Sheffield Wednesday vs Sunderland Bet Builder Tips: Can Stuttering Owls Take Flight?

Sheffield Wednesday vs Sunderland Bet Builder Tips, Stats and Player Props

The ninth round of English Championship fixtures kicks off at 20:00 on Friday night with Sheffield Wednesday vs Sunderland, so what better way to kickstart the weekend than with bet builder tips and plenty more here at bettingexpert?

Football under the lights is always special, and even more so in an iconic old stadium like Hillsborough. One side here is looking to cement their place in the playoff places, while the other needs a win to lift themselves off the foot of the table.

Let Jack Wright take you through the match-up:

• Sunderland to Win
• Jack Clarke Over 2.5 Shots
• Over 3 Corners for Sunderland

Bet Builder odds: 6.00

England, Championship, Friday, September 29th, 20:00 (UK)

Odds via bet365 as at 23:48, September 26th 2023. Odds may now differ.

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Sheffield Wednesday vs Sunderland Stats: Wise heads or tired legs? Oldest squad on show Friday night

• Sheffield Wednesday’s average xG of 0.70 per 90 is the second lowest in the Championship.
• The Owls actual goal return of just 5 is the lowest in the league.
• At an average age of 27.9, Sheffield Wednesday have the oldest squad in the second tier.
• With their average of 15.4 no side commits more fouls per game than Sheffield Wednesday.
• Sunderland have completed more successful dribbles than any other side in the Championship – 92 in total at 11.5 per game.

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Sheffield Wednesday vs Sunderland Bet Builder Tips: Owls to become the Friday night prey

Sunderland to Win

Last season’s losing play-off semi-finalists, Sunderland unsurprisingly seemed to be suffering a slight hangover as the new campaign began. Back-to-back defeats at home to newly promoted Ipswich and at early pacesetters Preston left them playing catch up.

However, an unbeaten run of five games, including four wins, soon saw Tony Mowbray’s side rocket up the league table and occupy one of the play-off places. A home defeat to Cardiff halted that surge, but the Black Cats remain 5th and will look to get back to winning ways here.

The Wearsiders could ask for no better opponent to do just that against than the rock-bottom Owls. The hosts are yet to record a win from eight attempts, picking up just two points, having only scored five goals and conceded 14.

A well-documented disastrous pre-season has spilt into the campaign with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at fellow strugglers Swansea, the latest setback last weekend. The travelling fans vented their frustrations at Xisco Muñoz, and there will be severe pressure on him come kick-off at Hillsborough.

A nervous atmosphere could soon become a toxic one, with the visitors knowing an early goal could see the home crowd turn against their team. Sunderland have both the players and the support to make the most of that situation and pick up another three points here.

Jack Clarke Over 2.5 Shots

One of those players is Jack Clarke, who, with five goals, is one of six players who share the honour of top scorer in the Championship. The ex-Tottenham and Leeds winger is brimming with confidence and has illustrated in the early stages of the season just why he was on Burnley’s shopping list upon their return to the Premier League.

The 22-year-old tops most metrics for his side in 2023/24. Such form best explains why the Black Cats knocked back multiple bids for him in the summer. It is not just his goalscoring, as he has created 19 chances so far, and his league-high 27 successful dribbles is more than double that of any teammate.

Clarke is also the 2nd most fouled player in the English second tier. But it is his shooting that I am going to get onside for this bet builder.

He has fired in 21 attempts at goal so far at an average of one every 33 minutes. The wide man has had at least two shots in all eight league appearances, with three or more in four of the last six and both of the last two.

Over 3 Corners for Sunderland

Expect Sunderland to have plenty of the ball here. Sheffield Wednesday have the third-lowest average possession percentage in the Championship, with 36.8%. A percentage that only marginally creeps up to 37.4% when hosting, while Sunderland boasts the fifth-highest average with 57.6%.

The Black Cats also take the fourth most amount of shots on average with 16.1, and only Southampton can boast more than their 16.0 when playing away. With confident players prepared to shoot from a distance, the visitors tick all the boxes for contributing factors that lead to a high corner count.

Only Southampton (65) and Stoke (57) have taken more corners than Sunderland (55) across all venues this season. Interestingly, that average increases when the Black Cats are on the road. Taking 30 flag kicks at an average of 7.50 – only Huddersfield (8.00) and Southampton (7.75) can better that.

Tony Mowbray’s side have taken 3, 7, 8 and 12 corners in their four league away games this term. I’m happy to take them hitting at least four against the Owls on Friday night as they look to bounce back to winning ways, climb up to fourth and consolidate their place in the playoff positions.

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