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English League One action returns this weekend with Charlton Athletic welcoming Sheffield Wednesday to The Valley Stadium on Saturday.
This will be the first competitive game of the 2021-22 campaign for the hosts. They took part in six friendly fixtures in July and had a decent outing in the pre-season, winning twice, losing twice and securing two draws.
Sheffield Wednesday were in action on Sunday in the EFL Cup. After a goalless draw during regular time, they lost 4-2 on penalties to Huddersfield Town.
Charlton Athletic vs Sheffield Wednesday Head-to-Head
The two clubs have met each other 58 times across all competitions, with their first encounter dating back to 1936. The fixture has been evenly contested between the two rivals, with 20 wins for the Addicks and 23 for the visiting side. The spoils have been shared 15 times between them.
The Owls have won three games in a row while Charlton's last win came in a Championship fixture in 2015. They last squared off at Hillsborough Stadium in 2020, with Sheffield recording a 1-0 victory thanks to Steven Fletcher's injury-time header.
Charlton Athletic form guide: N/A
Sheffield Wednesday form guide (all competitions): L
Charlton Athletic vs Sheffield Wednesday Team News
Charlton Athletic
Nigel Adkins is expected to be without the services of left-back Ben Purrington and midfielder Jake Forster-Caskey. Purrington has been suffering from thigh problems recently and Forster-Caskey has been ruled out with a knee injury.
Injured: Jake Forster-Caskey, Ben Purrington
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Sheffield Wednesday
Josh Windass is the only injury concern for the Owls. He has been struggling with a hamstring issue in the pre-season and is yet to fully recover. Darren Moore is expected to go for a lineup similar to the one that suffered a defeat in the EFL League Cup.
Injured: Josh Windass
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Charlton Athletic vs Sheffield Wednesday Predicted XI
Charlton Athletic Predicted XI (4-4-2): Craig MacGillivray; Chris Gunter, Akin Famewo, Ryan Inniss, Adam Matthews; Diallang Jaiyesimi, Albie Morgan, George Dobson, Hady Ghandour; Conor Washington, Josh Davison
Sheffield Wednesday Predicted XI (4-3-3): Bailey Peacock-Farrell; Jaden Brown, Sam Hutchinson, Dominic Iorfa, Jax Hunt; Barry Bannan, Massimo Luongo, Lewis Wing; Andre Green, Olamide Shodipo, Callum Paterson
Charlton Athletic vs Sheffield Wednesday Prediction
In the first game of the 2021-22 campaign, we expect the two clubs to experiment with their squads, hence they might not have the strongest starting XIs for this game.
Given the pre-season form of both sides, a goalless draw appears to be the most likely outcome.
Prediction: Charlton Athletic 0-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Also See: Fabrizio Romano's Transfer Roundup: Chelsea's plans for the transfer window, Arsenal complete signing and more
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