Sheffield Wednesday vs Southampton prediction, lineups, results and betting tips brought to you by oddschecker expert Scott Thornton.
20:00 Friday
The Championship gets underway this weekend and the first match sees Southampton take on Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls earned promotion in dramatic fashion last season. They will be hoping to make home advantage count when they take on a Southampton side that is still brimming with talent despite their relegation from the Premier League.
For Rich Laverty’s 2023/24 Championship Season Preview, click here.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Southampton Stats
- Southampton are without a win in their last 13 league away matches
- Sheffield Wednesday haven’t lost in 24 matches at Hillsborough
- The Saints' last 10 competitive matches have seen an average of four goals per game
Sheffield Wednesday vs Southampton Prediction
Betting Tip: Both teams to score @ 4/5 Bet365 (1pt)
Southampton are looking for an immediate return to the Premier League but this fixture against a newly-promoted Sheffield Wednesday promises to be a tough test.
There has been interest in several Southampton players since they were relegated from the Premier League but the club has held firm and rejected any bids they have deemed inadequate. James Ward-Prowse remains part of the squad for now and this makes them a formidable opponent for any side in the second tier.
The Saints finished 20th in the Premier League last season but they are well-equipped to have a strong campaign this season. They have won just one of their last 10 competitive away matches but they averaged a goal a game over that period.
Southampton haven’t been in the Championship for over a decade. They were promoted to the top flight in the 2011/12 season when they were the league’s top scorers with 85 goals.
Sheffield Wednesday’s squad has the lowest market value in the league. They are taking on the club whose squad is the highest valued in the league on Friday night but they won’t roll over and allow the Saints to march on easily.
The atmosphere at Hillsborough will be electric for this one. Promotion looked beyond their reach when they lost 4-0 to Peterborough last season. However, they secured a 5-1 victory at home in the second leg in one of the most memorable nights in the club's history.
Wednesday will hope to conjure up some magic once again and they will have the backing of a rambunctious home support. The Owls have scored in 19 of their last 20 home matches in all competitions. Over that period they are averaging 2.1 goals per game.
With the attacking capabilities of both sides clear to see, I’m backing both teams to score in what promises to be an exciting fixture to get the Championship season underway.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Southampton Results
A recap of the most recent meetings between the two sides.
| Date | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 09/11/2022 | Southampton 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday | EFL Cup |
| 25/09/2012 | Southampton 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday | EFL Cup |
| 19/03/2011 | Southampton 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday | League One |
Sheffield Wednesday vs Southampton Lineups
Sheffield Wednesday vs Southampton predicted lineups brought to you by WhoScored.com.
Sheffield Wednesday
Dawson, Valentin, Bernard, Iorfa, James, Paterson, Vaulks, Bannan, Delgado, Fletcher, Windass
Southampton
Bazunu, Livramento, Stephens, Charles, Manning, Ward-Prowse, Alcaraz, Smallbone, Tella, Armstong, Edozie
Sheffield Wednesday vs Southampton Bet Builder Tips
Over 2.5 Match Goals & Southampton Win By Exactly 1 Goal @ 5/1 SpreadEx
For my Bet Builder tip, I’m taking Southampton to win by a slender margin in addition to our main betting angle. Sheffield Wednesday should put up a good fight but I’m expecting Southampton’s quality to shine through on Friday night.
