We have another huge dose of midweek action in the EFL Championship to look forward to as we enter the business end of the season. On Tuesday night, league leaders Norwich City travel to Birmingham City, while Brentford will be looking to bounce back from three defeats on the spin when they welcome Sheffield Wednesday to the capital this Wednesday. With plenty more to savour, who will be the winners and losers in the second tier this week?
Birmingham City v Norwich City
19:00, Sky Sports, St Andrew’s Trillion Trophy Stadium
Championship leaders Norwich will be looking for another three points when they travel to St Andrew’s Trillion Trophy Stadium to play lowly Birmingham on Tuesday. The Canaries have moved seven points clear at the top after their third win in a row in the league.
Norwich had a great weekend, beating Rotherham United, while promotion rivals Brentford and Swansea City both suffered defeats. The Canaries have opened up a handy lead at the top of the table and they’ll be doing all they can to at least maintain it. Daniel Farke’s boys should ease past Birmingham, who have not won at home since October. Put a few quid on Norwich to win with -1 goal handicap at odds of 15/8.
Derby County v Huddersfield Town
19:00, Sky Sports, Pride Park
Derby County and Huddersfield Town go head-to-head at Pride Park on Saturday. Wayne Rooney’s Rams are in excellent form, winning five of their last seven, but things didn’t go their way last time out.
Derby were narrowly beaten at Watford at the weekend, but Rooney has certainly improved the team since taking over. As for the Terriers, they shocked high flying Swansea on Saturday, thumping the Welsh side 4-1 at the John Smith’s Stadium. We think this will be a close encounter and we’ll be backing the match to end all square at Pride Park at odds of 11/5.
Middlesbrough v Bristol City
19:00, Sky Sports, Riverside Stadium
Middlesbrough entertain Bristol City at the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday. Neil Warnock’s men will be hoping to make it three wins on the trot after seeing off Huddersfield and Reading in their last two games. Their task will be made that bit easier by their opponents appalling form at present.
Bristol City have lost seven in a row in all competitions and have slipped down to 15th in the table. Unfortunately for the Robins, we can see them crashing to a 17th league defeat in midweek. Boro have been leading at the break in each of their previous five wins. As such, we think backing the hosts to be winning at half time and full time on Tuesday makes sense at odds of 7/4.
Luton Town v Millwall
19:45, Sky Sports, Kenilworth Road
Millwall are unbeaten in eight games in the Championship, winning four and drawing four. Will the Lions extend that run when they take on Luton Town at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday?
Luton have hit a bad patch of form and have lost four of their last six matches in the league. Millwall had won three on the spin before Saturday’s 0-0 home draw with Wycombe Wanderers. We think the visitors have greater momentum at present as we’ll be taking a punt on the away win here at a very decent price of 9/5.
Rotherham United v Nottingham Forest
19:45, Sky Sports, New York Stadium
Paul Warne’s Rotherham United and Chris Hughton’s Nottingham Forest meet at the New York Stadium in midweek. The Millers slipped into the bottom three after last weekend’s results and they will be desperate to get some points on the board to haul themselves back to relative safety.
Three defeats on the spin have seen Rotherham drop back into the relegation zone as we approach the long run-in towards the end of the campaign. Forest have been tough to beat lately, losing just two Championship games since mid-December. Check out the solid odds of 9/2 for the away win and both teams to score in this one.
Wycombe Wanderers v Reading
19:45, Sky Sports, Adams Park
Bottom club Wycombe entertain promotion hopefuls Reading at Adams Park on Tuesday night. As you would expect, the Royals are the odds-on favourites in this one. Having accumulated only 20 points from their 30 games thus far, Wycombe are already 11 points behind 21st place Birmingham. Unless something remarkable happens very soon, Wycombe are sure to be playing in League One next term.
Veljko Paunovic has had a fine first season at the Madejski Stadium, guiding Reading to 15 wins so far from their 31 games in the second tier. The Royals should cruise past the struggling Chairboys on Tuesday. Back the visitors to win both halves at a very fair price of 5/1.
Barnsley v Stoke City
19:00, Sky Sports, Oakwell
Stoke City’s promotion bid is back on track after back-to-back wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Luton. Can the Potters get another win when they travel to Oakwell to face Barnsley on Wednesday night will the home side make it four wins on the bounce in the Championship?
Valerien Ismael’s Tykes are in superb form and having won their last three league matches they now have one eye on the playoff positions above them. This one could go either way, so we fancy the pair to cancel one another out in Yorkshire. The draw is available at odds of 9/4 which looks to offer good enough value to us.
Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday
19:00, Sky Sports, Brentford Community Stadium
After three defeats on the spin, Premier League chasing Brentford will be desperate to return to winning ways in midweek. On Wednesday, Sheffield Wednesday visit the Brentford Community Stadium and the South Yorkshire side will be desperate for the points as they are still languishing in the bottom three in the table.
The Bees have dropped seven points behind leaders Norwich after successive defeats to Barnsley, Queens Park Rangers and Coventry City. Nevertheless, we are backing the London side to bounce back in style this Wednesday. You can get a nice price of 6/4 for the hosts to win with a -1 goal handicap.
Swansea City v Coventry City
19:00, Sky Sports, Liberty Stadium
Swansea and Coventry meet at the Liberty Stadium on Wednesday. The Swans will want to strike back after last weekend’s heavy defeat, while the Sky Blues will be hoping to build on their excellent win over Brentford.
Before Saturday’s shock loss at Huddersfield, Swansea had gone nine league games unbeaten, winning seven and drawing two. Still, Steve Cooper’s men will surely hit back with a vital victory in midweek. Have a punt on the home win and both teams to score at a decent enough price of 4/1.
Blackburn Rovers v Watford
19:45, Sky Sports, Ewood Park
Blackburn Rovers and Watford meet at Ewood Park on Wednesday in one of the standout Championship fixtures of the week. The Hornets are the favourites in this one as they attempt to keep up some very good recent form.
Xisco Munoz’s men have certainly found their rhythm of late and have won three on the trot. Watford are now level on points with Brentford in the race for automatic promotion and are only behind them in the table on goal difference. Blackburn have lost four Championship games on the spin, all by a one-goal margin. We envisage a similarly disappointing result for Rovers here so back the away team to win by one goal at odds of 3/1.
Bournemouth v Cardiff City
19:45, Sky Sports, Vitality Stadium
Bournemouth and Cardiff City lock horns in a crucial fixture at the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday. The Bluebirds are just three points behind the Cherries after a stunning upswing in fortunes.
Cardiff have been on an incredible run, with Mick McCarthy’s boys winning five in a row to fire themselves into playoff contention. City are unbeaten under their new boss, and the away win on Wednesday is priced at very attractive odds of 12/5.
Preston North End v Queens Park Rangers
19:45, Sky Sports, Deepdale
Alex Neil’s Preston North End and Mark Warburton’s QPR square off at Deepdale on Wednesday night. Both teams have taken 39 points so far, though Rangers have two games in hand on North End.
QPR are in spectacular form, winning six of their last seven. The R’s will be looking for a fifth successive victory in midweek. You can get the away win at the decent price of 13/8.