The Championship campaign continues on Saturday afternoon, and as we head into the final 10 matches of it with plenty still to be determined, we are set for a nervy and exciting afternoon up and down the country.
Once again we have a live game to kick things off with and then there are the usual other ways of keeping up to date with everything else that is going on, on a day where events at the top and the bottom may well take another twist.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows: (3pm unless stated)
Bristol City v Fulham (12.30pm)
Barnsley v Cardiff City
Birmingham City v Reading
Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday
Charlton Athletic v Middlesbrough
Leeds United v Huddersfield Town
Preston North End v Queens Park Rangers
Stoke City v Hull City
Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion
Wigan Athletic v Luton Town
Sign up to 888sport before the Manchester derby to get 40/1 on a United win OR 7/1 on a City win! Click the image above to bet. Use code 888ODDS. New accounts only. 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Aware.
Big Matches
The pick of the matches on Saturday afternoon is the first of them where two promotion chasers collide at Ashton Gate as Bristol City look to get their campaign back on track when they welcome third placed Fulham to town with the visitors looking to put some pressure on the two sides ahead of them. The aforementioned pair of West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United are in action later in the day. The Baggies head to Wales to take on Swansea City while Marcelo Bielsa’s men host Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town.
Best of the Rest
At the bottom end of the table there are three massive games. Two of the form teams in the division meet at the DW Stadium where Wigan Athletic host Luton Town while at the Bet365 Stadium Stoke City take on a Hull City side who are in absolute freefall at the minute. The other match of significance sees Charlton Athletic hosting Middlesbrough, the other side who are in turmoil at the minute. Elsewhere, Brentford will look to pile more misery on Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley will host Cardiff City. Preston North End take on QPR while the other match sees Birmingham City hosting Reading.
Betting
I’ll go with three picks on Saturday afternoon and it is only the awful price on Stoke City that avoids it being four. The first of them comes in the shape of Brentford who host Sheffield Wednesday. I couldn’t admit to Brentford being in fantastic form but their plight is nothing compared to that of Sheffield Wednesday and the Bees haven’t had to chance the shadows of Manchester City three days ago. Wednesday are in woeful form and I’m not convinced anything is about to change. Brentford might be without a win in six but they have still only lost three at Griffin Park all season and are streets ahead of Wednesday in quality. That should equate to a comfortable home win here.
Barnsley saw their recent revival hit the skids at Reading last week, but their manager admitted after the match that their three games in quick succession and the travelling involved caught up with them so I’m prepared to allow them that and take them to see off a Cardiff City side who have fallen apart in the last couple of weeks. They are without a win in four now and head to Oakwell to take on a Barnsley side who had won three on the spin without conceding prior to last weekend. Cardiff are nothing special so I would be surprised if Barnsley don’t get back to winning ways here.
I’m also priced in on my own side Luton Town who are away to a Wigan Athletic side who are priced up as if they are Barcelona – something they most certainly are not. You have to go right the way back to September for the last time Wigan were shorter than 6/4 to win a game and actually obliged and while they are in good touch they have still won just two of their last 11 at the DW Stadium. Luton’s away form has been absolutely terrible this season but they did win at Middlesbrough two trips ago and last time out away from home against Charlton they were on top when a key incorrect refereeing decision cost them dearly. Wigan have won at Leeds and West Brom recently but the dynamic changes here. Now they are expected to win and as Brentford found at Luton and Luton discovered against Stoke, winning under such expectation isn’t easy. The argument that Wigan are favourites is easy to make but the price is wrong. The value is with the visitors.
Tips
WON – Back Brentford (-0.75AH) to beat Sheffield Wednesday for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with Betfred
Back Barnsley to beat Cardiff City for a 4/10 stake at 2.30 with William Hill
Back them here:
Back Luton Town to beat Wigan Athletic for a 2/10 stake at 5.00 with Betway
Back them here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2020
