Sheffield Wednesday Vs Leeds United
Saturday 26 October 2019 – 12:30 Kick-Off
EFL Championship
Pick: Sheffield Wednesday or Draw (Double Chance)
Odds: 10/13
Bookmaker: MoPlay
EFL Championship Betting – 22Bet
Preview: Third hosts second in the EFL Championship in Saturday’s midday kick-off, as Leeds – winless in three matches as the visiting team – travel to Hillsborough Stadium, where a Sheffield Wednesday side which has lost just once on its own patch this season awaits them. It is also a game that can be viewed live on Sky Sports.
Sheff Wed V Leeds Live Stats & Betting Odds
Sheffield Wednesday Preview – Monk-Wednesday partnership to continue flourishing?
Since the arrival of Garry Monk as manager in early September, Sheffield Wednesday (3rd – W7 D2 L4, GF18 GA10) have been on something of a tear in the Championship. During his brief spell at the helm the team has registered 14 out of a possible 21 points on offer and lost only once (W4 D2 L1) – recording wins over Huddersfield (0-2), Middlesbrough (1-4), Stoke (1-0) and Wigan (1-0) whilst losing only to Hull City away (1-0).
At their Hillsborough Stadium, Wednesday have been ominously strong all season (W4 D1 L1) but especially since Monk’s appointment. The Owls were W2 L1 at home before the 40-year-old arrived, losing to QPR (1-2) but beating Barnlsey (2-0) and Luton (1-0). However, they are unbeaten in three since (W2 D1), drawing with Fulham but clinching 1-0 victories against the pair of Stoke and Wigan.
Meanwhile, all four home wins were by the same clinical and professional method, usually tight in scoreline but always with a clean sheet – in actual fact, their previous six home victories were all ‘to nil’ stretching back into last season. Unsurprisingly then, their defensive numbers are among the very best in the division: only opponents Leeds (8) have shipped fewer than their ten goals.
Leeds United Preview – Pre-match favourites tag not entirely justified?
From threatening to run away with promotion in the early stages of the campaign to the erratic period they now find themselves in. Leeds have been frustrating from a betting perspective: more often than not they begin as favourites, sometimes overwhelmingly so, but seldom lately have they justified such strong support after winning just two of their previous six games (W2 D2 L2) in the Championship.
Nevertheless, this is a high-quality team. The best in the division according to Infogol’s Expected Goals. So it easy to see why punters are keen to get them on side. However, this could be one of those rare moments in the season where opposing The Whites does make the most sense. After all, their form has been inconsistent, while they haven’t scored more than once in any league fixture (6 matches) since defeating Barnsley 2-0 at Oakwell last month.
Furthermore, it is now no away win in three (D1 L2) following their 1-1 draw at Preston in midweek. And had it not been for the on-loan Eddie Nketiah scoring with just three minutes of normal time remaining, Leeds would have slumped to a third consecutive defeat on the road having previously lost away to Charlton (1-0) and Millwall (2-1). Marcelo Bielsa’s side have probably been slightly unfortunate not to have collected more points recently but results do, nonetheless, speak for themselves.
Sheffield Wednesday V Leeds Key Facts:
- Sheffield Wednesday have lost one of their last seven league matches (W4 D2 L1), and only once at home all season long (W4 D1 L1).
- Leeds have won two of their previous six league games (W2 D2 L2) but none of their last three on the road (D1 L2).
- The previous two league encounters in Sheffield have seen the home side go unbeaten (W1 D1), with last season’s corresponding meeting producing a 1-1 draw.
Betting Summary
Sheffield Wednesday have raised their game since appointing Garry Monk as manager, winning four of his seven fixtures in charge (W4 D2 L1). At home they have conceded on just three occasions all season, losing only to QPR but winning both their previous two 1-0 versus Stoke and Wigan. So they’ll be brimming with confidence ahead of this match-up with arguably the classiest team in the Championship.
Leeds, though, have let their standards slip of late. It is two wins in their last six in the league (W2 D2 L2), with goals proving elusive throughout. Meanwhile, not since beating Barnsley in mid-September have they celebrated an away win (D1 L2), barely avoiding a third straight defeat on their travels at Preston on Tuesday.
These are the two strongest teams in terms of defences, meaning we could have a very cagey encounter on our hands. Leeds are, predictably, the favourites but I cannot support that, not with how impressive Sheffield Wednesday have been at home but especially with Leeds toiling on the road recently. Under 2.5 Goals has solid claims at a best-priced 13/15 with SportingBet.
