Fulham v Charlton Athletic
Fulham won’t be in the relegation zone for too much longer if they continue their recent resurgence and can be backed at 4/5 to win their Friday-night clash with Charlton. The Cottagers have only lost one of their last five games, of which they have won three, while the three goals they scored in the draw at Rotherham last time out took their goals scored tally in the same period to 10. Charlton are riding high in seventh following a 2-1 win over Bolton on Tuesday night so they will attract punters at 7/2 to win at Craven Cottage. The draw is 5/2. Ross McCormack is 9/2 to net first and 5/4 to score during the 90 minutes while Charlton’s best hope in the same markets is regarded to be Igor Vetokele at 6/1 and 7/4 respectively.
Top tip: Over 3.5 goals at 11/4.
Millwall v Cardiff City
Millwall may well be sliding down the Championship table after a run of eight games without a win but plucky displays in their last three games might tempt punters to back them at 6/4 to beat Cardiff on Saturday lunchtime. Creditable away goalless draws at Derby and Wigan sandwiched a 3-3 home thriller with Wolves in which Ricardo Fuller struck twice in the last 10 minutes, and another draw this weekend is priced at 23/10. Cardiff head to the New Den on the back of back-to-back wins and will be a popular pick at 7/4 to make it three in a row and continue their rise towards the play-off spots. Over and under 2.5 goals can both be backed at 5/6 while both teams to score is a 4/6 chance. Cardiff’s Kenwyne Jones heads the first goalscorer market at 11/2 and 6/4 to net anytime while Millwall pair Mathias Ranegie and Fuller are both 6/1 and 7/4 in the same markets.
Top tip: Kenwyne Jones to score the first goal at 11/2.
Birmingham City v AFC Bournemouth
Fourth-bottom Birmingham are outsiders at 14/5 to end their run of three games without a win by beating Bournemouth on Saturday while the in-form visitors are 19/20 favourites to pick up all three points. The Cherries have won their last three games, conceding just one goal along the way, as they climb towards the play-off positions so they might expect more than a draw, which is priced at 5/2. Those who expect a low-scoring affair at St Andrew’s can get 4/5 on their being under 2.5 goals while it’s 8/11 that both sides find the net. Callum Wilson has netted in each of Bournemouth’s three games, scoring four in total, so he’s understandably favourite at 4/1 to strike first on Saturday and evens in the anytime market.
Top tip: Callum Wilson to score a brace at 5/1.
Bolton Wanderers v Brentford
Neil Lennon takes charge of his first home Bolton match since replacing Dougie Freedman as Trotters boss and after one win and one defeat in his opening two games, his side are 13/10 favourites to beat Brentford. The visitors arrive at the Macron Stadium on the back of two goalless draws but a win over Reading before that means they are unbeaten in three, so they could well have their fair share of backers at 2/1. Another draw is 12/5 and another 0-0 is priced at 9/1 although as ever it’s safer to back no goalscorer at the same price if you fancy that outcome. A low-scoring contest is expected by Sky Bet, who offer 8/11 about there being under than 2.5 goals. Jermaine Beckford is 5/1 to score first and 11/8 to net anytime while Brentford’s Andre Grey is 6/1 and 7/4 in those markets.
Top Tip: Draw and under 2.5 goals in match at 11/4.
Brighton and Hove Albion v Rotherham United
Brighton haven’t won in the Championship since August but are favourites to see off a Rotherham side who are having a good run of form of late. The Seagulls are 10/11 for all three points despite languishing 20th after a run of six draws and three defeats in their last nine league games while the Millers, unbeaten in their last four, will have plenty of backers at 3/1 as they chase a third win in five. The draw is 12/5. Although Brighton’s games don’t tend to be laden with goals, Rotherham’s last fixture had six as they drew 3-3 with Fulham so Sky Bet could see interest in their 11/10 about there being over 2.5 goals (under is 4/6) while both teams to score is 10/11.
Top tip: Over 3.5 goals to be scored at 11/4.
