Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the EFL Cup match.
Brentford have once again avoided a Premier League opponent, as Sheffield Wednesday aim to become one of the three Championship clubs advancing to the quarter-finals.
Brentford
Last Saturday, Brentford and Ipswich Town delivered a thrilling show in the ninth round of the Premier League (4:3). It demonstrates that a club not far from Championship level can breach their defence multiple times. Notably, Brentford have conceded in each of their last eight matches. The last team to fail in scoring against them were Colchester United from League Two (1:0), in what was indeed an EFL Cup fixture. Sheffield Wednesday are certainly stronger than Colchester.
Sheffield Wednesday
This season, Sheffield Wednesday have occasionally struggled to find the net, but interestingly, it's more often been an issue at home than away. At Hillsborough, they failed to score in three out of six games, while away, it's three out of nine, indicating a lower percentage. It's worth noting that in the EFL Cup, Sheffield Wednesday have consistently played away fixtures. Their latest win wasn't in this competition, as they triumphed over Portsmouth (2:1) in the league.
Brentford vs Sheffield Wednesday Prediction
Despite some goalless encounters in the Championship, the EFL Cup presents a different scenario. Coming off a physically and emotionally taxing match against Ipswich Town, it’s challenging to compete effectively three days later. As such, we can expect numerous changes in the lineup for Brentford. Changes often lead to less cohesion, thereby offering more opportunities to the opponent. Thus, our prediction is that both teams will score.
