After a summer of radical change, first up for Sheffield Wednesday in the 2015-16 Championship season is a visit from Bristol City.

The newly-promoted Robins will be keen to dampen the mood at Hillsborough having impressively won League One by a comfortable margin.

Wednesday

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Most thought that Stuart Gray had done a decent job guiding Wednesday to mid-table safety last term, but new owner Dejphon Chansiri decided it was time for a change.

He has brought in Portuguese coach Carlos Carvalhal after three years in the shadows, and eyebrows were raised at the appointment of a manager who has no experience playing or coaching on these shores.

With Carvalhal there are several foreign imports, the highlight being Marco Matias, who scored 17 goals in 33 games in the Portuguese top flight last term.

Carvalhal must improve the attack while maintaining the defensive quality. Wednesday kept 17 clean sheets in the league last term, equalling a club record. The Owls also made just one error leading directly to a goal - fewer than any other Championship team in 2014-15.

In their first five pre-season games, a narrow 1-0 win over non-League Ilkeston was their only victory, but they enter this match after a thumping 5-0 win over St Mirren at the weekend.

Pre-season form: DWDLLW

Bristol

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Steve Cotterill has undoubtedly done a tremendous job with City in his one-and-a-half seasons with the club, first steering them away from danger in 2013-14 before guiding them to a dominant title-winning campaign last term.

It was the first time that the Robins had finished first in any division since topping Division 3 South in 1955, and their 99-point haul was their highest ever final tally in a league season.

While fellow automatically-promoted side MK Dons have signed a host of players this summer, Cotterill has been able to keep the bulk of the squad that did so well last term.

The Robins only made their second signing earlier today with the capture of Ryan Fredericks from Tottenham Hotspur, with £2m striker Jonathan Kodjia the other arrival.

Fredericks will want a regular starting role, but he will have to earn his place in a defence that let in just 38 goals last season.

Cotterill's side were on course for an unbeaten pre-season until they suffered defeat a week ago to Yeovil Town.

Pre-season form: WWDDL

Team News

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Of all the new foreign faces at Wednesday, Matias is the most likely to start having featured heavily in pre-season.

Elsewhere, Jack Hunt should be the new regular right-back with Lewis Buxton gone, and Lewis McGugan will be keen to continue his affinity with the Hillsborough faithful after an impressive loan spell last term.

City fans will be used to the bulk of the lineup on show at Hillsborough, with new face Kodjia the only likely debutant.

He will join club captain Aaron Wilbraham in attack, while further back Aden Flint will be keen to be back among the goals after scoring an impressive 14 from defence last term.

Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Westwood; Hunt, Lees, Sasso, Wiggins; Wallace, McGugan, Lopez, Matias; Nuhiu, May

Bristol possible starting lineup:
Fielding; Ayling, Flint, Williams; Little, Smith, Pack, Freeman, Bryan; Kodjia, Wilbraham

Head To Head

The Owls have not beaten the Robins in the last nine league meetings, with the most recent affair a 1-1 draw at Ashton Gate when City were relegated in 2013.

Bristol fans will have fond memories of Hillsborough, the team having scored twice in the final five minutes on their last visit to snatch a 3-2 win.

We say: Wednesday 1-2 Bristol

The plan might work for Chansiri with the Owls, but the product does not feel finished yet. Bristol's squad are familiar with one another and given their recent record against the side from South Yorkshire, it might be a winning start for Cotterill's men.

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