Salford City vs Sheffield Wednesday - prediction, team news, lineups

Sat second in League One on the back of a five-game unbeaten streak, Sheffield Wednesday will head to fourth-tier Salford City on Tuesday in their first EFL Trophy group-stage tie.

The visitors have played out back-to-back goalless draws at home, while their hosts have found form in League Two with three wins in their last four attempts.

Salford City will aim to continue an upturn in form on Tuesday, when they play their first EFL Trophy game under Peter Cklamovski.

The Ammies have not enjoyed great success in this competition in recent years, dropping out in the group stage in two of the last three years and qualifying last time around only to drop out at the next stage.

After their loss in the League Two playoffs last season, the club hierarchy opted to replace Karl Robinson with new manager Peter Cklamovski, and his tenure started poorly as they began with an EFL Cup loss to Shrewsbury Town and three straight League Two defeats.

They have since found their groove, though, winning three and drawing one of their last four outings, firstly beating Newport County and Port Vale and drawing 3-3 away at Rotherham United, before hosting Swindon Town at the weekend and taking all three points as Joe Powell scored the only goal 13 minutes from time.

Now turning their focus away from a busy league schedule and onto the EFL Trophy, Salford City will aim to make it back-to-back wins and five games unbeaten including four victories with a statement result over third-tier opposition on Tuesday.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head into EFL Trophy action also aiming to continue an unbeaten streak in their League One campaign.

Sheffield Wednesday have enjoyed a positive 2026-27 thus far, beginning a bid for an immediate return to the Championship after relegation in 2025-26 on 0 points after squad issues and deductions, having exited administration and seen new ownership and an ambitious summer of transfer business.

While their other cup bid thus far ended in a second-round EFL Cup defeat to Wolves, the Owls have impressed on the league front, sitting second on 14 points from seven matches with their only defeat coming in the second round of games.

Henrik Pedersen's men followed that up with a 7-2 thrashing of Bromley and hard-fought 2-1 away wins over Wycombe Wanderers and Peterborough United, before most recently being held to back-to-back 0-0 draws at home to Wigan Athletic and Stockport County in the last two weekends.

Henrik Pedersen's side now turn their focus to getting up and running in the EFL Trophy and making a return to winning ways at the AIG Stadium.

Sheffield Wednesday form (all competitions):

As was the case across the board in the first round of EFL Trophy fixtures, Salford City may rotate heavily for Tuesday's match in the midst of a busy schedule.

Defender Michael Rose remains sidelined by a long-term injury, while winger Abraham Odoh is back in contention after being suspended at the weekend.

Key men like Joe Powell, Macaulay Langstaff and Taylor Allen should be afforded rests with their sights set on next weekend in League Two, allowing opportunities for the likes of Ben Woodburn, Luke Garbutt and Nathan Asiimwe to start and compete to earn Cklamovski's favour.

Pedersen should also take the chance to rotate his deep and strong Sheffield Wednesday squad in their EFL Trophy group opener, albeit with Di'Shon Bernard, Max Lowe, Cole McGhee, Tyler Onyango, George Brown, Louie Barry and Jordi Liongola all sidelined by injuries.

Key midfielders Barry Bannan and Callum Slattery have both played every League One game so far this season and will be given rests, while veteran defender Liam Cooper will also be afforded a break after guiding the Owls to consecutive clean sheets.

Yan Valery, Billy Mitchell and Jamal Lowe may join them in resting in midweek, while the likes of Gabriel Otegbayo, Jaden Heskey, Kieran Morrison, Harry Gray, Ernie Weaver and Ali Al-Hamadi may all get the chance to start.

Burge; Asiimwe, Scarr, Awe, Garbutt; Grant, Butcher, Bonds; Woodburn, Udoh, Malcolm

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

Maynard-Brewer; Palmer, Otegbayo, Weaver, James; Heskey, Thornton; Morrison, Keillor-Dunn, Gray; Burstow

Despite finding themselves the league below their visitors, Salford City do have plenty of quality and depth to call on even if they rotate, but we see the visitors having the stronger ranks while anticipating many changes for both teams and fancy them to come out on top at the AIG Stadium.

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