The Sky Bet Championship weekend gets underway on Saturday with 10 matches as the 20 teams on show go in search of the three points which will set them up nicely going into the Easter period next weekend which looks like being pivotal.
Of the 10 matches taking place over the course of the country on Saturday we have one which is live on TV and then there are all the usual ways of staying in touch with the others if you aren’t going to a game anywhere.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows: (3pm unless stated – UK TV in brackets)
Sheffield United v AFC Bournemouth (12.45pm – Sky Football)
Blackburn Rovers v Blackpool
Bristol City v Peterborough United
Middlesbrough v Hull City
Millwall v Barnsley
Nottingham Forest v Birmingham City
Preston North End v Queens Park Rangers
Reading v Cardiff City
Swansea City v Derby County
West Bromwich Albion v Stoke City
Big Matches
The televised match on Saturday sees the race for the Premier League in the spotlight. With third placed Huddersfield and fourth placed Luton Town not in action until Monday night AFC Bournemouth can open up a nine point buffer in the race for automatic promotion. Sheffield United can move third for a few hours if they pick up the win in that one. Nottingham Forest are the other team who can end the day in third place. They play host to Birmingham City in a match the Tricky Trees will be expected to win. Middlesbrough and Blackburn Rovers will be hoping to take advantage of some slip ups above them. They host Hull City and Blackpool respectively.
Best of the Rest
Events will move on at the bottom of the table too where Reading can take a massive stride towards securing their survival when they host Cardiff City at the Madejski Stadium. That would see Peterborough United on the edge of having their relegation confirmed unless they can win away to Bristol City. Derby County and Barnsley will be hoping to keep their own survival hopes alive when they head to Swansea City and Millwall respectively. Preston host QPR and West Brom welcome Stoke City to The Hawthorns in the other two matches.
Betting
QPR look to be in a real slump at the present time and there doesn’t appear to be any signs that they are coming out of it. They have lost six of their last seven matches and the one they won in that time they needed significant assistance from the officials to help them over the line. A side who were pushing for automatic promotion at one stage now look like they are going to miss out on the play-offs completely and you sense that will have huge implications in the Shepherds Bush part of London.
It might not get any easier for the Hoops away to Preston North End who have only lost three times at Deepdale all season in the league. One of those was on the opening day of the season so they have only lost twice since then at home. They go into the match off the back of a morale boosting win over local rivals Blackpool in midweek and can build on that against a low in confidence Rangers side. Preston carry a good threat in attack and if they can deal with the QPR players between the lines I expect a home win here.
Tips
Back Preston North End (-0.25AH) to beat QPR for a 3/10 stake at 1.97 with Bet365
