Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs AFC Wimbledon - prediction, team news, lineups

Separated by three points in the top half of the League One table, Sheffield Wednesday and AFC Wimbledon will meet at Hillsborough on Saturday.

The hosts sit eighth after a third consecutive draw, while a defeat last time out leaves the visitors three points worse off in 11th spot.

Match preview

Sheffield Wednesday return to Hillsborough aiming to extend an eight-match unbeaten streak and return to winning ways to move back into the League One playoff spots.

After a 2025-26 season to forget, in which they entered administration and were relegated on 0 points after deductions totalling 18, they have enjoyed a fresh start under new ownership, earning 15 points from their first eight games back in England's third tier.

The Owls have only lost one of those league games, a narrow home defeat to Bradford City in August, and they bounced back in style with consecutive victories over Bromley, Wycombe Wanderers and Peterborough, before being held to goalless draws by Wigan Athletic and Stockport County heading into the international break.

Returning to full action last weekend having only played twice in the EFL Trophy during the break, they visited fellow promotion-chasers Huddersfield Town on Saturday and looked set to leave empty-handed having trailed 2-0 until the 88th minute, but an Ibane Bowat own goal halved the deficit before Jamal Lowe converted a 98th-minute penalty to snatch a point.

With momentum to take from that comeback, and now sitting eighth but just two points off the top two with a game in hand on most sides above them, Sheffield Wednesday will hope to extend their unbeaten streak and turn a run of draws back into victories at the weekend.

Their visitors head to Hillsborough in search of a return to winning ways of their own, having fallen short in their first game after the international break.

Heading into their second consecutive League One campaign with the hopes of again maintaining third-tier status after finishing four points above the drop last time around, AFC Wimbledon made a positive start, as they earned 10 points from their first six league outings culminating in consecutive wins and clean sheets in September.

They have since failed to win any of their last three league games or four in all competitions, though, heading into the break on the back of consecutive draws against newly-promoted sides MK Dons and Cambridge United and losing in a penalty shootout to fourth-tier Barnet last week after a 0-0 EFL Trophy draw.

A tough trip to league leaders Plymouth Argyle then followed on Saturday in their first league game in two weeks, and they came away empty-handed in agonising fashion, leading early through Jayden Stockley and being pegged back by Caleb Watts, only for Xavier Amaechi to score deep into injury time to snatch all three points for the hosts.

Still sitting in the top half on 12 points from nine games, but just four points above the bottom four at this early and condensed stage of the term, AFC Wimbledon will look to take a major scalp at the weekend and avoid slipping down the division in the coming weeks.

Sheffield Wednesday League One form:

W W W D D D

Sheffield Wednesday form (all competitions):

W D D W W D

AFC Wimbledon League One form:

L W W D D L

AFC Wimbledon form (all competitions):

W W D D L L

Team News

Sheffield Wednesday continue to face several injury issues, with Sil Swinkels, Max Lowe, Tyler Onyango, Jordi Liongola and Louie Barry all sidelined.

Davis Keillor-Dunn will hope to come into the attacking unit from the outset having featured off the bench last time out, while Jamal Lowe continues to play an important role up top having scored five League One goals so far this season.

Callum Slattery will also keep his spot in support of the striker, while Billy Mitchell and Jaden Heskey are likely left to compete for one midfield spot alongside Barry Bannan.

AFC Wimbledon are without winger James Tilley and forward Mathew Stevens, who is yet to feature this season through injury, while Dujuan Richards and Dan Sweeney have also missed the last two games.

Jayden Stockley has been a key man up front since his summer arrival, scoring four goals in his last six appearances, including the opener away at Plymouth last time out.

Myles Hippolyte is their other attacking threat, while Aron Sasu and Andy Yiadom should continue in wing-back roles.

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

Lumley; Valery, Bernard, Cooper, James; Bannan, Mitchell; Keillor-Dunn, Slattery, Gray; Lowe

AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:

Bursik; Yiadom, Simmonds, Johnson, Seddon, Sasu; Browne, Smith, Harrison, Hippolyte; Stockley

We say: Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 AFC Wimbledon

Sheffield Wednesday were frustrated in their two home games before the break, but on the back of a confidence-boosting comeback in a tough game last weekend, we fancy them to return to winning ways thanks to their superior quality.

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