The final day of the Sky Bet Championship season takes place on Saturday when all 24 teams kick off at the same time to play their last game of the regular campaign, on an afternoon which is absolutely massive for three teams.
Wycombe Wanderers are all but relegated but we will find out which two sides will join them in League 1 next season on Saturday. There is televised action in this round too which will focus on the battle to avoid the drop.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows: (12.30pm, TV in brackets)
Barnsley v Norwich City
Blackburn Rovers v Birmingham City
AFC Bournemouth v Stoke City
Bristol City v Brentford
Cardiff City v Rotherham United
Coventry City v Millwall
Derby County v Sheffield Wednesday (Sky Main Event & Sky Football)
Middlesbrough v Wycombe Wanderers
Nottingham Forest v Preston North End
Queens Park Rangers v Luton Town
Reading v Huddersfield Town
Watford v Swansea City
Special Offer
Sign up for a Boylesports account to get up to £25 in free bets! Perfect offer for this tournament! Click the image below for this great offer! New accounts only. 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Aware.
Big Matches
Everything is on the line at Pride Park where Derby County have everything in their own destiny. If they beat Sheffield Wednesday they will relegate the Owls and Rotherham United but if Wayne Rooney’s side are beaten then they will be playing League 1 football next season. Rotherham head to Cardiff City in the other match that matters. They have to win to have any chance of staying up and then hope Derby County don’t win. Anything other than three points for the Millers and they will head back into League 1 at the first opportunity.
Best of the Rest
They are the only two matches with any competitive edge on them unless you are the staunchest Wycombe fan and hope a miracle can be achieved when they make the trip to Middlesbrough. The only other things that can be determined on Saturday is the order of the play-offs. Barnsley in sixth host the champions Norwich City but if they better Bournemouth’s result at home to Stoke they will go above them. If the Cherries win that match and Swansea lose away to Watford then Bournemouth will move above the Welsh outfit.
Betting
Usually I would look to stick to the competitive matches for a final bet of the season but I can’t be getting involved in either of them here because all three teams needing to win are poor sides and whichever one is lucky enough to stay up will be doing so on default rather than by earning it with outstanding play. That makes me head to one of the dead rubbers where I think there is a little bit of value to be had.
That comes in the form of a Preston North End side who are finishing the season strongly since departing with Alex Neil. They have won three and drawn the other of their last four and haven’t even conceded a goal in that time. They go to Nottingham Forest who aren’t finishing the season particularly encouragingly. Forest haven’t won any of their last five, failing to beat Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke, Birmingham, Huddersfield and Bristol City – none of whom are anything special. They look like a side on the beach whereas Preston look to be playing for their new boss. I’ll take them to come away with a result to end their campaign with.
Tips
WON – Back Preston North End (+0.25AH) to beat Nottingham Forest for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with BetVictor
Back them here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2021
