The midweek action in the Sky Bet Championship concludes on Wednesday evening when the last six fixtures take place up and down the country in a second tier where the table is beginning to look as tight as we are accustomed to seeing it.
One of the six matches are live on the TV for us to enjoy on Wednesday evening while the other five are hidden behind the red button. They are also available on the club streaming services for £10 so there is no need to miss anything if you have a bet.
Wednesday’s fixtures are as follows: (all 7.45pm; UK TV in brackets)
Birmingham City v Fulham
Bristol City v Luton Town
Coventry City v Cardiff City
Nottingham Forest v Middlesbrough
Stoke City v Barnsley (Sky Main Event & Sky Football)
Swansea City v Millwall
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Preview
The televised match comes from the Bet365 Stadium where there is a chance that Stoke City could move to the top of the Sky Bet Championship. They host Barnsley and if they win the match they will be top of the table unless Fulham win when they head on the road to take on Birmingham City who have started this season very strongly indeed. A Fulham win there will send them back to the summit after West Bromwich Albion were held on Tuesday evening.
The other four matches all look like competitive affairs with Bristol City hosting Luton Town in a match the visitors won 3-2 last season. Coventry City continue their season with a home match against Cardiff City while bottom of the pile Nottingham Forest will look for their first win of the season when they welcome Middlesbrough to the City Ground. In the other match Swansea City will look to win for the second time in this campaign when they host Millwall.
Betting
I always thought it might take time for Barnsley to pick up speed this season. There is often a hangover from a team which loses in the play-offs in the previous campaign but with Valerien Ismael leaving and taking a key playmaker with him, they are having to adjust style and adapt without Alex Mowatt and it is just taking some time. They are no longer the direct and physical side they were last season but haven’t quite got to the stage where their possession based outlook is being imposed on the opposition, top level opposition at least.
I don’t know whether Stoke City fall into the top level category but they have started the season really well and their only defeat in six matches came at Fulham. When we look back on the campaign at the end of it that won’t look a bad result. Importantly for Stoke, they have a perfect home record so far and if they are going to launch a promotion challenge then that form at the Bet365 Stadium will be pivotal to their chances. Unlike Barnsley, Michael O’Neill has got rid of those he didn’t want and has brought his own players in and is beginning to see the rewards. They will be buoyed by a weekend win and can back that up with another over a Barnsley side who we might be a few weeks from seeing at their best.
Tips
Back Stoke City to beat Barnsley for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with 888sport
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