League One Bolton welcome crisis club Sheffield Wednesday to the Toughsheet Community Stadium tomorrow night in the first round of the EFL Cup.
Bolton Wanderers began their League One campaign with a 2-0 defeat away at Stockport County on the Sunday before last, on an afternoon where our man The Betting Desk landed a couple of winners.
However, Steven Schumacher’s men did get their first points of the season on Saturday, as goals from Eoin Toal and Mason Burstow gave The Trotters a 2-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle.
It’s been a nightmare summer for Sheffield Wednesday supporters, with them losing their manager, several first-team players and being hit with a transfer embargo.
They began their league season with a daunting trip to recently relegated Leicester City, but put in a brave performance only to suffer late agony.
Nathaniel Chalobah had given The Owls a surprise lead after 26 minutes, but goals from defenders Jannik Vestergaard and Wout Faes meant they left the East Midlands empty-handed.
How the bookies view it: Bolton favourites
Despite being a division below their opponents, Bolton have been installed as clear favourites to heap more misery on The Owls, with BoyleSports pricing them at just 2/5.
Sheffield Wednesday are priced at 5/1 outsiders to win inside 90 minutes, whilst the draw is 15/4.
Head to head: Seven unbeaten for Owls
Sheffield Wednesday are unbeaten in each of their previous seven meeting with Bolton (W4-D3-L0), winning 0-2 in their last trip to the Toughsheet Community Stadium in August 2022 when the pair were both in League One.
Players to watch: More goals for Mason?
Bolton signed Mason Burstow on loan from Hull City in the summer, and the 22-year old got his first goal for The Trotters by scoring the second in their 2-0 victory over The Pilgrims on Saturday, and he is 5/4 at BoyleSports to get on the scoresheet for a second consecutive match on Wednesday night.
Predicted line-ups:
Bolton boss Steven Schumacher may name a similar starting lineup to the one that started their victory over Plymouth at the weekend.
Sheffield Wednesday will be without their captain, Barry Bannan, following his red card at Leicester on Sunday.
Bolton Wanderers: Sharman-Lowe, Osei-Tutu, Toal, Johnston, Conway, Sheehan, Simons, Cozier-Duberry, Randall, Gale, Burstow
Sheffield Wednesday: Charles, Valery, Palmer, Iorfa, Otegbayo, Lowe, Chalobah, Ingelsson, Fusire, Lowe, Cadamarteri
Anything else catch the eye?
As alluded to, despite being a division below, Bolton are heavy favourites given the crisis Sheffield Wednesday are in.
The Trotters are too short to back on their own (4/11), but combining a Bolton win and Under 4.5 goals pays a more appealing 5/6 at Bet365.
Bolton kept a clean sheet in their 2-0 victory over Argyle at the weekend, and a Trotters Win to Nil pays a juicier 8/5.
GambleAware