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Championship preview

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Queens Park Rangers’ march back to the Premier League has stuttered in recent weeks with five draws and just one victory in the last six matches.

Goals have been hard to come by with just one a game during that run and they face a trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday having drawn 1-1 with Portsmouth in midweek.

Billy Davies’ men have been difficult to beat at the City Ground and are yet to lose a game and, with the Hoops unable to win at present, we predict a score draw could be on the cards, which could see Rangers knocked off the top of the table if Cardiff manage to win at Scunthorpe (1-1 draw 11/2).

And the Bluebirds are tipped to take all three points from their visit to Glanford Park to play a Scunthorpe side who have already suffered defeat five times at home this term with just one success.

The Iron have lost their last three home games and there seems no reason to believe that the horror sequence will end on Saturday.

The Welsh side are solid on their travels, with five victories under their belts already, and we predict that Cardiff will top the Championship table on Saturday night with a comfortable success by at least two goals (Cardiff 7/1 to win 2-0).

Derby are currently in the play-off zone but form will go out of the window this weekend as they travel to the Walkers Stadium to meet local rivals Leicester City.

Nigel Clough’s side have three away victories behind them and took all the points from a trip to Portman Road on Tuesday night – their third successive victory.

The Foxes are also in decent nick with seven points from their last three games and, with solid home form behind them, they should be able to hold on for a point in a high-scoring draw (2-2 draw 12/1).

Norwich City travel to Reading just two points better off than the Royals but without a win in three Championship games.

Their last victory came against Middlesbrough back on October 23 and they have drawn their last two fixtures, taking a point off Millwall on Tuesday night.

Reading also drew in midweek and have not reproduced the form that saw them put four goals past both Doncaster and Burnley prior to a loss to QPR.

It is hard to separate these two former Premier League sides and a draw seems the obvious result with Reading looking solid on their own patch (draw 12/5).

Finally, Ipswich will have hopes of slipping into a play-off spot after they play host to Barnsley, but Town are notoriously hard to predict at home.

Roy Keane’s men have won four but lost three at Portman Road and defeat to Derby followed two successive victories in East Anglia.

But they have won three of their last four games and should have too much ammunition for a Barnsley side who have recorded just one win away from Oakwell.

The Tykes did manage to down Preston at Deepdale on Tuesday but the chances of lighting striking twice appear to be slim this weekend with Ipswich tipped for a comfortable triumph (Ipswich 4/6 to beast Barnsley).

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SPL preview and predictions

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Dundee United take on Kilmarnock in a match that is too close to call, with both sides showing decent form of late.

The hosts lost last time out to St Mirren but won their previous two SPL encounters to sit sixth in the table with 17 points, while Killie are just one point and one place below them in the standings.

Strangely, Killie have done better on their travels this term, with three wins already, while United have either won or lost at home and have yet to share the points at Tannadice.

Kilmarnock have won three top-flight matches in a row but that may well end this weekend with a score draw predicted for this one (1-1 draw 11/1).

Hamilton have yet to win at home this season and face an Inverness side who have already tasted victory four times on the road.

The Accies have lost their last two and that will surely become three successive defeats on Saturday afternoon, with Terry Butcher’s men full of confidence after their midweek victory over hapless Aberdeen.

Caley have already taken a point from a trip to Ibrox and will not be daunted by the prospect of facing the basement club at New Douglas Park (Caley 6/4 to beat Hamilton).

Hibs had lost three SPL games in a row before Tuesday’s amazing 3-0 victory away at Rangers which gave them 11 points from 12 matches this season.

They will face a Motherwell side who are flying high behind the Old Firm and have specialised in winning on the road this term.

‘Well have already won four times away from Fir Park and that trend looks set to continue with Hibs tipped to come down to earth with a bump after their midweek heroics.

Hibs have only won once at Easter Road this campaign and we believe they will still have 11 points on Saturday night after a narrow Motherwell success (Motherwell 6/4 to beat Hibs).

Rangers still sit at the top of the table but there would not have been many who backed Hibs to turn them over at Ibrox, and a double with Celtic also losing would have been unthinkable.

They host an Aberdeen side in freefall and will surely be looking to set the record straight with an emphatic victory in Glasgow.

The Dons did take a 2-0 lead in the first encounter this season only to see the Gers score three to claim the spoils, but it is unlikely that Walter Smith’s men will be so welcoming this time around.

Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne has given the dreaded vote of confidence to under-fire Aberdeen boss Mark McGhee, but anything like a repeat of the 9-0 reverse to Celtic will surely force his hand into making a change (Rangers 14/1 to win 5-0).

Finally St Johnstone welcome Hearts to McDiarmid Park desperate to arrest the three-game losing sequence which culminated in a 4-0 hammering at Motherwell last time out.

