Championship Betting: Seven tips for the 3pm matches on Saturday | OneFootball

EFL Championship

Narcis Pelach will be hoping his side can continue where they left off prior to the international break

The Championship makes its return following the final international break of 2024 and Jack Critchley has picked out seven bets from Saturday's 3pm fixtures...

QPR vs Stoke

Potters to extend their unbeaten sequence

QPR went into the international break bottom of the pile. The R's have struggled with defensive injuries whilst also looking fairly ineffective going forward. Yan Celar has struggled to make an impact and Nicholas Madsen looks a little lightweight in midfield. Despite signing a new contract earlier this season, Marti Cifuentes is under significant pressure and this is a must-win match for the Spaniard. Unfortunately, they are hosting a side who have enjoyed an upturn in form since making a managerial switch.

Stoke have lost just one of their last eight matches in the Championship with Narcis Pelach making his side much tougher to beat in recent weeks. The Potters' only defeat came against in-form Sheffield United and they went into the international break having collected seven points from a possible nine. The Staffordshire side will surely enjoy coming up against a team who have notched just four times in their last nine outings. The visitors are yet to travel to any side below 18th but have conceded just a single goal when facing bottom-half teams on the road. They should have enough quality going forward to take at least a point from this fixture.

Blackburn vs Portsmouth

Improving Pompey to take a point back to Fratton

Blackburn picked up a much-needed victory before the international break. John Eustace's side surprised Cardiff with a 3-1 victory ending a run of three consecutive defeats. Worryingly, Rovers have failed to find the net in each of their last three matches here at Ewood Park, although with just four goals conceded in six outings, their home matches do tend to be fairly tight affairs. Lewis Travis has been excellent in midfield for the hosts whereas Yuki Ohashi has proven to be an effective frontman. The latter has been on international duty with Japan this week and consequently, he may need to be eased back into the XI gently.

Portsmouth also went into the break off the back of a important win. Pompey have picked up just two victories this season and that was their first success in front of the Fratton faithful. They looked far more effective going forward against PNE and were also extremely unlucky to suffer a defeat at Home Park at the beginning of the month. With a little more composure in front of goal, they could easily take something from this tie.

Preston vs Derby

Preston to be hindered by leaky back-line

Preston are winless in five matches heading into this contest. Paul Heckingbottom has undoubtedly improved the Lilywhites, however, the squad is lopsided and they will need to significantly strengthen during the January window. Although they kept a clean sheet against Sunderland, the hosts have shipped nine goals in the four matches on either side of that stalemate. Jordan Storey, Liam Lindsay and Jack Whatmough have all got a mistake in them and they could struggle to keep Derby off the scoresheet this weekend. Only three sides have netted fewer than the Lancashire club this season, yet, they've scored in five of their last seven here and they'll be buoyed by their opponent's inability to keep clean sheets on the road.

Derby have slowly improved their displays and they are no longer a complete pushover on the road. They've lost just one of their last seven matches overall and have taken points off Millwall, Oxford and Coventry in recent away trips. Away from home, they are yet to shut the opposition out whilst scoring in each of their last four.

Oxford vs Middlesbrough

Chaotic Boro to produce yet another cracker

Oxford have been tremendously effective at the Kassam. Although the ground has just three sides and is largely disliked by the majority of fans, it has become a bit of a fortress for the Yellows so far this season. The midtable outfit have suffered just a single defeat here so far, although they had more than enough chances to take at least a point from that particular game. Burnley, West Brom and Norwich have all left without maximum points and Des Buckingham's side will be using a similar blueprint to make it tough for the visiting Teessiders.

Middlesbrough have scored nine goals in their last two Championship matches and finally appear to be clicking into top gear. They continue to churn out impressive xG numbers, yet they have been let down by a combination of wayward finishing and defensive blips. Michael Carrick's men have kept just a single clean sheet in their last five away games and although I expect them to completely dominate this match, they are still liable to concede at some stage.

West Brom vs Norwich

Injury-hit Canaries to salvage a point

A fortnight ago, West Brom ended a run of draws with a victory at the MKM and extended their unbeaten sequence to seven matches. Carlos Corberan's side are extremely tough to breach and have been breached just four times in eight Championship outings. Unfortunately, they are often lacking ideas and cutting edge in the final third and although they comfortably sit inside the top six, this ongoing issue is likely to hold them back unless they decide to strengthen in January. Only one visiting team has managed to find a way past Alex Palmer so far this campaign and without influential striker Josh Sargent, Norwich could struggle to break down their stubborn resistance.

The Canaries needed the international break to regroup following a poor run of form which saw them lose three consecutive matches and drop down to 14th. Kenny McLean is still one game away from returning and without him in the side, the XI looks a little imbalanced. They are unlikely to take maximum points from this encounter, but WBA's propensity for draws, gives them every chance of taking a point back to Carrow Road.

Luton vs Hull

Hatters to come out on top

Both Rob Edwards and Tim Walter were expected to be sacked during the international break, yet they are both set to take charge of this game on Saturday afternoon. Luton were battered by Middlesbrough last time out, yet their home form isn't too bad. They are unbeaten in five of their last six matches here and that includes a much-needed success against their rivals Watford in mid-October. That result came off the back of the previous international break and Edwards will be hoping for a similar response this time around. The Hatters' main issue has been defending and they have struggled to track opposition players running in behind.

It's been a miserable campaign for Hull fans. Supporters haven't witnessed their side score more than a single goal in a game since October 1st and they have collected just three points from a possible 21. Although they were inconsistent under Liam Rosenior, the Tim Walter experiment appears to be a failure and the German will struggle to survive if his side slump to yet another defeat on Saturday afternoon.

Millwall vs Sunderland

Lions and Black Cats to produce a cagey 90 minutes

Millwall almost made it five consecutive 1-0 wins last time out, however, they were thwarted by Ben Gibson's 60th-minute strike. Neil Harris' side have reverted back to an effective style which makes them incredibly tough to beat and they are currently embarking upon a seven-match unbeaten streak. They've managed to keep Burnley, Leeds, Swansea and West Brom off the scoresheet recently and they will look to make it difficult for table-topping Sunderland on Saturday.

Sunderland have made a terrific start to the season, yet this is a real test for their young squad. Alan Browne and Romaine Mundle are both injured and they'll be joined on the sidelines by Trai Hume, Jobe Bellingham and Patrick Roberts, all of whom are suspended. They have been brilliant on the road this season and have conceded just once in their last four away games, yet this may be a bridge too far.

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