Newcastle United and Sheffield Wednesday are both amongst the favourites to be promoted this season.
Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal has told the Football League Preview Show, which was broadcast on BBC Radio Five Live, that Newcastle United are the favourites for promotion, but he expects Rafael Benitez’s side to find it a challenge in the Championship.
Newcastle have managed to keep the bulk of their squad together following relegation from the Premier League, and they have also made some eye catching additions.
The Magpies have brought in six new players, and many pundits have tipped them to bounce straight back from last season’s relegation.
Carvalhal admits that Newcastle have a good chance of going up, but he has warned that there are no easy matches in the Championship.
“You know in the Championship all the time there are three big favourites – the teams that have just come down,” the Wednesday boss said when asked if Newcastle are going to get promoted.
“This year, with Villa and Newcastle they are very big clubs. But the Championship is a specific competition, it’s not easy. It’s a competition that is very hard. We did 55 games last season, and we didn’t have one game that I stayed on the bench in the second half and relax.
“They are the favourites, but there are surprises all the time and momentum will be important.”
Carvalhal’s Wednesday side are one of the teams tipped to be Newcastle’s main rivals in the hunt for promotion.
Wednesday have bought very astutely this summer, and they made it to the play off final last term.
Newcastle, meanwhile, will be looking to put a marker down in their first fixture on Friday.
Benitez’s side take on Fulham at Craven Cottage in the Football League’s curtain raiser later this week.
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