Championship Betting Tips: Best bets for Saturday afternoon in the second tier | OneFootball

EFL Championship

John Eustace will be hoping that he can guide Derby to Championship safety

It's the penultimate weekend of the Championship and Jack Critchley has used the Betfair Sportsbook to pick out his favourite bets from Saturday's fixture list...

Hull vs Derby - Streetwise Rams to give their survival hopes a significant boost

There's an archetypal relegation 'six-pointer' on Saturday afternoon as Hull host Derby at the MKM. The Tigers have the worst home record in the Championship, although they managed to pick up maximum points against Preston last weekend courtesy of two Joe Gelhardt penalties. Ruben Selles' men are struggling to score goals from open play and haven't found the net in the first half of a match since March 8th. They aren't easy to break down, but they must improve their output in the final third.

A victory would propel Derby above this weekend's opponents and with a winnable game against Stoke on the final day of the season, Rams fans will be feeling relatively confident of survival. They've lost just two of their last nine games and have beaten some decent top-half sides recently. They've netted five times across their last two away games and if they bag the first goal in this clash, Hull could find it hard to peg them back.

Luton vs Coventry (12:30) - Hatters to extend their remarkable unbeaten run

Matt Bloomfield has done a remarkable job at Kenilworth Road. Despite getting off to a tough start, the former Wycombe boss has managed to re-establish the club's gritty and impregnable credentials and they have given themselves a realistic chance of survival. Only Leeds, Burnley and Swansea have picked up more points than Luton since March 1st and they've conceded just six times in their last nine home matches. Leeds, Middlesbrough and Bristol City have all visited this stadium recently and have been given a tough time; Coventry aren't likely to find this particularly straightforward.

Frank Lampard's side have a three-point cushion over the play-off chasers and with Middlesbrough visiting the CBS on the final weekend, their fate appears to be in their own hands. Nevertheless, their away form has taken a nosedive in recent weeks and they have failed to win any of their last four on the road. They've conceded 11 in their last five and could struggle at this packed-out stadium.

QPR vs Burnley (12:30) - Promoted Clarets to kick back and relax

QPR are set for a midtable finish and although it has been a topsy-turvy campaign, they should be relatively satisfied with their recent form. They managed to find the net against defensively-sound Swansea last weekend and they have a decent record when hosting top-half opposition. They've found the net against ten of the current top 12 and held Leeds to a 2-2 draw here last month.

Burnley confirmed their return to the Premier League with a victory over Sheffield United on Monday night. Scott Parker's side have been excellent defensively, although they have conceded in four of their last five outings. Nobody can blame the Clarets for taking their foot off the gas this weekend, although with the title still up for grabs, they're unlikely to completely switch off.

Oxford vs Sunderland - Points shared at the Kassam

Oxford boss Gary Rowett told reporters that he wasn't concerned by his side's lack of thrust in the final third. The Yellows still aren't safe and managed just two shots against fellow strugglers Cardiff last weekend. With just a handful of touches inside the opposition's box, fans are hoping that their side can show a little more adventure this time around. They have a three-point cushion over the current drop-zone dwellers and although a point is unlikely to confirm their place in next season's Championship, it would give them a significant advantage heading into the final weekend.

Sunderland's form has dropped off, although Regis Le Bris has responded to his critics by citing Russell Martin's approach from twelve months ago. The former Southampton boss opted to focus on fitness and keep this squad fresh in the final few games and the Frenchman has suggested his intention to follow this blueprint. The goals have completely dried up for the Black Cats and they've found the net just three times in their last seven outings. They would settle for a point on Saturday.

Cardiff vs West Brom - Salech to give the Bluebirds a fighting chance

Cardiff picked up a point under Aaron Ramsey, although they will have been disappointed not to have collected all three against an unadventurous Oxford outfit. Although the Bluebirds weren't particularly accurate, they did manage to take 23 shots (9 off target) and appear to be showing a little more thrust in the final third. Yousef Salach has netted seven times for the Welsh club this season, which isn't a bad return for a player who only joined in mid-January. If he can get into goalscoring positions, his teammates should be able to create a few opportunities for him to fire the club closer to safety.

West Brom sacked Tony Mowbray earlier in the week and are simply waiting for the season to conclude. It's hard to get a handle on their approach for this game, but they could struggle to contain the Danish striker.

Millwall vs Swansea - Value in backing BTTS at the Den

Millwall have put themselves in play-off contention heading into the final couple of fixtures. The Lions' comfortable victory over Norwich has put themselves within three points of the top six following an impressive haul of 18 points from their last nine games. Alex Neil's side have been very impressive at the Den, winning each of their last four by an aggregate score of 7-2.

Swansea often end the season strongly and they are motoring under Alan Sheehan. His future is undecided, yet he has proven his credentials as a head coach and is reportedly being considered by several EFL clubs. The players are clearly enjoying working under him, although this is a tough game for the visitors. A draw is not particularly helpful for the hosts and that should result in a fairly open game.

Preston vs Plymouth - Crazy 90 minutes expected at Deepdale

PNE have been dragged into the relegation scrap. Paul Heckingbottom's side have been treading water for some time and have been victorious in just one of their last 13 matches. Several players appear to have downed tools and a reshaping of the squad is expected this summer. They usually find the net at Deepdale, netting in five of their last six and they should be able to forge a way past Plymouth's flimsy back-line.

The Pilgrims' Championship status is on the line and although their away form has been rotten this season, this appears to be a favourable fixture for the visitors. They netted at the Riverside last time out and should have enough confidence to find a way through.

Middlesbrough vs Norwich - End of the season goalfest in Teesside

Middlesbrough are still in contention for the final playoff spot, although the general consensus amongst their fans is that this squad isn't good enough for the top six. Michael Carrick's men have been struggling for a few months and have also lost three of their last four. Even in victory, they have been fortunate with a late penalty helping them to secure maximum points against lowly Plymouth. They have plenty of firepower, yet they are never far away from a defensive calamity and are unlikely to keep a clean sheet this weekend.

Norwich sacked Johannes Hof Thorup this week with Ben Knapper opting to take the club in a different direction next season. The Canaries are simply playing for pride here and should enjoy that level of freedom. They've conceded ten times across their last three matches and aren't afraid to get forward and create chances. This could be an entertaining 90 minutes.

Blackburn vs Watford - Rovers to keep their faint top six hopes alive

Blackburn have emerged as a surprise play-off contender following three consecutive victories. Val Ismael's tactics are finally starting to pay dividends and the players are clearly buying into his style. He's heaped praise on Tyrhys Dolan and has suggested that he is starting to get into better goalscoring positions. Although they are unlikely to end the season in the top six, there is still something to play for and they should be motivated enough to collect maximum points.

Watford's season is over and Tom Cleverley has laid into his players this week following back-to-back defeats over the Easter weekend. The Hornets have lost four consecutive away games and have failed to score in three of their last five on the road. They are unlikely to put up much resistence.

Sheffield Wednesday vs Portsmouth - End of season feel at Hillsborough

Sheffield Wednesday fans are planning protests this weekend with their disgruntlement at the running of their club set to continue into the summer. On the field, Wednesday ended their home hoodoo with a comeback victory over Middlesbrough on Easter Monday. This performance suggests that the players are firmly behind Danny Rohl and although the manager is unlikely to stick around this summer, he will want to end the season on a high.

Portsmouth are safe and they can finally take their foot off the gas. John Mousinho's men haven't been particularly good on the road this season, yet they stuck five past Norwich last time out and have found the net in three of their last four away from home.

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