when an up and down Sheffield Wednesday side plays host to a Leeds United outfit who haven’t really got going yet this term.
This is a chance for both teams to steal a march on the rest of the division ahead of them playing over the weekend. Throw in the fact that these two are proud Yorkshire sides and we should be ensured a competitive match.
Where to watch
The match will be shown live and in full on the Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football channels with the build-up at Hillsborough beginning at 7pm ahead of the 8pm kick off.
Sheffield Wednesday
After the opening week of the season Sheffield Wednesday were perceived as ones to watch and a team on the up but then as is so often the case this early in a campaign, in this division especially, they were brought back to earth with a bump in their second match and now there are questions over the Owls heading into this one. You could argue that they didn’t beat much in Plymouth Argyle who were absolutely wretched on the day but at the same time they lost to a potentially decent Sunderland outfit.
I guess the key factor here is the Wednesday win was at home and the defeat was on the road but they will just need to tighten up at set plays. The positive here is they are sure to have a packed house behind them and what I liked about the loss last week was how Danny Rohl didn’t seem to panic about it even though he will know his team didn’t show up on the day. Often when a team gets walloped and has let itself down it comes back fighting in the next one.
Leeds United
Leeds United went into the season as the favourites to win the title but it has only taken them a fortnight to be overtaken in the betting by Burnley. That is because the Whites have drawn their opening two matches on the pitch and have lost a number of players off it with Georginio Rutter the latest to depart Elland Road, joining the likes of Glen Kamara, Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray and while players are beginning to come in you sense they are not going to be the finished article here.
If you add the two games this season to the end of the previous campaign and Leeds have won just two of their last 12 regular season matches and odds on here with the players that have left since then doesn’t really appeal. Leeds looked very vulnerable in defence in the opening game against Portsmouth and were wasteful in attack. They fared better against West Brom last week but both were works in progress and Leeds still look like that. They did win here last year though which will offer some confidence.
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Team News
Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl has said he won’t be panicking but it sets out the wrong example if he doesn’t make some sort of change after a 4-0 hiding. Djeidi Gassama was replaced at half time last week and with Ike Ugbo coming off the bench at the Stadium of Light he could be ready to start.
Leeds United are starting to bring reinforcements in to replace those who have left but whether any come in for this match remain to be seen. You would imagine anyone would be on the bench and they’ll go with a similar XI to the one which drew with West Brom last week.
Betting
Leeds United won at Hillsborough last season but I don’t think they have the same level of personnel this time around and I do think Sheffield Wednesday have improved, although had you watched them last week you would have found it hard to believe. Admittedly, my enthusiasm on the Owls has been tempered a little after that beating but it isn’t always a bad time to get on a side straight after they have been humiliated, and especially in a game like this where the opposition are a work in progress.
I’m not convinced Sheffield Wednesday will win this match but I do think they’ll come out all guns blazing at what is a fairly young Leeds side these days and if they can get in front of them they might soon find that they are in a good position. I just haven’t seen anything from Leeds to suggest that they should be odds on in any game at the minute. That is a reputation price rather than a real one. They conceded three against a side who were in League One last season in their opening game, looked a mess in the Carabao Cup match and looked a bit flat at West Brom last week. Prior to their loss at Sunderland last week, Sheffield Wednesday battered Plymouth and had a good win at Hull in the cup and at odds against they are value to avoid defeat here.
Tips
Back Sheffield Wednesday (+0.5AH) to beat Leeds United for a 3/10 stake at 2.05 with Bet365
