Brighton and Hove Albion v AFC Bournemouth
The Sky Sports cameras are at the Amex Stadium on Friday night for the Sky Bet Championship clash between Brighton and Bournemouth. Leaders Bournemouth are the odds-on favourites at 10/11 for the three points, Brighton can be backed at 14/5 and the draw is on offer at 5/2. The Cherries came from 2-0 down to win 4-2 at home to Birmingham on Easter Monday but both of their last two away games have finished 1-1. The first goalscorer betting is headed by Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson at 7/2 and the top Brighton contender is Leon Best at 8/1.
Top Tip: A 1-1 draw at 11/2
Fulham v Wigan Athletic
Gary Caldwell takes charge of Wigan for the first time on Friday night as the Latics travel south to Fulham for a vital clash at the bottom of the table. Wigan need points quickly to boost their survival bid but are rated as Sky Bet’s 11/5 outsiders for victory at Craven Cottage. Fulham are the 6/5 favourites to win and the draw can be found at 23/10. Both of the Cottagers’ last two goals have been scored by Ross McCormack and the Scotland international heads the first goalscorer betting at 11/2 with team-mate Hugo Rodallega. The top Wigan prospect is Marc-Antoine Fortune at 13/2.
Top Tip: Ross McCormack to score first at 11/2
Derby County v Brentford
Derby are the odds-on favourites at 19/20 to beat Brentford in front of the Sky Sports cameras with the match kicking off at 1215 BST on Saturday. The Bees are on offer at 5/2 and the draw can be found at 13/5. The Rams snapped a seven-match winless run by beating Wigan 2-0 on Easter Monday and Chris Martin marked his return by opening the scoring. He’s the 4-1 favourite to net first this weekend. The top Brentford contender is Andre Gray at 7/1. All four of the Bees’ last four games have contained over 3.5 goals and you can get 7/4 for above that tally at the iPro Stadium.
Top Tip: Over 3.5 goals at 7/4
Birmingham City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves can be backed at 23/20 for a fifth win in a row when they travel to local rivals Birmingham on Saturday afternoon. The men from Molineux have moved into the play-offs as a result of their recent success and can be found at 13/2 in Sky Bet’s promotion betting. Birmingham are outsiders at 23/10 for the home win and the draw is available at the same price. Blues lost 4-2 at leaders AFC Bournemouth on Easter Monday after letting a 2-0 lead slip. Clayton Donaldson is looking to net for the third match in a row and he’s 6/1 to open the scoring. Wolves duo Benik Afobe and Nouha Dicko are joint-favourites in that market at 5/1.
Top Tip: Clayton Donaldson to score first at 6/1
Bolton Wanderers v Norwich City
Second-placed Norwich are odds-on favourites at 3/4 to consolidate their place in the automatic promotion places with victory at Bolton on Saturday. The Trotters are 7/2 for three points at home and the draw can be backed at 5/2. Norwich are bidding for a fourth win on the bounce but they will have to do without the suspended Bradley Johnson at the Macron Stadium as he starts a two-match ban. Johnson has scored all three of the Canaries’ last three goals. All of Bolton’s previous three home games have contained exactly two goals and you can get 9/4 for that mark to be reached in this contest.
Top Tip: Exactly two goals to be scored at 9/4
Ipswich Town v Blackpool
Ipswich are the heavy odds-on favourites at 2/7 for victory at home to already-relegated Blackpool on Saturday afternoon. The Tractor Boys still have hope of a play-off place but slipped three points behind sixth-placed Wolves after a 2-1 defeat at Huddersfield on Easter Monday. Blackpool are without a win in 13 games but have drawn their last three matches in a row 1-1. The Sky Bet Championship’s top scorer Daryl Murphy is the 3/1 favourite to net first at Portman Road. Gary Madine is Blackpool’s best chance in that market at 11/1.
