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Sheffield Wednesday v Leeds United betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview
- Michael Beardmore is +22pts in profit for the 2023/24 football season
Football betting tips: Championship
1pt Di'Shon Bernard to be shown a card at 7/2 (Sky Bet)
0.5pt Di'Shon Bernard to be first player carded at 20/1 (William Hill)
Two of the form teams in the Sky Bet Championship go head to head at Hillsborough on Friday night, desperate to add to their impressive recent tally of points for very different reasons.
Leeds United, unbeaten in their past 11 league games, winning 10 of those for a frankly ridiculous haul of 31 points from a possible 33, must keep the pressure on top two Leicester and Ipswich.
Sheffield Wednesday, meanwhile, have won five of their past six to give the Owls renewed hope in their battle to avoid relegation straight back to the third tier after promotion via the play-offs last term.
Danny Rohl's side are one of eight teams separated by just two points from 16th down to 23rd in what is shaping up to be a relegation dogfight for the ages.
What are the best bets?
As impressive as Wednesday's revival has been, there is an asterisk. All five of those wins have come against fellow strugglers or other bottom-half teams. Their record against top-10 sides this season reads W2 D1 L13.
Now, granted many of those defeats pre-date Rohl's appointment and he has certainly given them a chance of staying up but this is a huge test of their improvement and that's reflected by best odds of 7/10 about an away win.
The Owls did hold Leeds to a goalless draw at Elland Road in September but United are a different prospect now - though, interestingly, their only failure to win in their past 11 was another derby against strugglers at Huddersfield last weekend.
That result - against the battling 10-man Terriers - puts me slightly off the visitors here. They are simply too short to back with full confidence given what is at stake for the hosts in a febrile derby atmosphere - even if a Leeds win is the likeliest outcome.
Instead, I want Leeds' fearsome attack onside in a different way - namely causing headaches to Wednesday defenders and in particular left-sided centre-back DI'SHON BERNARD.
The Jamaican has seven bookings to his name this season and given he'll be up against livewire Daniel James and Georginio Rutter, two players who draw a lot of fouls, the 7/2 on offer for Bernard TO BE SHOWN A CARD looks a very generous price.
I also cannot let the 20/1 on Bernard TO BE FIRST PLAYER CARDED go unbacked. On the eight occasions he's been carded this season - seven yellows, one red - he has been the first Wednesday player booked six of those times.
Of course Leeds are a factor here too but they actually top the Championship fair play standings - of the possible starters for both sides, only Barry Bannan has been booked more than Bernard so both 7/2 anytime card and 20/1 first booking look big.
BuildABet @50/1
- Ike Ugbo to score anytime
- Bernard to be shown a card
- Rutter 1+ assists
On-loan striker Ike Ugbo has made a huge difference for the Owls since arriving on loan from French side Troyes in January with six goals in eight starts.
Leeds' Georginio Rutter is one of the Championship's assist kings this season, having set up 12 goals, a tally bettered only by Ipswich's Leif Davis.
Team news
Sheffield Wednesday will be without on-loan Leeds midfielder Ian Poveda, who is ineligible to face his parent club while Josh Windass and Callum Paterson remain sidelined by injuries.
The Owls have also have a doubt over Barry Bannan who was withdrawn at half-time of their midweek win over Plymouth.
Pascal Struijk, Stuart Dallas and Jaidon Anthony remain absent for the visitors but Daniel Farke has an otherwise fully-fit squad to choose from.
Predicted line-ups
Sheffield Wednesday: Beadle; Valentin, Iorfa, Ihiekwe, Bernard, Johnson; Musaba, Vaulks, M Diaby, Gassama; Ugbo
Leeds United: Meslier; Roberts, Ampadu, Rodon, Byram; Gruev, Kamara; James, Rutter, Summerville; Bamford
Match facts
- Sheffield Wednesday have lost just one of their last seven league games against Leeds United (W3 D3) with the Owls keeping a clean sheet in each of the last three meetings between the two sides.
- Leeds United have won just one of their last five away league games against Sheffield Wednesday (D2 L2), whilst the Whites’ biggest ever defeat in a Championship match came when losing 6-0 to the Owls at Hillsborough in January 2014.
- Sheffield Wednesday have lost two of their three home league games played on a Friday this season but did beat Birmingham City 2-0 in their most recent such match last month.
- Leeds United are unbeaten in their five league away games so far in 2024 (W4 D1), last starting a calendar year with a longer unbeaten streak on the road in 2001 in the Premier League (nine unbeaten).
- Leeds are unbeaten in their last 12 Yorkshire derbies away from home in the league (W7 D5), since a 2-1 loss to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough in February 2018.
Odds correct at 1530 (07/03/24)
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