The midweek round of matches in the Sky Bet Championship concludes on Wednesday night when the four remaining fixtures are played out with eight sides looking for the three points to take into the weekend with them.
As is the case with this new TV deal that the EFL are operating under, all four matches will be live on TV for those who have the necessary channels to watch and follow and on what looks another damp night there is no reason not to sit back and enjoy some Championship action.
Wednesday’s fixtures are as follows: (7.45pm and Sky Sports+ unless stated)
Preston North End vs Watford
Sheffield United vs Swansea City
Stoke City vs Portsmouth
Bristol City vs Sheffield Wednesday (8pm – Sky Main Event & Sky Football)
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Preview
The main TV cameras make their way to Ashton Gate on Wednesday evening for the clash between Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday. The visitors will look to back up their win over the leaders West Bromwich Albion while the home side will look to build on four points from their last two matches. Sheffield United are the next highest team in action on Wednesday evening. The Blades will look to preserve their record as the only team left in the Championship who are unbeaten this term when they welcome Swansea City to Bramall Lane.
Watford can move into the top six in the Championship table on Wednesday night when they make the lengthy trip up the M6 to take on a Preston North End outfit who will be looking to respond to their tame outing at Millwall at the weekend. The other match sees two of the bottom four battling it out when Stoke City welcome Portsmouth to the Bet365 Stadium for a match which you get the feeling could be more important for both than they would have wanted at this stage of the season, albeit Portsmouth can at least offer the argument that their fixture list has been horrible up until now.
Betting
I like a couple of bets over the course of the evening with the first one coming at the Bet365 Stadium where Stoke City just need to be opposed. I thought going into the season that nothing would really change with them although I didn’t expect them to get through a manager already. That has been the case but the big problem they have is their inability to score goals. They have just four in their seven matches and even the new manager bounce that they looked like they might have when they took the lead against Hull recently fizzled out rather quickly. Portsmouth are still winless on their return to the Championship but if we look at their first seven fixtures they have been against Leeds, Luton, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, West Brom, Burnley and Sheffield United so they have played the three relegated sides, the pre-season title favourites and three teams who have been camped in the top 10 in the division for the last three seasons. There is no real shame in picking up four draws and just three defeats in that run of games. The fixture list levels out a bit for Pompey here and at the prices and the fact Stoke aren’t scoring goals I think the visitors on the Asian handicap have to be the play in this one.
The other bet I like on Wednesday evening comes at Ashton Gate where I would be surprised if we don’t get something of a high scoring game when Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday clash. Both of these teams have a similar goals for and against record. Bristol City have scored nine, the same as Wednesday, while City have conceded 13 from their seven and Wednesday 14. Of those 14 Wednesday have shipped, nine of them have come in three away games on their travels while Bristol City are yet to keep a clean sheet and three times this season they have conceded three in a game. This is a match both will feel that they can win and probably need to win and so I think this will be another open game involving Bristol City and one with a few goals.
Tips
Back Portsmouth (+0.5AH) to beat Stoke City for a 3/10 stake at 2.02 with Unibet
Back Bristol City vs Sheffield Wednesday – Over 2.5 goals for a 3/10 stake at 1.95 with Bet365
