Bolton Wanderers v Wigan Athletic (Friday)
Championship sponsors Sky Bet are struggling to split this pair for Friday night’s North-West derby, with the away side slight favourites at 6/4, Bolton 7/4 and the draw 23/10. Bolton have seen a recent upturn in results under Neil Lennon, with three wins in their last five games, while they’ve found the target in every one of their last six, suggesting that goals will again be on the cards here. That said, Wigan have drawn five of their last seven matches and a scoring draw could be worth a wager here. Oriol Riera is considered the most likely to score for the visitors and is a 6/1 chance to net first in the match, with Bolton pair Joe Mason and Jermaine Beckford heading the betting at 11/2.
Top Tip: A 1-1, 2-2 or 3-3 draw in the Correct Score Group betting at 3/1.
Derby County v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Fourth take on sixth in the live televised game on Saturday lunchtime as 21/20 chances Derby host 5/2 Wolves. The draw is also priced at 5/2. Derby have seven wins in their last 10 games, while half of Wolves’ last 10 matches have ended all square. There have been over 2.5 goals in six of Wolves’ last eight and five of Derby’s last six in all competitions. Both teams to score is 8/13 here and the same bet would have collected in Derby’s last four matches. Those expecting a goal frenzy may be tempted by taking 14/1 that both sides score in both halves of the match.
Top Tip: Over 2.5 goals at 4/5.
Birmingham City v Cardiff City
Birmingham got back to winning ways with a 2-1 home success against high-flying Watford on Tuesday, and are 9/5 to add another three points against Cardiff (7/5) this weekend. It’s 12/5 on the draw. Cardiff have won their last four home games in the Sky Bet Championship but are still awaiting a first win on the road. Federico Macheda has netted in three of his last five games, and is 6/4 to find the target in this one and 11/2 to get the first goal of the game. Clayton Donaldson and Wesley Thomas head the betting for the home side in the same market at 6/1.
Top Tip: The draw at 12/5.
Brighton & Hove Albion v Blackburn Rovers
Brighton are looking to back-up Tuesday’s much-needed victory over Wigan when they host Blackburn on Saturday, and are a shade of odds-against to do it at 21/20. Blackburn are unbeaten in their last six and are 5/2 to take all three points and 12/5 to take one. Both teams have scored in six of Brighton’s last seven Sky Bet Championship matches and four of Blackburn’s last five, so it should be worth a wager for the pair to both find the net again in this encounter. Brighton are favoured to score the first goal of the game at 8/11, with Blackburn at 5/4. Those expecting goals can back over 3.5 at 9/4.
Top Tip: Both teams to score at 8/11.
Fulham v Huddersfield Town
Fulham’s resurgence has stalled a touch with a pair of scored draws against Wigan and Blackpool, but the Cottagers are odds-on to get back on track with victory over Huddersfield on Saturday afternoon. The visitors are 13/5 to take all three points back to West Yorkshire with them, while the draw is 13/5. Huddersfield have been tough to predict this season, but they’ve scored at least twice in five of their last seven and, with goals a feature in Fulham’s recent games as well, that looks the avenue to follow here.
Top Tip: Over 3.5 goals at 7/4
Ipswich Town v Watford
Back-to-back victories have lifted tough-to-beat Ipswich up to fifth place in the Sky Bet Championship table, and they’re 13/10 to get the better of fellow promotion hopefuls Watford on Saturday. The Hornets are 2/1 to bounce back from midweek defeat at Birmingham and take all three points here, with the draw a lively-looking runner at 12/5. Daryl Murphy has been in superb form for Town with nine goals in his last 11 games - he’s 6/4 to net again in this one and 11/2 to open the scoring. Troy Deeney is considered the most likely to strike for the visitors – loyal Hornets fans might consider the 7/1 that he notches a brace. But with these sides looking pretty evenly matched, it’s the draw that holds most appeal.
Top Tip: The draw at 12/5
Leeds v Blackpool
Two new managers, both keen to get a victory on the board, meet at Elland Road with three Sky Bet Championship points top of both agendas. Neil Redfearn was denied maximum points as Charlton came from behind twice to thwart Leeds on Tuesday night, while although Blackpool's new boss Lee Clarke's first game in charge ended in a 2-0 defeat to Ipswich, they showed more sparkle in drawing 2-2 with Fulham on Wednesday. Despite being without a win in eight, the Whites are odds-on 3/4 favourites to secure the points with Blackpool 15/4 and the draw 5/2. Leeds have won the last two meetings between these clubs in Yorkshire 2-0, a 13/2 shot this time, while the Seasiders are 10/1 to repeat the only winning scoreline they’ve posted this season, a 1-0 triumph over Cardiff.
