Sunderland vs. Sheffield Wednesday Predictions: Black Cats to take first leg lead

League One reached its climax a week early this season thanks to the rearranged Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations and Wigan and Rotherham clinched automatic promotion to the Championship. Now we enter the magnificent spectacle of the play-offs and find out which of the four teams involved will join them in the second tier next season. Two legs and a potential Wembley Stadium final on the 21st May await. Here we have asked our lower league stalwart @OddsT3rrier to preview the massive clash between two sleeping giants, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday.

Again, both these sides enter this first leg in tremendous form; Sunderland haven't lost since the 19th February and are unbeaten in 14 games. The Black Cats have won five of their last six games at the Stadium of Light and have made this place a fortress in recent times, picking up 51 points from their 23 home games. Manager Alex Neil will be hoping they can carry that home form into the playoffs and take a lead into the second leg away in South Yorkshire. 

Sheffield Wednesday are also in a rich vein of form, They've lost just once in their last 11 games and have won 14 out of their last 20 games in the league. The Owls have a decent enough record on their travels, picking up 32 points from 23 away matches and will be desperate to at least keep things tight going into the big showdown on Monday at Hillsborough. 

Sunderland are without Leon Dajaku and are also dubious about the fitness of Nathan Broadhead, Callum Doyle, Dennis Cirkin and Carl Winchester. Aiden McGeady could be recalled here after warming the bench at Morecambe.

Darren Moore is sweating over talismanic midfielder Barry Bannan's fitness after he came off against Portsmouth. Other doubts are Harlee Dean and Ciaran Brennan.

The bookies have this one close, extremely close! Sunderland are generally priced around 13/8 (2.625 decimal) and Wednesday are at 17/10 (2.7 dec) so they're finding this one difficult to call. I have to admit that I ummed and ahhed about this one, but I have come to the conclusion that the Wearside club are too strong at home and will just edge this, probably by a single goal. As previously mentioned, Sunderland have turned the Stadium of Light into a fortress this season, with 16 wins from their 23 league games and with a 40,000+ crowd anticipated, this could be an atmosphere to remember. 

My 2nd pick is based around two player props that I've put into a bet365 bet builder and pays a generous 11/1.

My first part is for Sunderland striker Nathan Broadhead to score in the 90 minutes. It's his strike partner Ross Stewart who most people will be picking to do the damage, but he's actually struggled in front of goal recently, scoring just two goals in his last 11 appearances. Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Everton loanee has been the danger man over the last few months since returning from injury, notching five goals in his last seven appearances. He was on a great run back in December too before missing three months with a hamstring injury. He picked up another knock at the weekend and will be a last minute decision for Alex Neil, so check team news before placing.

Secondly I've gone for Wednesday centre-back Sam Hutchinson to be carded. The 32-year-old is in his second spell at the club after a brief jaunt to Cypriot club Pafos and is a fans favourite in Owlerton. However, Hutchinson struggles with disciplinary issues and has accumulated ten cautions in just 28 games this season. This is the third time in his career he's passed double figures for yellows so it's no real surprise. Against two young energetic strikers in Stewart and Broadhead, I foresee it being a tricky night for the veteran and wouldn't be surprised to see him in the referee's book yet again.

If you are following either tip then good luck and please gamble responsibly.