We are one match short in the last round of Sky Bet Championship matches prior to the international break due to Bournemouth being in FA Cup action, but we still have 11 games to get stuck into on another pivotal day in the division.
Usually on a Saturday card we are restricted to one match on TV but with only one Premier League match to occupy the broadcaster, we have a triple header of televised action here with all the usually ways of keeping up with the other games.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows: (3pm unless stated; UK TV in brackets)
Brentford v Nottingham Forest (12.30 – Sky Football)
Barnsley v Sheffield Wednesday
Bristol City v Rotherham United
Coventry City v Wycombe Wanderers
Millwall v Middlesbrough
Norwich City v Blackburn Rovers
Preston North End v Luton Town
Reading v Queens Park Rangers
Stoke City v Derby County
Watford v Birmingham City (Sky Football)
Swansea City v Cardiff City (17.30 – Sky Main Event & Sky Football)
Special Offer
Opt in and place 5 accumulators either in a Boylesports shop or online and get an acca free! Click the image below to bet. ALL CUSTOMERS! 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Aware.
Big Matches
The race for automatic promotion is very much in the spotlight on Saturday afternoon as the three sides chasing second place are all on show. Brentford are the first team to show their hand when they host a competent if underachieving Nottingham Forest side. When they are done Watford will look to move further clear and consolidate their second place position when they welcome Birmingham City to Vicarage Road. The best might be saved for last though as Swansea City host Cardiff City in a Welsh derby that neither team can afford to lose.
Best of the Rest
While all that is going on, the leaders Norwich City will look to move closer to sealing their return to the Premier League when they host Blackburn Rovers while at the bottom of the table there is a huge match at St Andrews where Coventry City host bottom placed Wycombe Wanderers. There is a crucial Yorkshire derby at Oakwell where Barnsley host Sheffield Wednesday with both sides needing the points. Reading will look to take advantage of Bournemouth not playing to move further clear of the Cherries in the race for sixth spot. They host QPR. Rotherham United will be looking to close the game on the teams above them when they travel to Bristol City.
Betting
I’ll go with one over the course of the day on Saturday and I don’t think too many people will be surprised to know that it comes in the match between Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday. I’ve highlighted Sheffield Wednesday’s struggles a few times recently. They picked up a point in midweek to end a run of seven successive defeats but they still look to be going down to League 1 quite tamely. Barnsley are in fine form and they could be exiting the division the other way if they can maintain their form for another couple of months.
Things are not much better for Wednesday on the road. They have just one win in 15 trips away from Hillsborough, which was when they caught Bournemouth at the right time. They are certainly not getting Barnsley at the right time and the Tykes are even boosted by the red card of key midfielder Alex Mowatt having had his midweek red card rescinded. I find it hard to believe we get anything but a Barnsley win here and I think it will be comfortable enough to cover the Asian line.
Tips
Back Barnsley (-0.75AH) to beat Sheffield Wednesday for a 3/10 stake at 1.87 with BetVictor
Back them here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2021