They have already lost four games at home this term and will have their work cut out to prevent that becoming five this weekend.

Hearts have been superb away from home with four wins already and they appear to be a solid bet to take all three points from this one with the confidence gained by downing Celtic on Wednesday night (Hearts 6/4 to win).

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Five weekend selections…

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Christopher Samba could earn punters some Fantasy Football points this weekend when Blackburn look to frustrate goal-shy and injury-hit Spurs (0-0 Correct Score 10/1).

Fresh from victory at Newcastle, Rovers will head to the Lane full of confidence and with just one up front.

2) Andy Carroll will come up against Fulham on Saturday, looking to score in three consecutive matches. The Newcastle man (Evs to score at anytime) will be desperate to prove to Fabio Capello that he deserves an England call-up.

3) It is imperative that Manchester City defeat Birmingham at Eastlands on Saturday and Carlos Tevez is due a goal (Tevez 3/1 First Goalscorer). The Argentinian’s last league strike came on October 17, but it won’t be long until he is on the scoresheet again.

4) Manchester United have got an unbelievable record at Aston Villa (13/2 Utd to win 2-0), with Fergie’s men unbeaten in their last 14 league visits, winning nine of those. Edwin van der Sar kept a clean sheet against City in midweek and with Villa’s injury problems up front, another blank is on the cards for the Dutchman.

5) Hugo Rodallega (13/2 to score 2 or more) proved a real handful for the Liverpool defence on Wednesday and Wigan have shown signs of coming to life in their last two games. Roberto Martinez’s men, if they turn up, should pick up three crucial points against West Brom.

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10 best midweek football bets

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Tottenham can justify favouritism against travel-sick Sunderland at White Hart Lane in the Premier League on Tuesday. The north Londoners have only lost one at home, while Sunderland are awful on their travels (4/7 Tottenham 14/5 draw 5/1 Sunderland – match betting).

The Black Cats got hammered 5-1 at Newcastle on their most recent jaunt, have won just once at the Lane in the last 26 years and have won only one of their last 23 away games – plus there is no Darren Bent.

2) Stoke may be relieved to be back at the Britannia on Tuesday night but come against a bogey side in Birmingham City, who have yet to win away this season. However, they are on a seven-match unbeaten streak against the Potters and have not conceded a goal in that time. (Birmingham clean sheet 3/1 and Blues 7/10 +1 Handicap – match betting).

3) The knives have been out for Manchester City (17/10 to win) boss Roberto Mancini after suffering three successive defeats but are a different proposition at home, having beaten Chelsea earlier in the season and look good value to get the better of Manchester United, who have won only once away, in the derby.

4) Liverpool (8/11 in the match betting) have turned a corner with four successive wins in all competitions, including a 2-0 win over champions Chelsea with Fernando Torres (7/2 Enhanced First Goalscorer) back among the goals, and should take care of business against an inconsistent Wigan side, which has won just once at the DW Stadium so far this season.

5) The odds will not be great, granted, but a double on Celtic and Rangers (0.97/1) to both win is always a wise move. On Wednesday, the Old Firm go head to head against the Edinburgh clubs, with Rangers at home to Hibs and Celtic at Hearts. The Bhoys will be in ultra-confident mood following the ridiculous 9-0 drubbing of Aberdeen over the weekend while Rangers, top of the league, will have too much for Colin Calderwood’s side.

6) Turning to the Championship, Leeds (4/5 – match betting) entertain struggling Hull at Elland Road tonight and will surely continue their pursuit of the top six with a win over the Tigers, who have not won a league match in seven now. Expect that miserable run to continue despite boss Nigel Pearson’s best efforts to stop the rot this evening.

7) Without a victory in three league games, Burnley (10/11 – match betting) host Doncaster and should have too much for Rovers at Turf Moor. The Clarets have lost just once at home so far this season – albeit a 4-0 thumping against Reading – and, with Doncaster without key striker Billy Sharp, the visitors strike threat has been nullified significantly.

8) Nottingham Forest against Coventry at the City Ground is a midlands derby of sorts and, despite the Sky Blues going well in fifth, a victory for the home side is a decent bet here (4/5 – match betting). Forest are the Championship’s draw specialists, having been held eight times already this season, and must put an end to that run soon as they look to preserve a proud home league record – they have not lost at the City Ground in the league since September 2009.

9) Preston are desperate for a win when they take on fellow strugglers Barnsley on Tuesday and would be worth backing at 21/20 as they go in search of just their second three points in seven games.

10) Finally, Leicester, under the astute guidance of former England chief Sven Goran Eriksson, have been making great strides of late and will be fired up for a home clash against Sheffield United. The Foxes have chalked up successive victories over Preston and Barnsley in their last two games, without conceding a goal, and another narrow win (correct score – 1-0 to Leicester – 11/2) is predicted on Wednesday.

