Sheffield Wednesday meet Middlesbrough in a massive Sky Bet Championship showdown affecting both ends of the table.
Victory would lift Sheffield Wednesday off the foot of the table, whilst Middlesbrough can close back to within one point of league leaders – Coventry.
Team News
Ethan Horvath is suspended for Sheffield Wednesday after he was red carded in the Owls’ 2-1 defeat at Charlton.
Pierce Charles (shoulder), Di’Shon Bernard (knee), Nathaniel Chalobah (hamstring), Ernie Weaver (foot) and Olaf Kobacki (groin) remain absent.
Middlesbrough have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 2-1 victory at home to Ipswich.
George Edmundson (hamstring), Seny Dieng and Darragh Lenihan (both Achilles) remain ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Sheffield Wednesday host Middlesbrough at Hillsborough on Wednesday 22 October at 8pm BST, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Sheffield Wednesday have won one of their last five meetings against Middlesbrough (W1, D2, L2).
- Middlesbrough have avoided defeat in five of their last seven visits to Sheffield Wednesday (W4, D1, L2).
- Five of Sheffield Wednesday’s last six home games against Middlesbrough have ended in 2-1 results, of which Boro won three of those games to the Owls’ two whilst their clash in September 2023 ended 1-1.
- Sheffield Wednesday are yet to win at home excluding penalties in all competitions this season (D2, L5).
- Boro have claimed just two points in their last three away matches (D2, L1).
Prediction
With no league wins at home this season and fans now staging a boycott, this is going to be a difficult game for the Owls because they will need to dig deep to find motivation – especially given that they have scored just twice at home in all competitions.
Middlesbrough meanwhile were well-balanced against Ipswich especially in their out-wide transitions with clinical goals in a pretty edgy contest, but I expect Rob Edwards to rotate his players but they can use that restored confidence to come and do some damage if play their best football.
Hillsborough though have been bit of a sticky ground for Boro in their last three trips so I expect Sheffield Wednesday to try and give them a fight, but I do think that this will be a routine away result.
Prediction: Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Middlesbrough
Result: Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Middlesbrough