Are the Blades still on course for promotion?
A year and a half after relegation from the Premier League, Sheffield United are on course for a return to the top flight. The Blades currently sit second in the table and could reduce the gap on leaders Burnley to three points with an away win at Latics.
With Wigan against Sheffield United, the Blades’ away record is a major factor in favour of tip 2. The South Yorkshire outfit have won six of their eleven away Championship games so far and travel to Greater Manchester with the best away defence in the league. Sheffield have conceded just eight goals in eleven away games
The Latics’ abysmal home record must also factor into the prediction for Wigan against Sheffield United. Wigan are only on two wins from eleven home games at their home DW Stadium. The Tics thus hold the red lantern in the home table. No team has taken fewer points at home (only nine).
With a new coach, however, Wigan now want to force a turnaround. Last Saturday, on Kolo Touré’s debut, the Latics drew 1-1 with Millwall FC, the third-best home team in the Championship.
Wigan – Statistics & current form
Wigan Athletic Football Club has been around since 1932, but it took them over 70 years to first make a notable appearance on the English football map. The team from the county of Greater Manchester was promoted to the Championship for the first time in 2003 and even made the leap to the Premier League just two years later.
In 2013, however, the Latics were relegated again from the country’s highest division, but curiously managed to secure the FA Cup for the first time in history in the relegation year. When they then failed to win direct promotion in the playoffs, years of riding the lift between the second and third leagues began.
Only five points out of a possible 27 from the last nine games
This summer, the Tics returned to the Championship as League One champions, where the ultimate goal is now to re-establish themselves. However, the Douglas River side are not really on course at the moment. With only 24 points from the first 22 games, Wigan Athletic are in a direct relegation spot.
The one-month break was therefore also used to make adjustments on the coaching bench. Under Kolo Touré, the Tics were able to draw 1-1 with Millwall last Saturday. However, the team’s tally of only five points out of a possible 27 from the last nine league games still reads miserable.
The weakest home team in the Championship
The Tics’ home record also reads abysmally, with them occupying last place in the Championship’s home table. No team has won fewer games at home (only two), scored fewer points (only nine) and lost more (six out of eleven) than Wigan Athletic.
With a promotion contender coming to the DW Stadium, the bookmakers’ odds on Wigan against Sheffield United are clearly against Touré’s side, who have only won one of their last seven home games against the Blades (three draws, three defeats).
Predicted Wigan line-up:
Jones – Bennett – Tilt – Whatmough – Darikwa – Naylor – Power – McClean – Keane – Lang – Broadhead
Last matches played by Wigan:
Championship
10/12/2022 – Millwall 1 – 1 Wigan
12/11/2022 – Wigan 2 – 1 Blackpool
09/11/2022 – Coventry 2 – 0 Wigan
05/11/2022 – Swansea 2 – 2 Wigan
03/11/2022 – Wigan 0 – 1 Stoke
Sheffield United – Statistics & current form
Sheffield United have also been through very dark periods in the club’s history, but still have a successful history. In 1898, the Blades celebrated their first and only English championship.
The team from South Yorkshire has also won the FA Cup four times, although the last overall victory in this competition dates back to 1925 and will soon be the 100th anniversary. It would be all the more important for the traditional club to be back in the Premier League on this anniversary and at least be within potential reach of further titles.
The goal is direct promotion
After relegation from the top flight of English football in the summer of 2021, the Blades finished fifth in the final table last season before losing out to Nottingham Forest on penalties in the play-offs. Now, therefore, direct promotion should be forced in the best possible way.
Paul Heckingbottom’s team is currently on course for this. As second in the table, the South Yorkshire side already have a small cushion on third place, which could be further increased with another away win at Wigan Athletic. The Blades have already won twelve of the 22 league games they have played.
The best away defence in the Championship
The Heckingbottom side have sold themselves very dearly away from home so far, which is why betting on an away win for the Blades at Wigan against Sheffield United is a good bet. No team has won more games away from home (six out of eleven) and conceded fewer goals away from home (only eight) than Sheffield United.
The runners-up in the table will travel to Greater Manchester with a broad chest to confirm their recent run. Sheffield have won five of their last six league games (one defeat).
Predicted Sheffield United line-up:
Foderingham – Stevens – Clark – Egan – Ahmedhodzic – Baldock – Osborn – Norwood – McAtee – Sharp – Ndiaye
Last matches played by Sheffield United:
Championship
10/12/2022 – Sheffield United 1 – 0 Huddersfield
12/11/2022 – Cardiff 0 – 1 Sheffield United
09/11/2022 – Sheffield United 0 – 1 Rotherham
05/11/2022 – Sheffield United 5 – 2 Burnley
02/11/2022 – Bristol City 0 – 1 Sheffield United
Wigan – Sheffield United Direct comparison / H2H record
Head to head: 6 – 5 – 9
The two clubs are certainly not old acquaintances, and there have only been 20 competitive matches between them so far. Sheffield not only leads the direct comparison, but has also been very successful away at Wigan Athletic. The Blades have lost only one of their last matches at the DW Stadium (three wins, three draws).
Wigan – Sheffield United Tip
For Wigan against Sheffield United, our prediction clearly goes to an away win for the Blades, who are superior in all relevant performance data. For the Latics, on the other hand, at most the factor of the change of coach speaks. Under Kolo Touré, they have already picked up an away point at home to Millwall FC.
Nevertheless, we see too much value in view of the Blades’ impressive away numbers, so tip 2 remains the first choice for this match. Mybet are offering odds of 2.06 on Wigan v Sheffield United for this one, which we’re playing at seven units.
