Championship betting tips: Oxford to confirm safety and Sheffield United to bounce back at Stoke

Matchday 45 of an enthralling Championship season is upon us, with the greatest league on the planet sure to provide another round of elation and despair 

Leeds and Sheffield United have confirmed their promotion to the Premier League, but the play-off race and a place in next year's Championship is still massively up for grabs.

Here, Sports News Blitz’s resident Championship Tipster Ethan Pitts selects four bets that will help you cash in on the bookies this week. 

Stoke City vs Sheffield United 

What a whirlwind of a fortnight it has been for Chris Wilder and his side, one it is fair to say he would never like to re-live.

After a spectacular weekend of Championship football, it was officially confirmed that if the Blades are to go up to the Premier League, they’ll have to do it via the lottery, which is the play-offs. 

Stoke on the other hand are on the verge of confirming their place in the Championship for another year.

If they win at the weekend or Luton drop points, this will be officially confirmed. 

United’s away form recently has been appalling, and analytically it would make very little sense to back any team who have lost their last three on the road in the fashion Sheffield have done so in.

However, it is evident that this Sheffield team has succumbed to an obscene amount of pressure in recent weeks, and this has been reflected in the month of April.

Now that their regular season is almost concluded, I can see Sheffield reverting to their fluid attacking play which has resulted in them averaging nearly 2 points a game - a phenomenal achievement.

After watching Stoke at Elland Road, it looked like a team well and truly on the beach.

Mark Robins and his side would need a very juxtaposing performance to overcome United, and I can’t see this happening.

The odds of the underdog seem too plausible to pass up on in this instance. 

Suggested bet: Sheffield United to win at 2/1 (888sport and BETFRED) 

Luton Town vs Coventry City 

Moving on to our next selection, we see play-off hopefuls Coventry travel down to Kenilworth Road to face a relegation-threatened Luton side. 

What a game of football this could potentially be for the neutral come Saturday afternoon.

Just under two years ago this was a play-off final at a packed-out Wembley stadium, and now we see the two sides face off again with similar importance but ever so contextually different. 

Luton are on the verge of back-to-back relegations from Premier League to League One, and despite a recent ‘remontada’, it still looks very precarious as a Hatters fan. 

However, Luton always have a chance in front of their home faithful who will be pushing them on until the final second. 

If Luton are to win this game they will need to create as many set-piece opportunities as humanly possible, as this is the avenue which has led to the most success throughout the course of this season.

A huge reason for this is the presence of central defender, Mark McGuinness. 

Luton average over six corners a game at home, which gives their aerial threats ample chances of getting shots on goal.

McGuinness has had two or more shots in three out of his last four home matches, and with Luton still having so much to play for I can see them creating the chances to help McGuinness hit this total again. 

Suggested bet: Mark McGuinness to have 2 shots at 13/8 (bet365)

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Hull City vs Derby County 

Moving on to our penultimate selection, we see two relegation-threatened sides face off in what can only be described as a ‘six-pointer’. 

Both sides come into this game knowing that a win will pretty much consolidate a place in next year's Championship season.

There are many important matches this weekend, but this might top them all. 

If one player could potentially take this game by the scruff of the neck, I’d say it would be Hull’s talisman, Joseph Gelhardt.

Gelhardt has provided an enormous impact for Ruben Selles and his side since joining in the January window. He has established himself as the point of difference in many games. 

Gelhardt has always been seen as a prolific shooter throughout his short career, and this hasn’t changed one bit in the last three months.

In his last seven home games, the ex-Premier League attacker has had three or more shots in six of them. 

Although the odds of this aren’t life-changing, it is so hard to ignore the value that stands analytically in this selection.

So, for this reason, I’m backing the man from Liverpool to hit this line once again. 

Suggested bet: Joseph Gelhardt to have 3 shots at 1/1 (Bet365) 

Oxford United vs Sunderland

In our last selection, we see the relegation-threatened Oxford host Sunderland in what promises to be a blockbuster of a contest. 

Sunderland are in complete freefall and come into this game in a barren run of form.

The Black Cats are winless in their last four matches and have shown very little sign of bouncing back prior to the play-offs. 

Oxford on the other hand have everything to play for and will be looking to win their final game in front of their home faithful.

A win for Oxford will consolidate their position in the Championship for another season, a remarkable achievement for the club if so. 

Gary Rowett has been in these situations before and will know what it takes to give his side the best possible chance of winning come Saturday afternoon.

Anchored by Sunderland’s recent terrible form, it is hard to ignore such pretty odds on display for the home side to secure their safety this weekend.

Suggested bet: Oxford United to win at 19/10 (StarSports and AKBETS)

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