Sheff Wed vs West Brom Prediction: Maja 5/1 to set the tone for leaders

Sheffield Wednesday welcome West Bromwich Albion to Hillsborough on Saturday knowing they face a huge task to break a five-game winless run in the Championship (kick-off 12:30 BST, Sky Sports+ HD).

Albion are flying right now, having recorded five wins from six to head the second-tier table as they arrive in S6. My Sheff Wed vs West Brom predictions will be tough, given my Wednesday allegiance.

Team News

Wednesday could welcome back Dominic Iorfa at the heart of defence, with the former Wolves man having missed the last five games in all competitions due to a muscle injury. His last appearance came in the 2-0 home loss to Leeds United in August.

They will be missing another centre-back in Di’Shon Bernard, though. The ex-Manchester United and Chelsea youngster was sent off for an apparent handball in the defeat at Luton Town last Saturday, and despite evidence suggesting he blocked the ball with his shoulder, Wednesday’s appeal against the suspension failed to get him off.

Olaf Kobacki ought to start again despite being substituted at half-time at Kenilworth Road, while Shea Charles will continue alongside Barry Bannan in the centre of midfield.

Since the Southampton loanee’s arrival, club captain Bannan has been of greater effect in the opposition half. The 34-year-old broke a one-year scoring duck against QPR and then added another at Luton.

Danny Rohl is expected to continue with the 3-4-3 formation which has seen an upturn in performances since the international break.

Albion are sweating on the fitness of Alex Mowatt ahead of the trip north. The former Barnsley midfielder missed training in the early part of the week following the win over Plymouth Argyle last time out, but was back on the field for Thursday’s session.

Boss Carlos Corberan revealed that the hope was for Mowatt to train again on Friday before a final decision is made on his readiness.

“After the Plymouth game he was feeling a little bit of fatigue in the adductor with some pain. He couldn’t do a normal week of training but he was working on Thursday,” explained Corberan.

Jayson Molumby could return from a foot injury which kept him out of the 1-0 success against Argyle, with Corberan bullish over his fitness to play on Saturday.

Sheff Wed vs West Brom Odds

It’s Albion who have the bookies’ favour here, with Betfred quoting 11/8 on an away win which would keep the Baggies at the top of the table.

Wednesday are 2/1 to return to winning ways, having won 3-0 in the same fixture back in April on their road to Championship safety.

It’s 12/5 for a draw, which implies a 29.4% probability.

West Brom to win and both teams to score @ 18/5

I’m a Wednesday fan, and a positive one at that. The last two performances have really given me reason to believe that the turning point is just around the corner for the Owls.

But I can’t back them to win this one, can I? The Baggies look pretty untouchable right now, and they will be doing anything but taking Wednesday for granted here after the events of their last visit to Hillsborough.

That 3-0 loss ought to be used as a warning, with Albion really not doing themselves justice on a day when the atmosphere was buzzing in Wednesday’s final home game of a dramatic season.

There will be no such cram to fill the stadium on Saturday as the home side continue to cough and splutter in the final third. The fact that Barry Bannan is the most in-form Owl in front of goal is not a positive thing, given that he has just 33 goals in 411 appearances for the club even taking into account back-to-back scoring showings in the league.

West Brom do give up chances, with Plymouth having a few openings at The Hawthorns last week in the latest example of the league leaders being willing to stretch the play. But they have the kind of firepower that Wednesday simply don’t have right now.

While I can see Wednesday scoring, I don’t envisage them going goal crazy. And with the likes of Mowatt, Josh Maja, Tom Fellows and John Swift pulling the strings, I can see West Brom winning by at least one whilst also letting the Owls in.

Football Odds

Josh Maja first goalscorer @ 5/1

There’s simply no under-estimating a striker who finds form in front of goal. Like Sammie Szmodics with Blackburn Rovers in 2023-24, Maja just seems to have discovered his groove early this season and it makes sense to ride his wave.

Only once in his career to date has he bettered his current tally of six goals in an entire campaign above League One level, with his 16-goal return in Ligue 2 for Bordeaux two years ago setting him up for a return to the Championship with West Brom that never really got started last term.

But his opening-day hat-trick at QPR got him going and he has followed up with a pair of winners against Stoke City and Plymouth as well as a knock-down blow within 54 seconds in the 3-0 success at Portsmouth.

I can see him delivering again on Saturday, and he might well be the one to set the trend. He’s scored the opener in Albion’s last two fixtures so I’m going to back him to make it three from there with the first goal at Hillsborough at 5/1.

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