Sheffield Wednesday vs Stoke Prediction: Thomas can lead Potters to road success

Sheffield Wednesday will once again attempt to put off-field issues to one side when they welcome Stoke to Hillsborough for their first home match of the new Championship season on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Below are my Sheffield Wednesday vs Stoke predictions, complete with all the latest team news and match odds.

Financial issues have made it a summer to forget for the Owls, who have lost a whole host of first-team players with no new arrivals coming through the door.

Despite that, they delivered a spirited but ultimately fruitless display away to Leicester on the opening weekend, taking the lead before succumbing to a narrow 2-1 defeat.

Football Odds

That was followed by progress in the EFL Cup at the expense of Bolton, but next they face a Stoke side that have begun the campaign positively, beating Derby in the league and edging past League 2 Walsall in the cup.

Team News

Wednesday's threadbare squad was depleted even further after Nathaniel Chalobah and Yan Valery both picked up injuries in the defeat at Leicester, but captain Barry Bannan, who was sent off in that game, is available after serving his ban in the week.

Today's Football Fixtures

After making wholesale changes in the cup, Stoke manager Mark Robins will likely revert to a similar team to the one that beat Derby 3-1 on the opening weekend, although midfielder Ben Pearson is an injury doubt.

Sheffield Wednesday vs Stoke Odds

Stoke are the 21/20 favourites to make it two wins from two in the Championship, while Wednesday are 11/4, or a 26.7% chance, to defy their off-field issues and pick up their first league win of the campaign. The draw is priced at 5/2.

Divin Mubama is the 11/2 favourite to score first at Hillsborough, with the Stoke frontman, who is on a season-long loan from Manchester City, having opened his account for his new side against Derby.

Match Result - Stoke @ 13/10

Stoke have finished in the bottom half of the Championship standings in each of the seven seasons since suffering relegation from the Premier League, but there appears to be renewed optimism surrounding the Potters this term, a belief boosted by last weekend's win over Derby, a match that saw them dominate in terms of possession, xG and shots.

The Potters will now be hopeful of following up at Hillsborough, a venue they may not have won at since 2005, but on this visit, they will be facing a depleted Wednesday team that look set for a long, hard season.

The Owls were spirited in defeat against Leicester, but having lost two key players to injury in that game - Chalobah and Valery - it is difficult to see them living with a Stoke side full of confidence.

Anytime Goalscorer - Sorba Thomas (STO) @ 4/1

Part of the optimism surrounding Stoke this season is down to some eye-catching additions in the transfer market, not least the arrival of Wales international Sorba Thomas from Huddersfield.

Thomas put the icing on the cake for the Potters by netting their third goal against Derby - his first for the club, having earlier provided an assist -  while he also ended last season strongly, boasting three goal involvements in two games for Wales in June.

This feels like a big season for the 26-year-old, who will have hopes of representing his country at next summer's World Cup, and he can build on his strong start by netting in this game.

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