The third round of matches in the Sky Bet Championship continues on Saturday afternoon when another 10 fixtures take place up and down the country as the early second tier table begins to take a little shape.
We are back to the traditional Saturday schedule this week with us having a TV game to get everything up and running with ahead of the remainder of the games, which have no TV coverage but will have regular updates in the usual places.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows: (3pm unless stated; UK TV in brackets)
Plymouth Argyle v Southampton (12.30 – Sky Main Event & Sky Football)
Blackburn Rovers v Hull City
Bristol City v Birmingham City
Leicester City v Cardiff City
Middlesbrough v Huddersfield Town
Queens Park Rangers v Ipswich Town
Sheffield Wednesday v Preston North End
Stoke City v Watford
Sunderland v Rotherham United
Swansea City v Coventry City
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Big Matches
The TV cameras make their way down to Home Park where the League 1 champions Plymouth Argyle take on a Southampton team who were two divisions above the Devonians last term but who now meet them at the same level. That match is the early kick off. Ipswich Town and Leicester City are the only two sides who have a perfect record heading into the third round of matches. The Tractor Boys head to the capital to take on QPR while the Foxes welcome Cardiff City to the King Power Stadium.
Best of the Rest
The three losing teams from the play-offs last season are all in action on Saturday afternoon. Middlesbrough have lost both of their matches this term and haven’t scored a goal and they will look to rectify both things when they host Huddersfield Town in a clash of the bottom two. Sunderland have also lost both of their matches so far this season and they will be looking to get off the mark when they host Rotherham United. Coventry City have started the best of the three and they head across the border to Wales to take on Swansea City. Sheffield Wednesday after the other members of the bottom three in the early stages of the season and they play host to Preston North End.
Betting
I feared for Sheffield Wednesday before a ball was kicked this season and I haven’t really seen anything to suggest I should change my mind and I fear they might lose for a third successive time when they host Preston North End on Saturday. Sheffield Wednesday have a real problem defensively at this level and have already leaked six goals, not to mention the five that Peterborough put past them in that epic play-off semi-final last season.
Preston have the players to take advantage of that. Will Keane was always going to look like a smart signing and he has hit the ground running and the supporting cast to him are pretty decent as well. Preston are fair travellers in this league and last season it was their home form which held them back. They have already been to Bristol City and come away with a result and I fancy they will pick one up here. I think Preston are the bet on the draw no bet lines.
Tips
Back Preston North End (0AH) to beat Sheffield Wednesday for a 3/10 stake at 2.09 with Bet365
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