Derby County v Wigan Athletic
Derby leapt to the top of the Sky Bet Championship after a 1-0 win at Blackpool on Tuesday night and can be backed at 8/11 to maintain their superb form with victory over Wigan this weekend. The Rams have won five of their last seven league games and haven’t tasted defeat since losing at Charlton back in August so they’ll be in confident mood whereas the Latics - who are 18/5 to shock Derby and 11/4 to get a draw - haven’t won since August. That said, Uwe Rosler’s men are unbeaten in the last four which includes three goalless draws so the under 2.5 goals bet at 5/6 may tempt punters. Chris Martin, who scored the winner at Blackpool, is 7/2 favourite to get the first on Saturday and 10/11 to net anytime while Wigan’s best hope is considered to be Oriol Riera at 15/2 and 5/2 respectively.
Top tip: Chris Martin to score a brace at 9/2.
Ipswich Town v Huddersfield United
Ipswich have hit a slightly sticky patch, following up a run of four straight wins with three draws and Tuesday night’s defeat of Cardiff. But they’re even-money with Sky Bet to get back to winning ways this weekend against Huddersfield at Portman Road. The visitors, currently on a five-match unbeaten run, can be backed at 13/5 with the draw 5/2. The draw may be the value call here given that run of stalemates for Ipswich and the fact Huddersfield have also drawn two of their last three. A goalless draw is on offer at 10/1, while the home side’s Daryl Murphy is the 4/1 market-leader to get the first goal of the game.
Top Tip: Draw at 5/2.
Leeds United v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Leeds are 23/10 to snap a five-game winless streak with victory over Wolves 23/20) at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon. The draw is 12/5. Two of Leeds’ last three games have ended in 1-1 draws, while the visitors have a fondness for higher-scoring draws with two 3-3s and a 2-2 in their last five games. The last time these two sides met, at Molineux in February 2013, the game ended 2-2. If you fancy a fistful of goals, the 18/1 on offer that both sides score in both halves might make some appeal.
Top Tip: 1-1, 2-2 or 3-3 draw at 100/30.
Middlesbrough v Watford
Boro’s seven-match unbeaten run in the league came to an end at Wolves on Tuesday, but they’re still a shade of odds-on at 19/20 to bounce straight back against Watford on Saturday. The Hornets are on a seven-match unbeaten run of their own having won three and drawn four of their most recent games and can be backed at 11/4 here, with the draw 5/2. Both teams have scored in five of Watford’s last six and it’s an 8/11 chance that occurs again in this match. Both Middlesbrough and Watford have a number of different options up front, making the first goalscorer market particularly competitive, but it’s Kike and Jelle Vossen at 5/1 who head the betting for the home side.
Top Tip: Both Teams To Score at 8/11
Nottingham Forest v Blackburn Rovers
Forest are the Sky Bet Championship’s draw specialists, with six of their eight league games since August ending all-square. Another stalemate against Blackburn is a 5/2 shot, with the visitors 23/10 and the hosts 11/10 to get back to winning ways against a side they beat both home and away last season. Rovers themselves have played out three draws in their last five games and a high-scoring draw might be worth a small wager. Those expecting a clear-cut victory for the home side might be interested in backing them to win by two goals or more in the handicap betting at 11/4. Alternatively, it’s 4/6 that Blackburn manage either a win or a draw.
Top Tip: 2-2 draw at 12/1
Reading v Blackpool
The Royals are 7/10 for victory against bottom-of-the-table Blackpool, who are 15/4 to record a second Sky Bet Championship victory this season. The draw is 11/4. Goals have been in short supply for this pair recently, with Reading scoring once in their last four games and three of Blackpool’s last four matches featuring under 2.5 goals, so that could prove a sensible play at 5/6. It’s 10/11 that at least one of the sides fail to find the net during the match, but those expecting plenty of goalmouth action will be rewarded by decent odds – it’s 9/2 that there are five or more goals in the game.
Top Tip: Under 2.5 goals at 5/6
Sheffield Wednesday v Norwich City
Norwich have slipped to fifth in the Sky Bet Championship table after a run of one win in six matches, but are 5/4 to get back on the win trail at Hillsborough against Sheffield Wednesday (21/10). Three of Wednesday’s last five matches have ended 1-1 or 0-0, while Norwich’s last four games have yielded two 1-1 draws and two 1-0 defeats. A draw is 12/5, but the best bet may be to home in upon the correct score and back 1-1 at more than twice the price. In the first goalscorer market, it’s Cameron Jerome and Lewis Grabban for the visitors who top the lists at 5/1.
Top Tip: A 1-1 draw at 5/1.
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