Wednesday are the most unprepared English Football League club going into their opening game, and Leicester should take advantage.
Leicester City vs Sheffield Wednesday Predictions and Betting Tips
All odds are courtesy of bet365, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.
- Under 2.5 goals @ 6/4 on bet365
- Issahaku Fatawu to score or assist @ 7/5 on bet365
- Barry Bannan to be booked @ 6/4 on bet365
A typical opening day affair
Unsurprisingly, Leicester are heavy favourites for this match. The Foxes still have a lot of quality in their arsenal, while the Owls are in turmoil. The hosts are expected to win, but the question is by how many goals.
However, this is an opening day game, and Leicester have a new manager. So it is possible they will be trying to figure a few things out in this match. Although they are likely to win, they may not play to their full potential in Cifuentes’ first match in charge.
Meanwhile, the visitors have lost all their top goalscorers, as Josh Windass, Michael Smith, and Callum Paterson left this summer. Therefore, the talented youngster, Bailey Cadamarteri, will likely lead the line. He spent last season out on loan, so he will need to get used to a new setup.
Wednesday are expected to struggle this season, and Leicester could be the first to benefit from their difficult summer. Given the stage of the season, though, they may not overwhelm them completely.
- Leicester City vs Sheffield Wednesday Bet 1: Under 2.5 goals @ 6/4 on bet365
Fatawu to play a key role
Many players in Leicester’s group could cause problems for Wednesday, but Issahaku Fatawu is one of the most dangerous. The Ghanaian has played against the Owls twice for the Foxes, and scored on both occasions. He’s proven to be a real handful.
The 21-year-old has a lot of potential and has shown the kind of talent he possesses in pre-season. Wednesday won’t be the only team that struggle to contain him this season, but they are likely to be the first. He has scored in the recent pre-season win over Fiorentina, and will be keen to build on that performance when the competitive season begins.
Also, it is uncertain how cohesive the Owls can be given their current circumstances and lack of preparation. Fatawu, Stephy Mavididi, and others will aim to take advantage of that. The winger got 19 goals and assists in his last stint in the Championship, and could be a major threat again this season.
- Leicester City vs Sheffield Wednesday Bet 2: Issahaku Fatawu to score or assist @ 7/5 on bet365
Wednesday’s leader in midfield
One of the few positive things about the Owls’ difficult summer is the re-signing of captain Barry Bannan. At one point, he seemed likely to leave. His decision to stay at Hillsborough despite the issues was a huge boost for Henrik Pedersen and the club.
The experienced Scottish player is likely to start in the heart of midfield and will be keen to lead by example. He’s also a tone-setter for Wednesday, and that could see him get a bit physical in order to get his side going. Moreover, he’s no stranger to a booking, with 87 in his career at S6. Therefore, it would be no surprise to see him carded at some point.
- Leicester City vs Sheffield Wednesday Bet 3: Barry Bannan to be booked @ 6/4 on bet365
Our analysis: Form of both teams
Leicester City have had a challenging summer, with a long period of uncertainty over their manager making things difficult. However, they have a strong squad and a good manager with Marti Cifuentes now in charge. They’ll want to start their promotion push well.
Meanwhile, Wednesday are in a very difficult situation, as they are under a transfer embargo, and players have been unpaid. Manager Henrik Pedersen has had little time with the squad, and they have only played a few closed-door games. They have a very few players in their squad and early favourites not only to go down, but to finish rock bottom.
Probable lineups for Leicester City vs Sheffield Wednesday
Leicester City expected lineup: Stolarczyk, Justin, Okoli, Nelson, Kristiansen, Skipp, Soumare, Fatawu, Ayew, Mavididi, Daka
Sheffield Wednesday expected lineup: Charles, Valery, Iorfa, Palmer, Lowe, Bannan, Chalobah, Lowe, Ugbo, Kobacki, Cadamarteri