Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
After six rounds, the clubs are quite far apart: West Bromwich Albion are first, while Sheffield Wednesday are 22nd. Not even the packed stands of Hillsborough will help Sheffield.
Sheffield Wednesday
A resounding 4:0 win over Plymouth Argyle in the first round remains the only bright spot for the team. A home draw with QPR (1:1) left mixed feelings: having equalised with difficulty in the final moments, they conceded in the 96th minute. Other than that, it's been losses, no matter whose territory the meetings took place. The last match chronologically against Luton Town (1:2) is another example of the team's inability to hold a lead: they opened the scoring early in the second half but conceded two goals in the final 12 minutes, losing all points.
West Bromwich Albion
The West Midlands side isn't stronger than the rest, but they've managed to capitalise on the stumbles of other favourites, including those relegated from the Premier League. Only Leeds United proved to be a serious challenge, where they dropped points with a 0:0 draw. The other clubs finished last season in the lower half of the table and haven't progressed much this season. Sheffield Wednesday are similarly not among the stronger opponents. It's worth noting that West Bromwich have scored 10 goals (the fourth highest in the league), but their only two conceded goals highlight their top spot in terms of reliability.
Sheffield Wednesday vs West Bromwich Albion Prediction
Sheffield Wednesday, even at home, are unlikely to pose a challenge to a table-topping opponent who significantly outclasses them. They lost 2:0 to Leeds, a club comparable to West Bromwich Albion, so we don't think Sheffield Wednesday will even manage a point against West Bromwich, who are in excellent form.
