Preston vs Sheffield Wednesday Prediction

Right then, let's have a proper look at this New Year's Day clash. Preston, sitting pretty in 5th, welcoming the bottom-of-the-table Sheffield Wednesday. On paper, it's a bit of a no-brainer, but as we know, football's never that simple. Let's dig into the numbers and see what's what.

First off, the league table tells a story. Preston have lost just 4 games all season and are right in the playoff mix. Sheffield Wednesday? Well, they're rock bottom with a measly -8 points. They've only won one game all season. That's not a great sign, is it?

Now, form. Preston are the draw specialists lately – 2 wins, 7 draws, and just 1 loss in their last 10. They're tough to beat. Look at those results: a 1-1 draw with league leaders Coventry, a point away at Watford and Millwall. Their only recent loss was at home to Blackburn. They even went to Hillsborough last month and beat Wednesday 3-2. They know how to get a result against this lot.

Sheffield Wednesday, on the other hand, are in a right old pickle. No wins in their last 10 – 4 draws, 6 losses. They're shipping goals for fun, conceding 20 in those 10 games. That's two a match! They did manage a 2-2 draw with high-flying Hull City last time out, but before that it was a 3-1 loss to Ipswich and a 3-0 home thumping by Derby. They're struggling big time, especially on the road where they've lost three of their last four away games.

The head-to-head makes for even better reading if you're a Preston fan. They've won 6 of the last 9 meetings, including that 3-2 win just over a month ago. At home, they've won three of the last four against the Owls. History is very much on their side.

When we look at how they play, Preston might not have all the ball (averaging just 45% possession at home), but they're more clinical. They average over 4 shots on target per game, while Wednesday manage less than 3. More importantly, Preston's shot accuracy is a decent 42%, while Wednesday's is a woeful 27%. That tells you who's creating the better chances.

So, what's the bet? The bookies have Preston at 1.53 to win. That's short, but sometimes the obvious call is the right one. Wednesday are conceding two goals a game on average, and Preston have already put three past them this season. Preston are solid, hard to beat, and facing the worst team in the division. At Deepdale, on New Year's Day, I can't see past a home win.

Key Points:

Preston are 5th, Wednesday are 24th and rooted to the bottom.

Preston are unbeaten in 7 of their last 8 (W2 D5 L1).

Sheffield Wednesday are winless in 10 (D4 L6), conceding 2 goals per game on average.

Preston have won 6 of the last 9 head-to-head meetings, including a 3-2 win away in November.

• Preston are more clinical in front of goal (41.9% shot accuracy vs 27.4%).

The Verdict:

All the data points one way. Sheffield Wednesday are in a terrible run of form, leaking goals, and have a horrible record against Preston. The home side might draw a lot, but this feels like the perfect fixture to get back to winning ways at Deepdale. The value is with the home win.