Grimsby vs Sheff Wed Prediction: Owls’ second string to bring in 4/1 tip?

Grimsby Town go looking for a Championship scalp in the Carabao Cup second round at Blundell Park on Tuesday when they entertain a faltering Sheffield Wednesday (19:45, Sky Sports+).

The Owls got off to a great start to the season initially, but since these sides were drawn together in the cup Wednesday have been well-beaten in back-to-back league games. Below you can find my Grimsby vs Sheff Wed prediction, featuring betting tips and odds.

Team News

Grimsby manager David Artell is likely to have to run out a side that doesn’t feature Wrexham loan star Jordan Davies.

The Welshman scored two goals in the Mariners’ sole victory in League Two so far, a 3-2 success over Cheltenham Town, including a 93rd-minute winner. But he then picked up a hamstring injury in the opening moments of the 4-1 loss at Notts County on Thursday.

Wednesday are likely to make wholesale changes again, having shown 11 alterations from their regular side for the first-round win at Hull City.

Charlie McNeill scored twice at the MKM Stadium and will be one of those regaining a place, while new permanent signing Ike Ugbo could well make his first start of the season.

Grimsby vs Sheff Wed Odds

Grimsby are 9/2 to record a home win in 90 minutes, with Wednesday 8/15 to progress to the third round in regulation time.

You can get 3/1 on this one going to penalties, suggesting a 25% chance of that being the outcome, and 8/11 on both teams to score (a 57.9% implied probability).

Only Sheff Wed to score @ 13/8

Mariners boss Artell was disappointed with the way his team offered far too much respect to Notts County’s players on Thursday at Meadow Lane, and any kind of a repeat in this game could be hugely costly.

His counterpart Danny Rohl will be keen for those players who have seen little to no league game-time thus far staking a real claim for prominence ahead of Saturday’s Championship trip to Millwall.

Ike Ugbo is nearing full fitness after signing full-time from Troyes just two days before the season began, and he will want to play his way into some scoring form ahead of a potential first league start at Millwall on Saturday.

There’s a lot of quality still in the Wednesday squad beyond the first, as they proved at Hull a fortnight ago. Two-goal scorer McNeill will be a danger for the home defence here, while Michael Smith an Djeidi Gassama could also start and both offer attacking threats too.

This ought to be a reasonably comfortable night for the Owls, and with young keeper Pierce Charles getting another chance in goal behind a back four which will likely include Michael Ihiekwe, Akin Famewo and Marvin Johnson, a weakened Grimsby will find this tough going.

Football Odds

Sheff Wed to win, handicap -2 @ 4/1

It might feel like a world away after their defeats to Sunderland and Leeds United of late, but Wednesday’s 4-0 win over Plymouth Argyle and their explosive start to the 2-1 cup win at Hull showed just how dangerous they can be in front of goal.

If there is one major positive to be brought into Tuesday’s game from the home defeat to Leeds it is that star showings in the cup could well force the manager’s hand when it comes to selection at the weekend.

To that end, the likes of McNeill, Johnson, Gassama, Ugbo, Olaf Kobacki, Liam Palmer and maybe even midfielder Sean Fusire will all fancy their chances of promoting their cause.

And if they are anything like as dominant at Blundell Park as they were in the first half an hour or so at the MKM a fortnight ago, this lot should more than get the job done.

So I can well see Wednesday winning by more than two, and that makes the 4/1 handicap bet tempting to say the least.

Place an In-Play single bet of £10 or more at odds of 1/2+ on any EFL Cup game on Tuesday and get £5 in Free Bets to use In-Play on Wednesday.

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