Hull vs Sheff Wed Prediction: 9/2 Owls to Rohl on to round two?

It’s an all-Championship affair at MKM Stadium in the EFL Cup first round on Wednesday night as Hull City host Sheffield Wednesday (19:45, Sky Sports+ HD).

The Owls got off to a flying start to the season at the weekend, while the Tigers earned a home draw with a late penalty and will be looking to register a first win. Below you can find my Hull vs Sheff Wed prediction, featuring betting tips and odds. 

Team News

Hull boss Tim Walter has confirmed that new signing Liam Millar will start four days on from making his debut as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with Bristol City.

Walter was unhappy with the slow tempo of his side in that league opener, and with a host of changes likely for their first cup outing he will also be hoping for an increased pace in their attacking play.

Wednesday manager Danny Rohl will be keen for his troops to show a similar desire to that on display at Hillsborough on Sunday as the Owls battered Plymouth Argyle 4-0.

He will doubtless ring the changes, with Ike Ugbo potentially available for the first time since signing permanently with the club after a successful loan spell in the second half of Wednesday’s ‘Great Escape’ season of 2023-24.

Hull vs Sheff Wed Odds

Hull City are 11/8 to collect a home win in 90 minutes, while Wednesday are 15/8 to progress to the second round in regulation time.

You can get 9/4 on this one going to penalties, suggesting a 30.8% chance of that being the outcome, and 4/6 on both teams to score (a 60% implied probability).

Only Sheff Wed to score @ 9/2

In some ways, this might be the true test of where Danny Rohl’s Wednesday have progressed to over the summer. Sunday’s 4-0 hammering of Plymouth was one thing, but how will a much-changed Owls get on against more elevated opposition?

This game could give a great insight as to whether the transformation in Wednesday’s style evidenced against Argyle is down to a squad-deep shift in attitude or largely to do with the injection of some of those new additions who stood out, not least Svante Ingelsson, Yan Valery and Jamal Lowe.

One thing they did superbly at the weekend was get crosses into the box. All four of their goals came from wide areas, and that could be a huge threat again in East Yorkshire.

And while Hull worked Max O’Leary in the Bristol City goal a number of times on Saturday, it took a late Oscar Estupinan penalty to get them on the ledger. More time might be needed to truly get up to speed on Walter’s desired approach, and a Wednesday side whose xGA (expected goals against) on Sunday was 0.3 could be tough to break down here.

Even with changes in the Owls’ back line, with the likes of Michael Ihiekwe, Akin Famewo, Bambo Diaby and goalkeeper Pierce Charles all in line for potential call-ups, I can well see Wednesday’s fans being the only ones celebrating a goal at the MKM. The 9/2 price and an 18.2% implied probability looks tempting to me.

Football Odds

Michael Smith to score anytime @ 9/4

One thing Wednesday did superbly at the weekend was get crosses into the box. All four of their goals came from wide areas, and that could be a huge threat.

When Michael Smith came off the bench for the final seven minutes plus stoppage time on Sunday, he became quite the weapon in the area. The former Rotherham United man tallied four efforts at goal – the joint-most in the game alongside Josh Windass – with the Owls’ willingness to pepper Plymouth’s centre-halves with crosses playing into Smith’s hands.

So there’s every chance that he could add to his injury-time goal on Sunday here, whether he actually starts or not. He may be given a place in the first XI, or if Ugbo gets the nod there’s still the impact the big number 24 can make off the bench to consider.

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