James Buttler looks ahead to Saturday's Championship action and picks out the best bets with a fourfold worth 36/1.
Sunderland v Watford
Sunderland have been keeping their collective feet down in a bid to keep the pressure on those occupying the automatic promotion spots, and with just one defeat in their last 12 league matches, they sit in fourth. At the Stadium of Light it’s no defeat in 14 with nine of those home games ending in victory.
Watford, on the other hand, have been struggling in recent weeks, losing their last three Championship matches and just one win in their last eight games. A trip to Sunderland is not the ideal venue to shed poor form that has seen them drop to 12th.
A Sunderland win is the bet, but to get a better price than the 8/15 on a home win, let’s add in a goal for Wilson Isidor who has scored in each of his side’s last three home games. Sunderland to win with an Isidor goal is 3.23/1, a really good price.
West Brom v Sheffield Wednesday
Sixth-placed West Brom have only lost one of their last 16 home matches and that period includes four wins in their last five matches at The Hawthorns.
Opponents Sheffield Wednesday are in 10th, just two points behind, and they won their last away match 2-0 at QPR. That win did follow two away defeats and it’s just four points from the last 12 available on the road, but they have scored at least once in six of their last seven away trips.
The draw is a possible play in this one at 5/2 but that feels a bit too brave for my Saturday accumulator. I’m opting to take Both Teams To Score at 11/13 with vbet.
Norwich v Derby County
Derby are really struggling and are unbackable right now. They have lost their last seven in the league and are now 22nd and in firm relegation bother. And the Rams travel to Carrow Road to take on eighth-placed Norwich at just the wrong time. The Canaries have overcome a slump of successive defeats to automatic promotion chasing Leeds United and Sheffield United by winning their last two league games 5-1 at home to Swansea and 1-0 at Watford.
Norwich have taken 10 points from the last 12 available at home and this is a chalk and cheese contest. I could lead you around the markets and make a case for Norwich on the handicaps and home goals, but the 4/5 with Coral for a Norwich win is a must for any acca this weekend.
Sheffield United v Portsmouth
With Leeds United churning out another win on Wednesday, the pressure reverts back to Sheffield United who find themselves five points adrift of the leaders. An unexpected 3-0 defeat to Hull City last time out at Bramall Lane and a loss to fellow promotion chasers Burnley has seen the Blades’ rock solid home form subside a bit with just four points taken from the last 12 available in their backyard.
Portsmouth provide the perfect opportunity for Chris Wilder’s hosts to get a solid home win. It’s fair to say that Pompey do not travel well with no win in 10 away fixtures and six straight away defeats. They’ve lost four of those six away defeats ‘to nil’ and Sheffield United have been defensively strong at home. Sheffield United to win ‘to nil’ is a very appealing 6/4. That goes into the Saturday accumulator.
James’ Championship Fourfold
If you put all of the above selections into an accumulator it comes to 31.55/1 with Bet365.
Please gamble responsibly.