Sheffield Wednesday vs Middlesbrough Prediction: These two teams are occupying the last two spots in the table

Sheffield Wednesday will welcome Middlesbrough at Hillsborough Stadium in Gameweek 7 of the English Championship. These two teams are occupying the last two spots in the table. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

Ipswich has smoothly transitioned from League One to Championship football, unlike playoff winners Sheffield Wednesday. Manager Xisco Munoz expressed his sincere apologies to fans following his team's painful loss to Ipswich. Goalkeeper Devis Vasquez successfully kept Ipswich at bay for the majority of the first half. However, just before the break, Conor Chaplin's shot deflected off Akin Famewo into the net, resulting in zero points for the Owls in the battle of the newly promoted teams. Sheffield Wednesday faced significant criticism at full time, as they suffered their fifth defeat in six Championship matches during the 2023-24 season. Munoz's side failed to capitalize on their draw against Leeds United on September 2, which provided them with their first point in the season. Only Swansea City and their upcoming opponents Middlesbrough have also failed to secure a win in their opening six games of the new season. However, Swansea has managed to secure two draws, while Sheffield Wednesday sits in 23rd place, only above Middlesbrough on goal difference. Although their defensive record of ten goals conceded is not the worst in the division, their joint-low four goals scored highlights their main issue. So far this season, their only home victory was a tense penalty shootout win over Stockport County in the EFL Cup first round.

Vasquez; Paterson, Famewo, Bernard, Palmer, Delgado; Musaba, Hendrick, Bannan, Windass; Fletcher

While Sheffield Wednesday's journey in the knockout stages of the tournament has come to an end, Middlesbrough have successfully used their League Cup expertise to overcome Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers. This has led them to a third-round match against Bradford City, which they have a good chance of winning. However, despite their success in the EFL Cup, Middlesbrough's performance in the Championship is far from impressive. Under the guidance of former interim Manchester United head coach Carrick, they currently sit at the bottom of the league table due to a terrible start to the season.

During their recent game against Blackburn at Ewood Park, the fans were entertained by an outstanding performance from Sammie Szmodics. The 27-year-old scored two goals before half-time, while Matt Crooks later scored a goal to reduce the deficit. However, there was controversy surrounding Crooks' goal as he seemed to be in an offside position when he scored. Despite this stroke of luck, Middlesbrough failed to take advantage and have now gone 11 Championship matches without a win since their victory against Hull City in April. They have also lost all three of their away games this season and have the worst defensive record in the division, with nine goals conceded on rival turf.

Nevertheless, Middlesbrough have a decent record against Sheffield Wednesday, having won two out of their last three matches against them, including a 2-1 victory in July 2020 in front of an empty Hillsborough.

Dieng; Van den Berg, Fry, Lenihan, Engel; O'Brien, Howson; Forss, Crooks, McGree; Latte Lath

Sparks are unlikely to ignite in the attacking plays of the Championship's lowest-ranked teams this week, as they have only scored a combined total of eight goals so far. On paper, there is little to differentiate between these struggling teams. Fatigue from their previous matches may also affect the quality of play in what is expected to be a dull and uneventful game. It is likely that neither team will find the back of the net, as both sides are currently experiencing winless streaks. Take double chance on home team.