Sheffield Wednesday vs Southampton Prediction: The teams have had poor pre seasons

Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton will get us underway in the new season of the Championship at Hillsborough Stadium. It is a game between newly promoted and newly relegated sides. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes? 

Sheffield Wednesday form

Sheffield Wednesday is set to make their comeback to the Championship on Friday after a successful two-year stint in League One. Last season, they finished third in England's third tier with an impressive total of 96 points from 46 matches under the guidance of Darren Moore, narrowly missing automatic promotion.

In the playoffs, they faced Peterborough United, suffering a 4-0 defeat away from home. However, in a thrilling match at Hillsborough, they made an incredible comeback with goals from Michael Smith, Lee Gregory, Reece James, and Liam Palmer in normal time to level the aggregate score. Callum Paterson's goal in extra time led to a dramatic penalty shootout, which Sheffield Wednesday won, securing a spot at Wembley against local rivals Barnsley.

The Wembley contest remained goalless throughout the 90 minutes, but in the 123rd minute, Josh Windass scored the decisive goal, securing their promotion back to England's second tier. However, after the triumph, the team faced challenges as Darren Moore departed in mid-June, and Xisco Munoz took charge.

During their pre-season preparations, Sheffield Wednesday had mixed results, including draws against York City and Real Murcia, victories over Chesterfield, but also defeats to Burnley, Eldense, Doncaster Rovers, and a close 2-1 loss to Premier League-bound Luton Town.

With their pre-season now concluded, Sheffield Wednesday is eager to start their Championship journey with a positive performance in front of their home fans on Friday.

Sheffield Wednesday Predicted Lineup

Dawson; Palmer, Bernard, Iorfa, James; Vaulks, Byers, Bannan; Windass, Smith, Delgado

Southampton Form

Sheffield face a formidable challenge as the visiting team is also entering the second tier under new management after their relegation from the Premier League in the previous season.

Last season marked Southampton's 11th consecutive campaign in England's top flight. Unfortunately, they couldn't avoid relegation, and their long-serving manager Ralph Hasenhuttl departed in November. His replacement, Nathan Jones, only lasted for eight league matches and managed to secure just three points between mid-November and mid-February.

Following Jones' departure, Ruben Selles took over as the manager for the remainder of the season. Despite their efforts, they were relegated and finished at the bottom of the table with only 25 points, going winless in the last 12 matches and achieving only four draws. One of these draws was a thrilling 4-4 encounter with Liverpool on the final day of the season at St Mary's.

During the summer, in preparation for their attempt to return to the top flight, Southampton appointed Russell Martin as their new manager. The pre-season started with a defeat to Benfica, followed by a draw with Goztepe and a victory over Reading. However, they finished their preparations with losses at home to Bournemouth and AZ Alkmaar, with scores of 3-2 and 1-0, respectively.

With their sights now firmly set on Friday's opening match, Southampton is determined to begin the season with a win on their away fixture, aiming to establish themselves among the top contenders right from the start.

Southampton possible lineup

Bazunu; Livramento, Stephens, Charles, Manning; Ward-Prowse, Smallbone; Tella, Alcaraz, Edozie; Adams

Sheffield Wednesday vs Southampton Expert Tips

Under the guidance of their new manager Xisco, Sheffield will enter the field, but their performance has been less than stellar in pre-season, with four defeats in seven friendly matches since Xisco took charge last month. Despite playing at home, their struggles in attack have raised doubts about their ability to capitalize on the home advantage. Southampton, on the other hand, welcomed Russell Martin as their new manager in June, and this will be their first competitive match under the former Swansea City coach. However, they too have faced setbacks in their pre-season, losing their last two friendly matches. Considering the significant changes both teams have undergone during the off-season, it wouldn't be surprising if the match ends in a low-scoring draw or a home team victory. We expect under 2.5 goals to be scored in the game.