"Alarming rate" - Sky Sports pundit issues worrying prediction for Stoke City ahead of Sheffield Wednesday | OneFootball

Don Goodman has given his score prediction for Sheffield Wednesday's game against Stoke City on Saturday.

Sheffield Wednesday take on Stoke City in the Championship at Hillsborough on Saturday, and pundit Don Goodman is backing the Owls to pick up all three points.

After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, Wednesday have made clear progress this campaign under Danny Rohl, and they returned to winning ways with a 3-1 win over Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday.

Goals from Josh Windass, Jamal Lowe and Djeidi Gassama turned the game around for the Owls after Greg Leigh gave the hosts a 17th-minute lead, and the victory moved them up to ninth in the table, just five points from the play-off places.

However, much of the build up to Saturday's game has been dominated by speculation around Rohl's future after reports emerged linking him with the vacant managerial position at Southampton following the sacking of Russell Martin, while it has also been claimed that he is under consideration by German second division side Hamburg as a potential replacement for Steffen Baumgart.

The managerial situation has also been a subject of discussion among Stoke supporters this week as pressure continues to build on head coach Narcis Pelach, who has won just three of his 17 games in charge since replacing Steven Schumacher in mid-September.

Ben Gibson's stoppage time goal salvaged a point for the Potters in their 2-2 draw against Cardiff City at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday, but they are now without a win in their last seven games.

Pelach insists that he can turn Stoke's fortunes around, but with the club currently sitting 17th in the table, just five points clear of the relegation zone, fears of another survival battle are increasing.

Don Goodman's Sheffield Wednesday v Stoke City prediction

Speaking via CoinPoker, Goodman admitted that Wednesday's poor recent home form has given him doubts about Saturday's result, but he backed the Owls to secure a victory against Stoke.

"Wednesday have stuttered a little bit recently, losing their last home match 1-0 to Blackburn. I was very surprised to see they've only won one out of their last seven matches at Hillsborough, which was a 2-0 triumph over Norwich. It's hard to be too confident they'll beat Stoke City," Goodman said.

"However, the Potters are on a run of seven without a win and are conceding, both goals and chances, at an alarming rate. For that reason, I'll have to go with a home win."

Narcis Pelach can afford another Stoke City defeat on Saturday

As Goodman says, Wednesday have won just one of their last seven home games, scoring only six goals during that time, so they will need to improve significantly if they are to pick up all three points on Saturday.

However, with Stoke's poor run of form under Pelach continuing, they could be the ideal opponents for the Owls, and the Spaniard will know he needs to deliver results quickly to save his job at the bet365 Stadium.

It is difficult to see the Potters getting anything from their games against Leeds United, Sunderland and Burnley over the festive period, so this weekend feels crucial for Pelach, and it is a game he simply must not lose.