The Sky Bet Championship season continues with the last midweek round this week. That gets underway on Tuesday evening when nine of the 12 matches take place on a night which could be pivotal for so many this term.
The good thing about this midweek round is that all of the matches are available to watch or stream via the broadcaster who cover this division in the UK with one on the main channel on Tuesday and the rest on the streaming offering.
Tuesday’s fixtures are as follows: (19.45 and Sky Sports+ unless stated)
Blackburn Rovers vs Sheffield Wednesday
Bristol City vs West Bromwich Albion
Derby County vs Burnley
Norwich City vs Sunderland
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
Sheffield United vs Millwall
Stoke City vs Luton Town
Watford vs Hull City
Middlesbrough vs Leeds United (20.00 – Sky Main Event & Sky Football)
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Big Matches
The main TV cameras will head to the Riverside on Tuesday evening as two sides in the top five face off in a match both teams need to win when Middlesbrough host Leeds United. Middlesbrough have made their way into the top six and will want to win to stay there while Leeds are now third and can’t afford another slip up. Burnley are now leading the race for the title and they will look to maintain that position when they go to Pride Park to take on a Derby County side who will be looking to kick on now they have come out of the bottom three. Sheffield United are the other team in that title race and they host a Millwall side who don’t look to have given up on their top six hopes.
Best of the Rest
There is a massive match in the race for the play-offs on Tuesday evening as well when Bristol City, current occupants of the final place in them, host West Bromwich Albion who have spent much of the campaign in the top six but having gone four matches without a win have dropped out at the worst time. At the other end of the table Stoke City host Luton Town in a match which will have a big say on the relegation picture while Cardiff City will look to give their survival chances a boost when they make the long trip to Deepdale to take on Preston North End. Norwich City host Sunderland in a match which could be full of entertainment.
Betting
I’ll go with a couple of bets over the course of the evening with the first one coming in the form of Hull City to come away from Vicarage Road with a win over Watford, although given the importance of any point for the Tigers I’ll go with the draw no bet market. Watford are 11-3-6 at home this season but they were 7-1-0 at one stage so since then they are just 4-2-6 over the last dozen matches on this ground and with motivation questionable I think it makes sense to be with the visitors here. Hull City are a bit of a weird breed in that their away results are so much better than their home ones with 25 of their 44 points coming on their travels, including three at the death at Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend. Hull are 5-2-2 in their last nine away games which includes wins at Sheffield United, Blackburn Rovers (before they fell apart), Millwall and Sunderland and on the draw no bet line they look decent value here.
The other bet I like comes from the main TV game where I’m expecting to see goals when Middlesbrough take on Leeds United. I saw Leeds with my own eyes at the weekend and I still maintain that they are the best team in this division and with the absences that Middlesbrough have in defensive areas I fully expect the visitors to have some joy going forward in this one but Leeds lost Pascal Struijk to injury at Kenilworth Road which will weaken them at the back and they have issues with their goalkeeper. Even Karl Darlow looked jittery at times and this Middlesbrough side, which is set up to win the ball high and look to score goals, should be able to take advantage of that. Both teams need to win this one but I don’t see either sitting back and hoping that the win comes to them. I think both will look to go and get the win and that can lead to both finding the net and over 2.5 goals landing.
Tips
Back Hull City to beat Watford (DNB) for a 3/10 stake at 2.20 with Betfair
Back Middlesbrough vs Leeds – BTTS and Over 2.5 goals for a 3/10 stake at 2.15 with Coral
