Ryan Lowe’s Preston North End travel to Hillsborough on Saturday to face a Sheffield Wednesday side who are yet to win a game since their return to the Championship. The last two meetings between the clubs has ended in a 1-0 victory to the home side, but will this trend continue at the weekend?
Sheffield Wednesday
The Owl’s have struggled since their promotion and they will have to rely on their home form this season if they are to remain in this division next campaign. If you combine Sheffield Wednesday’s possession statistics from the first two matches, it will add up to 48%, which shows they haven’t been able to get a foothold in a game yet, which doesn’t seem to have particularly concerned coach Xisco. Struggling to get possession against Russel Martin’s Southampton is somewhat acceptable, but to be played off the park by Hull City in a 4-2 defeat is a slight worry.
It will be interesting to see whether Xisco instructs his side to keep the ball more on Saturday, in an attempt to control the game more, rather than going route one and handing the possession to the other team. Having displayed the negative data, a statistic that is promising is the fact that Wednesday have scored with every shot they have had on target this season, which shows that if the attackers get a chance, they will most likely score. If this continues, then no matter what the game state is, the Owls will always oppose an attacking threat.
Preston North End
Unlike Sheffield Wednesday, the Invincibles have started well this season, picking up four points out of a possible six. Last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Sunderland showed that Ryan Lowe has been able to create a system which allows his side to remain defensively solid and threatening in attack. Will Keane and Mads Frokjaer-Jensen stole the show, linking up brilliantly to set each other up for a goal apiece.
It is expected that Preston will have the majority of the ball, like they did versus Bristol City in round one, which should mean that Keane and Frokjaer-Jensen can get on the ball more often to create those moments of magic. As already mentioned, the Owls can score out of almost nothing, so it is important that the Preston backline doesn’t become complacent on and off the ball. That said, if they perform like they did in that win versus Sunderland and don’t get absorbed by the atmosphere, then Preston should be walking away from Hillsborough with three points.
Verdict?
The Owls have struggled and unless Xisco changes their approach, it is difficult to see them winning the game. The home advantage will give the side more energy but the quality in Preston’s attack is frightening.
The final prediction is Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Preston North End.
