/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.footballwhispers.com%2Fmain%2F2026%2F11%2FWeaver.jpg)
Sheffield Wednesday will welcome Accrington Stanley to Hillsborough on Wednesday in the final round of EFL Trophy group-stage fixtures.
The hosts lost to Oldham Athletic at the weekend in their first game under Dave Challinor but are guaranteed a place in the knockout rounds, while a point would guarantee their visitors' top-two finish and place in the next stage.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Accrington Stanley key stats
- Sheffield Wednesday are winless in their last five matches in all competitions.
- Only four teams have conceded fewer League One goals than Sheffield Wednesday (14) this season.
- Accrington Stanley are unbeaten in their last four away games.
- Accrington Stanley have lost just three of their 14 League Two matches this season.
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Accrington Stanley preview: Challinor to get first win as Sheffield Wednesday boss
Sheffield Wednesday vs Accrington Stanley — Tale of the Tape
| Sheffield Wednesday | vs | Accrington Stanley |
|---|---|---|
| 9th (League One) | Position | 9th (League Two) |
| 20 | Points | 19 |
| 22 | Goals For | 23 |
| 14 | Goals Against | 17 |
| 3 | Clean Sheets | 4 |
| 9th (H) | Home / Away Rank | 11th (A) |
Sheffield Wednesday go into action on Wednesday in search of a first victory under the new management of Dave Challinor, who took charge of his first game last weekend.
He took the reins at Hillsborough in early November as the permanent replacement for Henrik Pedersen, who departed on the back of consecutive losses in the Owls' bid for an immediate return to the Championship this season.
Indeed, from their first 13 matches they sit on 20 points, having gone unbeaten in four league matches and five in all competitions, going on to draw against Blackpool in the game after the pair of losses in Pedersen's final games, but they did do enough in their strong start to the season to guarantee their progression in the EFL Trophy with group wins over Salford City and Sunderland Under-21s.
Then following Challinor's appointment, the Owls visited fourth-tier Oldham Athletic in the FA Cup first round on Saturday and bowed out of the competition, drawing 1-1 in normal time thanks to Davis Keillor-Dunn only for Will Sutton to win the game for their hosts in extra time.
Now winless in five and with injuries piling up as Ashley Maynard-Brewer joined fellow goalkeeper Joe Lumley and outfielders including Liam Cooper, Tyler Onyango, Jarvis Thornton, Ali Al-Hamadi and Louie Barry in the treatment room on Sunday, Sheffield Wednesday will bid to get up and running under Challinor before an international break and a return to League One football.
Their visitors, meanwhile, will also set out to bounce back from an FA Cup defeat at the weekend.
Accrington Stanley have all but done enough to move onto the knockout rounds of the EFL Trophy in their first two group games, drawing both and winning penalty shootouts against Sunderland Under-21s and Salford City to take two points from each outing, having equalised in injury time on both occasions.
Those results formed part of a 10-game unbeaten streak which also saw John Doolan's team move into the League Two playoff picture culminating in a 5-0 away win over Rochdale and a draw against Northampton Town before taking on Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup first round on Saturday and seeing their streak end in a 2-0 defeat with Connor Taylor and Dan Harvie on the scoresheet.
Thank to their improvement, the Reds now sit ninth in England's fourth tier, just one point out of the top seven, on 19 points from 14 outings having lost just three of those while scoring 23 goals and conceding 17, with Charlie Caton, Seamus Conneely, Liam Coyle and Josh Woods having all been ruled out with injuries in recent weeks.
Now heading into their final group game with three-point leads over Salford City and Sunderland Under-21s, Accrington Stanley head to Hillsborough with the hopes of pulling off an upset and leaving with at least a point to secure their place in the knockout rounds.
| Sheffield Wednesday | vs | Accrington Stanley |
|---|---|---|
WW |
Form | WW |
| 6 | Points | 4 |
| 1st | Form Table | 2nd |
| 4 | Goals For | 4 |
| 1 | Goals Against | 4 |
LLDDL |
Form (All Comps) | WDWDL |
Whispers predicts: Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 Accrington Stanley
While Accrington Stanley were shut out by Wycombe Wanderers at the weekend, they do boast one of League Two's most potent attacks and meet a Sheffield Wednesday team who have not kept a clean sheet in the last five games. We fancy Both Teams to Score at 4/9 (1.44).
Indeed, the visitors' likely need for a point to guarantee their place in the knockout stage, combined with anticipated rotation from the hosts who are already through, could give rise to an open game at Hillsborough. We anticipate a high goals count and opt to take a chance on over 4.5 goals at 2/1 (3.00) which can be utilised with our best free bet codes.
The hosts will be keen to put things right after five winless games, though, particularly to get going under Challinor after a disappointing FA Cup exit, and even with rotations anticipated and their knockout place already secure, they should have too much for the visitors. Sheffield Wednesday are priced at 8/13 (1.62) to win.
> Both Teams to Score at 4/9 (1.44) | Likelihood: Likely
> Over 4.5 goals at 2/1 (3.00) | Likelihood: Possible
> Sheffield Wednesday to win at 8/13 (1.62) | Likelihood: Probable