After an exciting start to the Championship campaign on Friday night, the opening weekend continues on Saturday with another nine matches in the second tier as 18 teams begin their season up and down the country.
We have to wait a while on Saturday for the TV game to come along but there is one to enjoy in the evening. The streaming rules have changed this season though so if you’re not going to a game the only other way of keeping up to date is the social media feeds and radio commentaries.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows: (3pm unless stated; TV in brackets)
Blackburn Rovers v Swansea City
Bristol City v Blackpool
Cardiff City v Barnsley
Derby County v Huddersfield Town
Luton Town v Peterborough United
Preston North End v Hull City
Queens Park Rangers v Millwall
Stoke City v Reading
Sheffield United v Birmingham City (20.00 – Sky Main Event & Sky Football)
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Big Matches
The televised action comes from Bramall Lane where Sheffield United will look to begin an immediate bounce back from relegation by picking up a win when they play host to a Birmingham City outfit who will be looking to perform better than they did last season. Swansea City will be looking to build on successive play-off campaigns and they head to Ewood Park to take on Blackburn Rovers in their opening match.
Best of the Rest
All three promoted sides are in action on Saturday and they all have away matches. The League 1 champions Hull City make their way to Deepdale to take on Preston North End while the runners up Peterborough United have a short trip to Luton Town. Blackpool will be buoyed by their play-off win at Wembley and they begin a campaign back in the Championship with a lengthy journey to Bristol City. Stoke City host Reading elsewhere while there is a London derby as QPR welcome Millwall. Cardiff City take on Barnsley and troubled Derby host Huddersfield Town.
Betting
A couple of bets jump out on Saturday afternoon with the first of those coming from Pride Park where Derby County host Huddersfield Town. The issues with Derby have been well-documented and if they are having the trouble to field a team that has been suggested then they should be there for the taking even by the Terriers. To be fair to Huddersfield, they have made a couple of decent enough signings in the summer that should have strengthened them for a better campaign this time around. I’m reluctant to take away sides in these first two rounds of matches because the home atmospheres will be electric but with all the issues Derby have right now it won’t take a lot for it to get toxic at Pride Park. Huddersfield can take advantage.
The other bet I like comes from Kenilworth Road where two entertaining sides meet in a match I expect to be full of goals. Luton Town host Peterborough United and these two are no strangers to goals when they meet. The opening day tends to provide plenty of goals at Kenilworth Road as well as the last two season openers there have ended 8-2 and 3-3. Luton are missing some key defensive players while Peterborough are a side who score plenty but concede plenty too. I’d be surprised if there aren’t more than 2.5 goals in this one.
Tips
Back Huddersfield Town (+0.25AH) to beat Derby County for a 3/10 stake at 1.89 with Bet365
Back Luton Town vs Peterborough United – Over 2.5 goals for a 4/10 stake at 1.95 with BetVictor
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