Two sides who could do well with a win square off in round three of the Championship as Wrexham play host to Sheffield Wednesday at Racecourse Ground on Saturday.
Having lost their opening two league matches, FootballWhispers takes a look at the odds of both sides securing all three points this weekend.
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Wrexham vs Sheffield Wednesday prediction: Wrexham to open the scoring
Key stats
- Wrexham have netted the opening goal in seven of their most recent nine matches across all competitions since April 21.
- Sheffield Wednesday have managed just one win from their last 11 Championship games while losing six and claiming four draws since claiming successive victories over Plymouth and Norwich in March.
- Wrexham are unbeaten in seven of their last eight home matches, picking up five wins and two draws since the start of March.
- Sheffield Wednesday are on a run of five consecutive Championship away games without a win (2L, 3D) since March’s 3-2 victory at Norwich.
Correct score prediction: Wrexham 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Wrexham and Sheffield are yet to taste victory in the league after a difficult start to the campaign and we expect both sides to go all out at Racecourse Ground. The Owls have struggled to impose themselves on their travels and we fancy Wrexham to make the most of their home advantage.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Benfica clear favourites
- HOME: 3/5 (1.60) – 62.5%
- DRAW: 3/1 (4.00) – 25%
- AWAY: 17/4 (5.25) – 19%
*Odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
While both sides have an identical start to the new season, Wrexham are significantly backed by the bookmakers to come out on top this weekend.
Compared to Sheffield Wednesday’s 19%, Wrexham boasts a 62.5% win probability, while there is a 25% chance of the two teams settling for a share of the spoils.
Wrexham were guilty of a lack of cutting edge in front of goal last time out when they fell to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of a more clinical West Bromwich Albion side on home turf.
Sheffield, on the other hand, were outclassed and outplayed by Stoke City last Saturday when they fell to a 3-0 hammering against the Potters at the Hillsborough Stadium.
For more from the Championship round three fixtures, you can take a look at some of FootballWhispers’ best picks and predictions in today’s free football betting tips.
Most recent H2Hs: First in exactly 19 years
Sheffield Wednesday have just about had the upper hand in this fixture over the last 10 meetings, having picked up six victories, one more than Wrexham’s four.
This will be the first encounter between the two teams since August 23, 2025, when Wrexham stormed to a 4-1 victory in their EFL Cup first-round clash at the Hillsborough Stadium.
Wrexham preview: A lengthy injury list
Wrexham were the architects of their downfall last Saturday, when they suffered a 3-2 defeat against West Bromwich Albion at Racecourse Ground.
Despite seeing a plethora of clear-cut scoring chances, Wrexham fluffed their lines when it mattered the most and failed to take the lead as West Brom made it two wins from their opening two league games.
Prior to that, Phil Parkinson’s men failed to mark their first return to the Championship on a high as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Southampton in the season opener at St. Mary’s Stadium on August 9.
Sandwiched between the two league defeats, Wrexham booked their spot in the second round of the EFL Cup on August 12 thanks to a penalty-shootout victory over Hull City after a thrilling 2-2 stalemate in normal time.
Wrexham will head into the weekend without several players down the spine of the team as Liberato Cacace (thigh), George Thomason (thigh), Oliver Rathbone (ankle) and Jay Rodriguez (leg) are currently recuperating from injuries.
Predicted lineup: Ward (GK), Cleworth, Coady, Brunt, Barnett, Dobson, James, O'Brien, Mendy, Broadhead & Moore
England League 1 03/05/25
W
Lincoln City
0
Wrexham
2
England League 1 26/04/25
W
Charlton
0
Wrexham
3
England League 1 21/04/25
W
Blackpool
1
Wrexham
2
England League 1 18/04/25
D
Bristol Rovers
1
Wrexham
1
England League 1 12/04/25
D
Wigan
0
Wrexham
0
Sheffield Wednesday preview: Five players ruled out
Sheffield Wednesday were condemned to successive defeats in the new league campaign as they fell to a 3-0 loss against Stoke City last weekend.
Dutchman Million Manhoef turned in an eye-catching display at the Hillsborough Stadium as he netted on either side of Divin Mubama’s 46th-minute strike to fire Stoke to a comfortable win.
With that result, Sheffield have failed to win 10 of their last 11 Championship games, claiming four draws and losing six, including a 2-1 defeat against Leicester City in the 2025-26 curtain-raiser on August 10.
Like this weekend’s hosts, the Owls booked their spot in the second round of the EFL Cup on August 12, when they beat Bolton on penalties after a six-goal thriller in normal time at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
While Sheffield go in search of their first win on Saturday, head coach Henrik Pedersen will be unable to call upon the services of Nathaniel Chalobah and Di'Shon Bernard, who have been sidelined through hamstring and knee injuries, respectively.
Joe Emery, Max Lowe and 19-year-old Bruno Fernandes are also on the club’s injury table and will play no part in this weekend’s matchup.
Predicted lineup: Charles (GK), Otegbayo, Iorfa, Lowe, Valery, Bannan, Ingelsson, Fusire, Palmer, Lowe & Cadamarteri
England Championship 03/05/25
D
Watford
1
Sheff Wed
1
England Championship 26/04/25
D
Portsmouth
1
Sheff Wed
1
England Championship 21/04/25
W
Middlesbrough
1
Sheff Wed
2
England Championship 18/04/25
L
Stoke
2
Sheff Wed
0
England Championship 12/04/25
L
Oxford Utd
1
Sheff Wed
0
Player to watch – Sam Smith
Having opened his account for the season with his strike in the 3-2 loss against West Bromwich Albion last time, experienced forward Sam Smith will be one to look out for this weekend.
Smith was instrumental in Wrexham’s stellar 2024-25 campaign as he led the club’s scoring chart with 18 goals in 43 League One appearances, 10 more than any other player in the side.
Having failed to make his mark in the opening two games of the new campaign, the 27-year-old finally hit the target in an eye-catching 10-minute cameo against West Brom last Saturday and will look to keep the ball rolling this weekend.
With Josh Windass set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, Smith could be rewarded with a place in the XI on Saturday, teaming up with Nathan Broadhead and Kieffer Moore at the attacking end of the pitch.