Championship betting tips: Sunderland to dominate Swans, Sheffield Utd to bounce back at Plymouth
Matchday 41 of an enthralling Championship season is upon us, with the greatest football league on the planet sure to provide another round of curveballs.
And with the promotion picture still wide open and the relegation battle changing week-by-week, the stakes have never been higher.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s resident Championship tipster Ethan Pitts selects four bets that will help you cash in with the bookies this weekend.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
We start this week's selections off with what promises to be a high-scoring belter as Swansea City travel down to face a strong Sunderland side.
It has been a pretty sub-par second half of the season for both of these sides, to be honest.
A play-off push for Swansea has looked increasingly remote due to a lack of consistency throughout and a mid-table finish beckons for them now.
Sunderland, on the other hand, were flirting in and around the automatics at the start of the calendar year but now look set to battle it out in the play-offs.
That being said, nobody can take away from the form that Regis Le Bris and his charges have shown at home this term.
The Black Cats currently sit third in the home-form table, only registering one loss so far in the 2024-25 campaign.
Adding to this, Sunderland have been pretty dominant on the pitch at the Stadium of Light, anchored in this regard by their corner statistics.
Le Bris’ side are on a magnificent run when it comes to beating their opponents on corners accumulated at home, one that extends back to New Year’s Day.
Swansea have definitely looked much-improved under Alan Sheehan but are winless away from home over the last two months, something I cannot see changing come Saturday afternoon.
Suggested bet: Sunderland to win & have the most corners at 9/5 (Bet365)
QPR vs Bristol City
Our second selection involves a bottom-half team looking to consolidate their place in next year's Championship in QPR and another looking to continue their play-off push in Bristol City.
It's fair to say that QPR have had a very disappointing campaign under Marti Cifuentes.
After a positive end to last season, they have really struggled to kick on and sadly been a mainstay in the bottom half.
However, one positive for QPR has been the performance of Jimmy Dunne.
Dunne has been an ever-present for Cifuentes’ side this season, conforming to his defensive tasks while being consistent in the final third and surprisingly accumulating five goals.
Another positive for QPR has been their set-piece ability.
The Rs have scored the second-most set-piece goals in the league, and a lot of credit for that has to go to the likes of Dunne, who have made Rangers formidable in this area.
Away from home, Bristol are a lot more susceptible to not being in control, evidenced by the fact that they concede an average of 13.9 shots per away game.
I fear this lack of control may give QPR ample shot-creation opportunities, which could then lead to a barrage of set-pieces for Bristol to defend.
As a result, it is hard to ignore the generous odds provided for QPR’s second-top goalscorer to have two shots on goal.
Suggested bet: Jimmy Dunne to have over 1.5 shots at 2/1 (Bet365)
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Portsmouth vs Derby County
Moving onto our third fixture, we see Portsmouth take on a Derby County team revitalised under John Eustace in what promises to be a massive game in the context of the relegation battle.
The two sides come into this match in relatively contrasting health.
Portsmouth’s away form has continued to be questioned over the past month as three defeats have thrust them back into a dangerous position – three points above the drop.
Derby, for their part, have staged a remarkable comeback under Eustace and currently sit just outside the bottom three.
On this occasion, though, it is desperately hard to ignore how well Portsmouth do in front of their home faithful.
John Mousinho’s side sit 10th in the home-form table, having only lost five games while conceding less than a goal per 90 at Fratton Park.
Despite being on a fantastic run of form, Derby have struggled massively away from home this season, accumulating only two wins in 20 matches.
In order to maintain their Championship status, the Rams are going to have to find a resolution to this problem quickly.
However, I think Saturday will prove to be too much, too soon for the visitors.
Suggested bet: Portsmouth to win at 132/100 (10bet)
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Plymouth Argyle vs Sheffield United
Concluding this week's selections, we see high-flying Sheffield United face a Plymouth Argyle side on the verge of relegation.
It has been a whirlwind week for Chris Wilder and his side as the Championship continues to surprise us in ways that seem unimaginable.
After Leeds drew away to Luton Town last weekend, United had the opportunity to go four points clear of the Whites and take a huge step towards Premier League football.
Unfortunately, losses to Oxford United and Millwall mean the Blades have fallen out of the automatic promotion places.
Despite Plymouth looking to be on the verge of relegation, they do pose a significant threat to any side who travels to Home Park.
The Pilgrims have scored 34 goals at home this term, the fourth-highest tally in the division.
It remains hard to ignore their glaring defensive instabilities, though.
I thus expect Sheffield to bounce back, in spite of a resolute performance from Plymouth, and showcase why they currently hold the second-best away record in the Championship.
Suggested bet: Both teams to score & Sheffield United to win at 13/5 (Bet365)
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