Sheffield Wednesday v Portsmouth: team news, predicted XIs, referee, key stats and form guides

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of kick-off (3pm) for the mouth-watering curtain raiser.

Sheffield Wednesday team news

Striker Callum Paterson is the only new injury concern for Darren Moore as his side start the regular season as they finished it at home to Pompey. Paterson is carrying a knock and will be assessed, otherwise there are no new issues for the former Blues defender to contend with as he side start the season near to full strength.

Predicted XI: Stockdale, Palmer, Iorfa, Heneghan, Ihiekwe, Johnson, Byers, Dele-Bashiru, Bannan, Windass, Gregory.

Pompey team news

Pompey open their League One campaign at Hillsborough with a few known injury issues. Denver Hume is still short of a return after the back problem which kept him out of the end of last season caused some hamstring issues. Jayden Reid is missing after picking up a hamstring injury in a tackle at Bristol City in pre-season, while Joe Morrell is a few weeks from fitness after having a minor procedure for a hamstring issue.

Predicted line-up: Griffiths; Rafferty, Raggett, Robertson, Ogilvie; Hackett, Pack, Thompson, Curtis; Bishop, Pigott. Subs: Oluwayemi, Swanson, Morrison, Mingi, Tunnicliffe, Jacobs, Scarlett.

Matchday odds (Bet365)

Sheffield Wednesday: 4/6

1-0 6/1, 2-0 7/1, 2-1 15/2, 3-0 12/1, 3-1 12/1, 3-2 25/1

Pompey: 4/1

1-0 12/1, 2-0 22/1, 2-1 14/1, 3-0 50/1, 3-1 40/1, 3-2 40/1

Draw: 11/4

0-0 9/1, 1-1 6/1, 2-2 16/1, 3-3 50/1

Referee

Sebastian Stockbridge

Key Stats (2021-22 all competitions)

Sheffield Wednesday

Record last season: P51 W24 D16 L11

League Position: 4th (85 points)

Top goalscorer: Lee Gregory (17)

Most Assists: Barry Bannan (12)

Discipline: 88 yellow cards, 1 red card

Pompey

Record last season: P54 W23 D13 L18

League Position: 10th (73 points)

Top goalscorer: George Hirst (15)

Most Assists: Ronan Curtis (9)

Discipline: 77 yellow cards, 2 red cards

Form guide

Sheffield Wednesday

L 4-1 Wigan (A) – Friendly

L 2-0 Rayo Vallecano (H) – Friendly

L 2-1 Bournemouth (A) – Friendly

W 2-0 Harrogate (A) – Friendly

D 0-0 Alfreton (A) – Friendly

Pompey

W 3-2 Barnet (A) – Friendly

L 2-0 Coventry (H) – Friendly

D 1-1 Bognor (A) – Friendly

W 5-2 Leyton Orient (A) – Friendly

W 2-1 Gillingham (A) – Friendly

Other fixtures (3pm kick-off unless stated)

Accrington Stanley v Charlton, Bristol Rovers v Forest Green, Cambridge v MK Dons, Cheltenham v Peterborough, Derby v Oxford United, Ipswich v Bolton, Lincoln v Exeter, Morecambe v Shrewsbury, Plymouth v Barnsley, Port Vale v Fleetwood, Wycombe v Burton.