The Sky Bet Championship weekend continues on Saturday afternoon when all but one of the remaining fixtures take place on another big day in the division, one where the league table might begin to take shape.
The schedule is becoming a familiar one with followers of this division now with three of the matches earlier than the others and all on TV for those who have the respective channels to enjoy. The later games have update in all of the usual places.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows: (3pm unless stated; UK TV in brackets)
Blackburn Rovers vs Sheffield United (12.30pm – Sky Sports+)
Oxford United vs Swansea City (12.30pm – Sky Sports+)
Stoke City vs Derby County (12.30pm – Sky Main Event & Sky Football)
Cardiff City vs Norwich City
Hull City vs Portsmouth
Leeds United vs Plymouth Argyle
Middlesbrough vs Coventry City
Preston North End vs Bristol City
Queens Park Rangers vs Sunderland
Sheffield Wednesday vs Watford
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Big Matches
The match TV cameras head to the Bet365 Stadium on Saturday afternoon for the clash between Stoke City and Derby County in a match where two sides who could make big moves are on show. Sheffield United got back to winning ways against Stoke City last time out and they’ll hope for another three points when they go to Blackburn Rovers in another of the TV games while the other will see a Swansea City side who are really struggling for goals making the trip to Oxford United who are making a pretty decent fist of their first campaign back in the Championship so far.
Best of the Rest
Sunderland begin the weekend with a five point lead at the top of the table and they will be looking to maintain that when they go to a struggling QPR side on Saturday afternoon. Leeds United will be aiming to keep up the pace with Sunderland and they look to have a great chance for three points when Plymouth Argyle are the visitors to Elland Road. The pick of the matches could be the one at the Riverside Stadium where Middlesbrough host a Coventry City side who are way too low down the table for the quality that they have. Watford and Norwich City will look to move into the top six when they head to Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff City respectively.
Betting
I’ll go with a couple of bets over the course of the day in the Championship where the first one comes at the Riverside where a Coventry City side I saw in person last week can ride a fairly big Asian line when they go away to Middlesbrough. To be fair, Coventry haven’t set the world alight on their travels this season but they have only been beaten by more than a goal by Leeds and Middlesbrough aren’t Leeds, certainly not on the scoring front. Boro do create a lot of chances and scored three goals at Norwich last weekend but they still only have 14 in 12 games even allowing for that. While Coventry haven’t pulled up trees, that win over Luton last week could easily be the catalyst for a decent run of form and they have an insanely good record against Boro having won the last three meetings and being unbeaten in six against Michael Carrick’s men. Coventry are in receipt of a 0.75 goal start here so even were they to go down by a goal, and three of the five Boro wins have been by one goal, we only lose half our stake. There is enough to suggest Coventry can get something from the game though and give us a full win.
The other bet that I can’t let go unbacked is Sunderland to win at QPR. To be fair to QPR, I’m not wholly convinced that they are as bad as their league position suggests and at the same time I’m not completely certain Sunderland are as good as theirs would offer up but I do think the gulf is there between the two and I would be surprised if the home side win this one even allowing for the fact that QPR kept Burnley scoreless last week. Burnley aren’t as free flowing in front of goal as Sunderland are though and I saw myself a week or so ago that if you allow Sunderland to go in front they know exactly how to stifle the life out of the game and ensure they remain in front. QPR lack a goal threat to me as evidenced by only Swansea having scored fewer than them this term. Sunderland are the top scorers in the Championship and are solid at the back and I expect them to win here but I’ll take the draw cover given that Rs have drawn half of their matches this term.
Tips
Back Coventry City (+0.75AH) to beat Middlesbrough for a 3/10 stake at 1.88 with Bet365
Back Sunderland (-0.25AH) to beat QPR for a 3/10 stake at 1.83 with Bet365
