The second round of New Year fixtures are upon us on Bank Holiday Monday, with the game of the day taking place at the foot of the Championship table as managerless duo Crystal Palace and Preston do battle at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace v Preston (3pm)
The Eagles’ 3-0 thumping at Millwall on New Year’s Day proved to be the death knell for boss George Burley after five games without a win which has left them second-bottom in the table.
Preston are bottom after a dismal run which saw Darren Ferguson sacked late last week. Caretaker David Unsworth oversaw a 2-1 home defeat against Derby on Saturday which has left them six points adrift of safety.
It really is a must not lose game for both sides this one.
Prediction: Palace To Win 2-1 @ 7/1
QPR v Bristol City (3pm)
At the top end, league leaders QPR lost out 1-0 at high-flying Norwich to make it three defeats in their last five outings. However, they still hold a four-point lead at the top of the Championship and boast a strong home record.
Keith Millen’s Robins did the Hoops a favour by seeing off Cardiff 3-0 on Saturday, but I can’t see them picking up much at Loftus Road.
Prediction: QPR To Win 3-1 @ 9/1
Leicester v Swansea (3pm)
The Swans took advantage of teams around them slipping up on Saturday to move into the second automatic promotion place thanks to a 1-0 win against Reading at the Liberty Stadium. Brendan Rodgers’ side will find it difficult to pick up three points against Sven Goran Eriksson’s Foxes though, who got back on track with a 1-0 win at Hull.
Leicester have won six at home and the Swans have five away wins so there will be little to choose between the two at the Walkers Stadium.
Prediction: Draw HT/Draw FT @ 4/1
Middlesbrough v Norwich (3pm)
Paul Lambert’s Canaries jumped into third spot on New Year’s Day with that hard-fought 1-0 win against league leaders QPR making it five wins from their last six league outings. A win at struggling Boro could see them move into the top-two places on Monday.
However, Tony Mowbray’s side defeated Cardiff in their last home game at the Riverside and were unlucky not to win at fourth-placed Leeds on Saturday so an away win is not a foregone conclusion.
Prediction: Draw @ 23/10
Scunthorpe v Watford (3pm)
The Iron’s relegation fears increased on New Year’s Day as they were given a 3-0 spanking by neighbours Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium. A return to Glanford Park will hardly offer any respite for them as they have only won one and lost seven there so far this season.
The visitors are sixth-placed Watford, who arrive on the back of three successive wins against QPR, Cardiff and Portsmouth in which they have scored ten goals and conceded just two.
Prediction: Watford To Win 2-0 @ 8/1
Derby v Millwall (3pm)
Millwall moved to within a point of the play-off places thanks to a 3-0 win against London rivals Crystal Palace on Saturday to make it seven league games without defeat for Kenny Jackett’s side. On Monday, they travel to Derby, who ended a run of five straight defeats with a win at bottom club Preston.
It is a difficult game to call as the outcome will probably depend on whether Nigel Clough’s Rams have now rediscovered their good form again or if the Deepdale win was just a flash in the pan.
Prediction: Derby To Win 2-1 @ 15/2
Reading v Burnley (3pm)
These two sides are just on the fringes of the play-off places, with the Royals just a point behind the Clarets. The two swapped places on Saturday when Reading lost at Swansea whilst managerless Burnley came from behind to beat Sheffield United 4-2 at Turf Moor.
Reading are stronger at home, while Burnley have only won once on the road so far this season.
Brian McDermott’s Reading side also thrashed the Clarets 4-0 away from home in the corresponding fixture in October so I expect them to have the edge again.
Prediction: Reading To Win From Behind @ 9/1
Barnsley v Coventry (3pm)
Barnsley return to Oakwell after just missing out on ending Nottingham Forest’s long unbeaten home record after throwing away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 on Saturday.
They will be desperate to put even more daylight between themselves and the relegation zone with a win over a Coventry side that sits a point off the play-off places, but without a win in their last five league games.
Prediction: Draw HT/Barnsley FT @ 9/2
Ipswich v Nottingham Forest (3pm)
Ipswich followed up a home win against Leicester by securing a point at Coventry on Saturday and appear to have arrested the slump which saw them lose six league games on the bounce.
They face a tricky test against a Forest side which has not won away since November 20 when they stunned Cardiff City. It looks like being a tight affair at Portman Road.
Prediction: 1-1 Draw @ 11/2
Sheffield United v Doncaster (3pm)
Micky Adams’ spell in charge of the Blades did not start too well as they slumped 4-2 at Burnley on Saturday – their second successive defeat by that margin – which leaves them one place and two points above the relegation zone.
However, Adams will hope his arrival will inject new life into his players and the Bramall Lane faithful when South Yorkshire rivals Doncaster arrive on the back of two successive wins.
Sean O’Driscoll’s men lost 5-1 in their last away outing at Leicester, which could give the home side some hope of securing three vital points.
Prediction: Sheffield United 1-0 @ 7/1
Portsmouth v Hull (3pm)
Pompey’s revival has hit the buffers of late as the crushing 3-0 defeat at Watford on Saturday made it three games without a win. They will hope to get back to winning ways when Hull City arrive at Fratton Park on the back of a 1-0 home defeat to Leicester on New Year’s Day.
Both sides have disappointed since their relegation from the Premier League last season and there is little to choose between them.
Prediction: Draw @23/10
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