Sheffield Wednesday vs Aston Villa Predictions

The pick of this weekend’s fixtures has to come in this intriguing game at Hillsborough. Not only are we seeing two sides who have ambitions of making the playoffs in the coming weeks, but it’s also a reunion for Steve Bruce. The new Sheffield Wednesday boss hosts his former club this weekend, aiming to put the brakes on their promotion hopes for the second time this season. He derailed their chances of going up while in charge earlier this season, but can he repeat that with a victory for his new club?

Sheffield Wednesday have made a flying start under Bruce, who has taken them from the bottom half into the playoff picture. The Owls are still unbeaten under their new boss, a run which has covered 11 games. It’s a fine effort from the new man in the Wednesday dugout, while it has put them only four points shy of sixth-placed Aston Villa. Going up wasn’t Wednesday’s big aim at the start of the season, but another win this weekend would leave them in the frame for the playoffs.

Aston Villa are a side who have bounced back, with Dean Smith leading the team to five wins from their last five. The return of Jack Grealish has promoted an obvious improvement all around in the side, with many of their stars stepping up after the midfielder’s return to the side. There’s an obvious boost going forward, given that the Villains make this trip having scored 13 times in their five game winning run. That has taken them into sixth, but will they keep up their momentum through this tough encounter?

Bruce – who managed and lost in this fixture earlier this season as Aston Villa manager – could become the first manager to lose a Football League fixture in charge of both teams in a single season since Paul Cook during 2012-13, who lost as manager of both Accrington and Chesterfield in that League Two fixture. However, his side’s recent form makes that seem unlikely. The Owls are unbeaten in 10 at home,  having scored nine times in their last four here.

Wednesday have scored in 84% of their home games, while only two sides have outscored Villa this term. The visitors are pressing forward to land a place in the playoffs, so we expect them to come out an attack in this clash. We expect an open game, especially as the last three meetings between them have seen both teams score. With the pair both playing well and looking to move up the table, we are backing both teams to score in this clash too.