Top Tip: A 1-1 draw at 8/1
Leeds United v Cardiff City
Leeds go into the clash against Cardiff at Elland Road on the back of successive defeats over Easter but are 7/5 favourites with Sky Bet to get back on track and claim three points. The Bluebirds are also looking for a victory after a draw and a defeat in their last two games and they rate 2/1 chances with the draw on offer at 11/5. Cardiff were 3-1 winners of the reverse fixture in November and a repeat of that result for the visitors is a 28/1 chance with Sky Bet. Both teams may not be in the greatest of form but they still look capable of goals and over 2.5 in the fixture is worth a second glance considering the quote is odds-against.
Top Tip: Over 2.5 goals at 11/10
Middlesbrough v Rotherham United
Middlesbrough have slipped up against title rivals Bournemouth and Watford on the road in two of their last three games but are 2/5 for victory. Boro met Rotherham back in November and came away with a 3-0 success and a repeat of that scoreline is on offer at 17/2. Rotherham boosted their survival hopes with a 1-0 win over Brighton but are still 13/2 chances here with the draw an 18/5 shot. The bet that appeals most is for Boro striker Patrick Bamford to score anytime at even-money – he has popped up with the winner against Wigan and Derby recently and could prove the difference against the battling visitors. Bamford heads the first goalscorer betting at 4/1 and Matt Derbyshire is Rotherham’s top hope at 10/1.
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Millwall v Watford
Watford were impressive winners over Middlesbrough on Monday and are odds-on to follow up with three points against Millwall at 17/20 with Sky Bet. The pressure is on as the Hornets continue to battle for automatic promotion but the Lions are in a fight themselves at the other end of the table. The hosts are 3/1 for the win as they bid to close the gap on the teams outside the relegation places while the draw can be backed at 13/5. Millwall are not giving up hope though and their 2-1 victory over near neighbours Charlton was their fourth game unbeaten and they look unlikely to roll over. Watford duo Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo can’t be split at 4/1 at the top of the first goalscorer betting. Millwall’s top prospects in that market are Lee Gregory and Ricardo Fuller (both 8/1).
Top Tip: Lee Gregory and Odion Ighalo both to score at 15/2
Nottingham Forest v Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield boss Chris Powell hailed his side’s best display of the season after they beat Ipswich 2-1 on Easter Monday. That should give them some confidence and the Terriers are 11/4 to follow up with victory at Nottingham Forest and continue their climb into mid-table. Forest came within a whisker of ending a two-match losing streak with a triumph at Brentford only to concede a very late equaliser. Dougie Freedmen’s men are 19/20 to makes amends with three points and the draw is 5/2. Huddersfield beat Forest comfortably back in November and boosted by their latest effort, look interesting at 13/8 in the draw no bet market.
Top Tip: Huddersfield draw no bet at 13/8
Reading v Blackburn Rovers
Reading are just a week away from an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley but are 7/5 at Sky Bet to pick up three points and just about guarantee safety in the division. The Royals go into the game on the back of two draws but have not won a game since seeing off Bradford in the last eight of the FA Cup. Blackburn are priced up at 19/10 having comfortably disposed of Leeds on Easter Monday while the draw is a 9/4 chance. Rovers did beat Reading 3-1 when the pair met back in November but may have to lift themselves a little following a midweek FA Cup exit to Liverpool. That said a stalemate looks the way to go in this one at the prices.
Top Tip: The draw at 9/4
Sheffield Wednesday v Charlton Athletic
Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton are separated by just one point in the table but it is the Owls who are even-money favourites with Sky Bet to take three points and leapfrog their rivals. A win, a draw and a loss in their last three outings makes them tough to predict while the Addicks are 11/4 following their draw at home with Fulham – another stalemate is on offer at 23/10. The pair shared a 1-1 draw in November at The Valley and with two evenly-matched sides taking to the field, a repeat of that could be the way to go.
Top Tip: A 1-1 draw at 9/2
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