The Sky Bet Championship weekend continues on Saturday afternoon when another nine matches take place over the course of the day as we head towards the end of the middle third of the campaign.
We have one match of the nine on the TV which comes in the later slot without any Premier League action on Saturday. The other eight have the usual way of being kept up to date on during what should be a key day of football.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows: (3pm unless stated; UK TV in brackets)
Barnsley v AFC Bournemouth
Fulham v Blackpool
Hull City v Swansea City
Luton Town v Blackburn Rovers
Middlesbrough v Coventry City
Millwall v West Bromwich Albion
Preston North End v Bristol City
Queens Park Rangers v Reading
Peterborough United v Sheffield United (5.30pm – Sky Main Event & Sky Football)
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Big Matches
We have to wait until the final match of the day for the televised action on Saturday as Peterborough United look to use home advantage to launch a dart for a great escape when they welcome a Sheffield United side who have their eyes set firmly on the top six over the final third of the campaign. Prior to that the day is all about the race to the Premier League with the four challengers all in action. Fulham look away and gone and could extend that advantage when they host Blackpool while Blackburn Rovers in second have an awkward trip to Kenilworth Road to take on Luton Town. AFC Bournemouth will be hoping Blackburn slip up when they make the trip to rock bottom Barnsley while QPR host a Reading side who look like they are waiting to drop into the bottom three.
Best of the Rest
West Bromwich Albion are slowly seeing the chasing pack for their top six spot catch up with them and they will be eager to pick up a win away to Millwall to delay the inevitable a little longer. Middlesbrough and Coventry City are two of the number of sides chasing the top six and neither will want to lose when they meet at the Riverside on Saturday. The other matches see Hull City begin a new era when they host Swansea City while Preston North End take on Bristol City in a game both need to win to remain competitive in this campaign.
Betting
After opening the weekend with a winner on Friday night there is just the one bet for me on Saturday and it comes up at Deepdale where I expect Preston North End to get the better of Bristol City. I saw Bristol City with my own eyes on Tuesday night and watched them closely with a potential bet in this match in mind and I can’t say I was overly enamoured by what I saw. Luton delivered one of their worst performances of the season by their own admission and still won fairly comfortably.
That was the seventh straight game that the Robins have conceded two or more goals and clearly that is not a profitable formula or a successful one. Preston should be buzzing after a fine win over West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday night, That extended their recent form to one defeat in six matches and they look like a side who are about to go places under Ryan Lowe. He is beginning to get a good core of attacking players to go with the solid defence his side have had for much of the campaign and against a defence that is often found wanting I like the home side here.
Tips
Back Preston North End to beat Bristol City for a 3/10 stake at 1.83 with Betway
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