Apart from the four teams who played in the Championship on Friday night, sides have four matches left in the campaign and yet absolutely nothing has been finalised in the division. It can’t be on Saturday either but the eight fixtures are clearly going to be important in their own right.
One of the eight matches are live on TV for us to enjoy in the UK and I’m sure everyone is well aware of the ways to keep up to date with the other seven games, on what has the feel of a vital day of action about it.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows: (3pm unless stated – UK TV in brackets)
Charlton Athletic v Reading (12.30)
Derby County v Brentford (12.30 – Sky Football)
Barnsley v Wigan Athletic
Blackburn Rovers v West Bromwich Albion
Hull City v Millwall
Middlesbrough v Bristol City
Preston North End v Nottingham Forest
Queens Park Rangers v Sheffield Wednesday
Special Offer
THERE IS PLENTY OF FOOTBALL ON THIS WEEKEND – SIGN UP TO VBET AND GET A FREE £25 BET TO ENJOY IT WITH! CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT. 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Aware.
Big Matches
The televised match is a big one for the two teams involved at Pride Park as play-off chasing Derby County host a Brentford side who have rightly not given up on automatic promotion, but who really have to win out this season if they are going to reel in Leeds United or West Bromwich Albion and avoid the agony of the postseason. West Brom have the chance to move to the top of the table for 24 hours if they can come out on top when they make the trip up the M6 to take on a Blackburn Rovers side who showcased their credentials when beating Cardiff City in midweek.
Best of the Rest
Luton Town tightened up the battle to avoid the drop even further on Friday night and on Saturday afternoon the likes of Barnsley, Hull City and Middlesbrough will look to ease their relegation fears. Hull City begin the day in the bottom three and they host Millwall needing a win. Middlesbrough welcome Bristol City to the Riverside Stadium while Barnsley host Wigan Athletic in a match both need to win with the Latics facing a 12pt deduction at the end of the season. Nottingham Forest head to Preston North End in another appealing match while Charlton will look to move away from danger when they host Reading.
Betting
I’ll take two bets over the course of the afternoon. The first of them comes with Brentford away to Derby County. Derby have a terrible record against teams in the top six this season. They are yet to beat any of them and have only picked up a few draws. I don’t see them getting anything out of a rampant Brentford side who have built up a head of steam which doesn’t look to be running out of gas anytime soon. Derby are missing their main goal threat in Martyn Waghorn and while they got Louie Sibley’s suspension overturned they look a little light up top. They need to be at their best to get anything out of a Brentford defence which is the joint best in the division. Brentford have won every match since lockdown and only conceded one goal in that time. I expect another victory here.
The other bet I like is Nottingham Forest on a level ball against a Preston North End side who had a good win in midweek but who are no great shakes and whose home form is very ordinary indeed. They have lost their last three at Deepdale so the last thing they need is the third best away side in the league rocking up. Forest lost at home to Fulham in midweek but there was nothing in that match apart from a thunderous goal from Harry Arter. Even then, that doesn’t look the worst result now. Forest don’t give up much on their travels and if there is a winner of this one I think it is they who will be it.
Tips
WON – Back Brentford to beat Derby County for a 3/10 stake at 1.83 with Betfred
PUSH – Back Nottingham Forest to beat Preston North End (DNB) for a 3/10 stake at 2.00 with BetVictor
Back them here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2020
