Sheffield Wednesday are off to a solid start in League One and will turn their attention to a different competition when they take on League Two Salford City in an EFL Trophy Northern Group A fixture on Tuesday.
Promotion back to the second tier is the Owls' main priority, and they have amassed 14 points from seven League One fixtures.
But Wednesday haven't won a major knockout competition since a 1-0 triumph over Manchester United in the 1991 EFL Cup final, and they may be looking to the EFL Trophy as a pathway to further silverware.
Clubs with larger squads usually have an advantage in the EFL Trophy, so big-spending Salford City could also fare well in this competition.
The EFL Trophy will always have special significance for the Ammies, who won it at the first attempt in the 2019/20 season.
However, the club's best effort since was a run to the quarter-finals in 2022/23.
Salford were the pre-season title favourites in League Two, but they are off to a mixed start, registering three wins, one draw and three defeats.
Salford City v Sheffield Wednesday Tips Summary
Best Bet - Sheffield Wednesday to win @ 11/8
Alternative Bet - Sheffield Wednesday to win and both teams to score @ 10/3
Bet Builder - Davis Keillor-Dunn to Score at Anytime, Both Teams to Score and Over 3 Goals @ 23/5
Salford City v Sheffield Wednesday Prediction
Best Bet: Sheffield Wednesday to win @ 11/8
Sheffield Wednesday are among the genuine heavyweight clubs in the bottom two divisions and they look a solid bet to prevail over Salford, who face a busy schedule over the next few weeks.
EFL Trophy participation provides welcome match practice for Wednesday, who will not resume their League One campaign until a trip to Huddersfield on 10th October.
But the competition may be more of an irritant for Salford, who are looking ahead to Saturday's League Two trip to local rivals Oldham.
Salford head coach Peter Cklamovski is likely to rotate and that could open the door for Wednesday to get a first win of the competition.
Wednesday have chalked up back-to-back goalless draws at home to Wigan and Stockport, but they will be looking to play with greater freedom in the cups and can show their quality against a fourth-tier opponent.
Alternative Bet: Sheffield Wednesday to win and both teams to score @ 10/3
Sheffield Wednesday have been free-scoring on their League One travels, posting three 2-1 victories over Leyton Orient, Wycombe and Peterborough.
They have recruited plenty of attacking talent in the summer and should have enough firepower to expose a fourth-tier opponent.
However, the Owls are sure to make a few changes, and that may leave them slightly more vulnerable to a counterpunch from their hosts, who can grab themselves a consolation goal.
Salford City v Sheffield Wednesday Bet Builder Tip
Davis Keillor-Dunn to Score at Anytime
Both Teams to Score
Over 3 goals
Pays 23/5
The Owls benefited from a change of ownership in the summer and brought in a raft of new players to support their bid for an immediate return to the Championship.
Some of the new arrivals have made an instant impact, while others are taking a little longer to adjust to their new surroundings.
David Keillor-Dunn made a loan switch from Wrexham and has had a quiet start with no goals scored in three appearances.
However, the 28-year-old is a proven goalscorer, having netted 31 goals in 66 League One appearances for Barnsley from August 2024 to January 2026.
Keillor-Dunn should get some more match minutes against Salford and he can make his mark in a high-scoring away victory in which both teams score.
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Key Match Stats
All of Sheffield Wednesday's last four away games have featured at least three goals
Salford have scored fewer than two goals in seven of their last nine fixtures
Wednesday have won their last three away games by a 2-1 scoreline
The Owls have lost just two of their last 10 matches
Wednesday have conceded less than two goals in eight of their last 10 fixtures
Wednesday have scored multiple goals in three of their last five matches
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
