The final Sky Bet Championship fixture list before Christmas continues on Saturday afternoon although half of the matches have been cancelled because of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis that is sweeping through the league.
That means we are left with five matches to take a look at throughout the day. Despite the shortage of matches there is still a TV game for us to enjoy and then the usual methods of staying in touch with the other games.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows: (3pm unless stated; UK TV in brackets)
Middlesbrough v AFC Bournemouth (12.30 – Sky Main Event & Sky Football)
Blackburn Rovers v Birmingham City
Blackpool v Peterborough United
Bristol City v Huddersfield Town
Nottingham Forest v Hull City
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Preview
The action begins up at the Riverside Stadium where AFC Bournemouth look to go back to the top of the table when they make the ridiculously long trip for an early kick off to take on Middlesbrough who have started to improve a little under Chris Wilder. Blackburn Rovers will hope to increase their position up to third in the table. They will need a win to overtake West Brom but given that they are at home to Birmingham City that wouldn’t appear an impossible task.
The other three matches either have mid-table implications on them or are relevant to the bottom end of the table. Peterborough United have seen that Reading have had their match cancelled so they will be able to climb out of the bottom three if they can find a win away to Blackpool. Hull City have the chance to edge themselves further clear of danger when they travel to Nottingham Forest while the other match sees Bristol City hosting Huddersfield Town.
Betting
One bet takes my fancy in these matches on Saturday afternoon. That is the one at Ewood Park where Blackburn Rovers play host to Birmingham City. Rovers go into this match in fine form having won their last four matches and seven of their last nine outings and that includes a fine win at Bournemouth last Saturday. Their only defeat in that run way against Fulham when they had the mother of all mares but since then they have won five out of six and go into this game with four successive clean sheets.
Birmingham City are a weird side. They are capable of being exceptional like they were at Luton earlier in the season or they can be terrible and there generally isn’t a huge amount of in between about them. They have only won one of their last eight away matches which was when they caught Middlesbrough at the right time. Worryingly they only scored three goals in that time and I’m not convinced their physical style is going to carry a huge amount of success against a Blackburn side who can mix it in that department. Normally I’d be happy to just back the home win here but with Covid escalating like it is I’ll take some draw cover just in case last minute team news was to go against us.
Tips
Back Blackburn Rovers (-0.25AH) to beat Birmingham City for a 3/10 stake at 1.87 with BetVictor
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