The Sky Bet Championship weekend begins on Saturday afternoon on a day where thee of the four main promotion chasers are on show as we click towards the halfway mark in what is becoming a fascinating second tier season.
This is a usual Saturday layout in the Championship in that we open up with a TV clash before the rest of the games take place in the usual 3pm kick off slot. Those games will have all the usual updates in the normal places.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows: (3pm unless stated; UK TV in brackets)
Ipswich Town v Norwich City (12.30pm – Sky Main Event & Sky Football)
Bristol City v Sunderland
Hull City v Cardiff City
Leeds United v Coventry City
Millwall v Huddersfield Town
Plymouth Argyle v Rotherham United
Preston North End v Watford
Sheffield Wednesday v Queens Park Rangers
Southampton v Blackburn Rovers
Swansea City v Middlesbrough
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Big Matches
The TV cameras head to Portman Road for the East Anglian derby on Saturday afternoon as Ipswich Town look to go back to the top of the table for 48 hours at least when they host their bitter rivals Norwich City who look to have turned their form around and are surging towards a play-off place once again. Leeds United and Southampton are the other two promotion chasers on show. They both have home games with Leeds hosting Coventry City while Blackburn Rovers will be heading to Hampshire to take on the Saints.
Best of the Rest
With West Brom not in action until Saturday, Sunderland and Hull City have the chance to overtake the Baggies and move into the top six. Sunderland have a very long trip to Bristol City waiting for them while Hull City play host to a Cardiff City side who will overtake them with a win. At the other end of the table Rotherham United have a fair journey away to Plymouth Argyle while the other two sides in the bottom three meet at Hillsborough where Sheffield Wednesday take on QPR. Millwall and Huddersfield Town sit a point above the drop zone and they meet in a must not lose game for both at The New Den.
Betting
Leeds United slipped up in the race for the top two in midweek but they went down to a very competent Sunderland side on their own patch and I don’t think we should be too harsh on them for that result. This is a Leeds team who are yet to taste defeat at Elland Road this season and who host a Coventry City side who are nothing special on the road. I’m not sure Leeds need an added advantage but if they do then it comes in the form of them playing a day earlier than the Sky Blues in midweek.
Coventry held Southampton in midweek which was a good result but they had just 28% of the ball so they would have had plenty of running to do so they could probably do without having to do the same against a vibrant Leeds side who move the ball quickly just three days later. The two away wins Coventry have had this season came at QPR and Millwall and you’d be hard pushed to make them out as great results. They have lost at Rotherham and at Preston and I expect Leeds to complete a pretty routine win here.
Tips
Back Leeds United (-1AH) to beat Coventry City for a 3/10 stake at 1.92 with Bet365