Top Tip: Leeds to win and both teams to score at 3/1.
Middlesbrough v AFC Bournemouth
The top two in the Sky Bet Championship go head-to-head at the Riverside on Saturday as second-place Middlesbrough host new leaders Bournemouth. Boro are the League sponsor's 6/5 favourites after their midweek 4-0 hammering of fellow promotion fancies Norwich, their second successive clean sheet victory and they are 3/1 to win to nil on Saturday. However, they face a Cherries side, priced at 9/4, who have stormed to the top of the table after a run of six straight league victories scoring 19 goals and conceding only three in the process. With both sides having almost identical records this season, and three of their last four meetings ending in draws, the 12/5 about another stalement looks the obvious bet. Also expect goals in this one - Bournemouth have been rampant of late and Boro have scored seven in their last two so a small wager on ‘draw and over 2.5 goals’ looks value at 11/1.
Top Tip: Draw and over 2.5 goals at 11/1.
Millwall v Brentford
The Lions are 6/5 favourites ahead of this London derby as they look to stay clear of the dreaded drop zone in the Sky Bet Championship. After a shaky start to the campaign Ian Holloway’s men have lost just one of their last six games but four of those have been draws including their second-half fightback against Blackburn in midweek. The draw is offered at 23/10 with Brentford , who have two wins and a draw in their seven games on the road, the same price to to grab the three points. The sides last met in League 1 in 2009-10 when both encounters ended in score draws – 1-1 at The Den and 2-2 at Griffin Park. An interesting bet here is the 100/30 that the match ends either 1-1, 2-2 or 3-3.
Top Tip: A 1-1, 2-2 or 3-3 draw in the Correct Score Group betting at 100/30.
Nottingham Forest v Norwich
With the home side in urgent need of a return to form, its visitors Norwich who are 6/4 favourites to help get their season back on track in the Sky Bet Championship. Stuart Pearce’s men will still harbour hopes of at least getting in the play-off mix, especially if they can recapture their early-season form despite a number of recent disappointments. They are 4/1 to win the game to nil and the same odds for Forest to win and both teams to score. The Canaries have been below their best too with just one win in their last six. The sides last met in the 2010/11 season at this level when they played out a 1-1 draw at The City Ground. A repeat scoreline is on offer at 5/1 and a draw of any sort at 12/5.
Top Tip: Draw and both teams to score a t3/1.
Reading v Charlton Athletic
Reading are odds-on favourites at 5/6 to maintain their impressive home form as they entertain Sky Bet Championship draw specialists Charlton Athletic. The Royals were 3-0 winners over Rotherham in midweek – the fifth time this season they have scored three in a league game at the Madejski Stadium. It is 5/1 for them to repeat the feat this weekend. Simon Cox took his tally to seven with two on Tuesday night and 5/1 to score the opening goal an 8/1 to bag another brace. The Addicks have drawn nine of their 16 games including a 2-2 affair at Leeds in midweek and it is 5/2 that they earn another one-pointer. Igor Vetokele is the Charlton top scorer with seven so far and the League sponsor offer 9/2 that he scores in an away win.
Top Tip: Draw and both teams to score at 7/2.
Sheffield Wednesday v Rotherham United
The Owls and the Millers meet for the first time in the league in almost 12 years with both sides looking for a pick-me-up. Wednesday have only one win from their eight homes Sky Bet Championship league games so far while Rotherham have only one win on the road. Both suffered midweek defeats but Sky Bet go with home advantage in what promises to be a tense affair– making Wednesday 21/20 favourites. The Millers, who won on their last league visit to Hillsborough in 2002, are 13/5 to repeat the feat with the draw available at 23/10. Rotherham’s last win came against Leeds five games ago and will hope the derby atmosphere brings the best out of them again. Alex Revell and Johnson Clarke-Harris got the goals in a 2-1 win there and it’s 11/1 that the pair both find the net again at Hillsborough.
Top Tip: Under 2.5 goals at 8/11.
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