Wycombe Wanderers begin life in the Sky Bet Championship as they welcome fellow promoted club, Rotherham United to Adams Park as the opening Saturday’s stand-out fixture.
This is Wycombe’s first-ever Championship fixture whilst Rotherham are back in the second tier after an one season absence.
Team News
Dominic Gape is suspended for Wycombe after being sent off during the Chairboys’ Carabao Cup loss at Brentford last weekend.
Adebayo Akinfenwa (knee) is also ruled out to leave Gareth Ainsworth with a near full squad available for selection.
Rotherham will be without Curtis Tilt and Trevor Clarke due to unspecified injuries.
Stat Attack
- This is the first-ever Championship meeting between Wycombe and Rotherham.
- Wycombe are unbeaten in their last nine league meetings against Rotherham (W5, D4).
- Rotherham are unbeaten in three of their last five trips to Adams Park (W1, D2, L2).
- Wycombe have lost just one of their last five opening weekend matches (W2, D2, L1), with that loss being their only away defeat on opening weekends of last five seasons which came at Crawley in August 2016.
- Rotherham have won just one of their last five opening weekend matches of a new season (W1, D1, L3).
- Wycombe have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last eight home matches dating back to late December 2019
- Freddie Ladapo has scored in four of his last five competitive appearances for Rotherham.
Prediction
After a positive display at Brentford last weekend in the Carabao Cup despite losing on penalties, Wycombe should enter this match full of confidence because they do look a dangerous team when on the attack with serious pace to punish any sloppy defending, although their own defending does need work in terms of pressure and closing down gaps with set pieces a notable aspect for improvement.
Rotherham meanwhile have to be more clinical in front of goal after a scrappy 1-1 draw at Salford in the Carabao Cup last weekend which ultimately saw them exit on penalties, yet if Wycombe can tighten up then this could well be a tough encounter.
Add in the fact that both teams are expected to be in a relegation scrap this season then this is a perfect chance to get their league campaign off to a great start with victory, although I have a feeling that this could be a point apiece.
Prediction: Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Rotherham United