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Tevez can fire City to revenge

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Carlos Tevez can prove the decisive factor in helping Manchester City end Manchester United’s unbeaten run (City 8/5, Draw 9/4, Utd 17/10 – Match Betting), with the Argentinian making a timely return to action.

The former United favourite was sorely missed during City’s three-game losing streak, but his comeback at West Brom saw Roberto Mancini’s men return to winning ways.

It was the red half of Manchester that enjoyed the bragging rights last season, with two wins over their local rivals in the league and success also in the Carling Cup.

The determination to turn the tables on Fergie’s men is clear and no one will be more desperate for a victory than Tevez (6/5 to score at anytime) – who already has seven league goals to his name this season.

United, who were fortunate to claim a late winner against Wolves, have a string of injury absentees and have been battling against a virus in the camp in the last week.

Sir Alex Ferguson has already expressed his concern at a lack of numbers, with Nani doubtful and Ryan Giggs and Owen Hargreaves sidelined.

Meanwhile, Arsenal’s title credentials face a big test when they visit a resurgent Wolves outfit (5/1 to win the game), who are capable of inflicting another defeat on the Gunners.

Arsene Wenger’s men slipped to their third defeat of the season against Newcastle on Sunday and the Frenchman needs his key men to respond at Molineux.

League leaders Chelsea have just the game they need to get them back on track after defeat to Liverpool when they face west London rivals Fulham.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men are a different team at Stamford Bridge and they will prove too strong for a Fulham squad struggling for goals at present without the injury Bobby Zamora.

Fresh from their success over the champions, Liverpool will be handed another test to see if they really have turned the corner – with an away date at Wigan.

The Latics clash is the type of game the Reds have struggled with in the past, with Liverpool scoring just two goals in their last three visits to the DW Stadium.

With Fernando Torres (7/2 to score first goal) close to top form though, the Wigan defence don’t look strong enough to cope with the Reds’ attacking threat.

Newcastle will face former boss Sam Allardyce when Blackburn visit St James’ Park, and the Magpies look set for a third league win on the bounce.

Rovers may be hard to beat at home but their away form is poor and an in-form Toon will fancy their chances of cementing a top-six place.

There could well be more pressure heaped on Gerard Houllier when Blackpool visit Villa Park looking for their fourth away win of the season.

Villa have a striking injury crisis at present and it’s hard to see where their goals will come from, while the Tangerines are scoring plenty.

Despite another impressive win for Bolton at the weekend, history suggests they will be on the end of a defeat at Everton on Wednesday.

The Blues are unbeaten in their last six matches and look a decent bet to defeat Owen Coyle’s men, who have lost on their last four visits to Goodison Park.

West Ham look in real trouble at the bottom but they could pick up their second win of the season again struggling West Brom (West Ham 11/8, Draw 9/4, West Brom 2/1 – Match Betting).

After a fine start to the season, the Baggies have lost back-to-back games and confidence and discipline looks to be draining from the squad.

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Championship predictions

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Championship leaders Queens Park Rangers (7/4 Outright) enjoyed a good weekend after a 3-1 victory over Reading put them back on top of the table, before closest rivals Cardiff lost 1-0 to Welsh neighbours Swansea on Sunday.

However Neil Warnock’s side will have their unbeaten record severely put to the test on Tuesday when they travel to the south coast to tackle a resurgent Portsmouth side.

Pompey slipped to a 2-0 defeat at Derby on Saturday, but that was a first setback in eight Championship games, while Steve Cotterill’s men have won four games on the bounce at Fratton Park scoring 14 goals in the process.

Therefore if there is a strong possibility that the Hoops could be tasting defeat for the first time this season (6/4 – 90 minutes betting).

Derby moved up to fourth thanks to that win against Pompey and they face a tough trip to Portman Road to take on Roy Keane’s sixth-placed Ipswich.

The Tractor Boys won at Sheffield United on Saturday and go into the match with two successive wins under their belts, but with Nigel Clough’s Rams also in good form a draw looks a good bet for this one (23/10 Draw – 90 minutes betting).

Fifth-placed Coventry will aim to bounce back from a 3-2 defeat at home to Leeds on Saturday, but they will find the points hard to come by at Nottingham Forest.

Billy Davies’ side are unbeaten on home soil so far this term and should maintain that impressive form at the City Ground (10/11 – 90 minutes betting).

Norwich sit just outside the play-off places on goal difference following the point picked up against Carrow Road against Burnley on Saturday when they battled back from two-down.

The Canaries will need that battling spirit at Millwall on Tuesday as Kenny Jackett’s side generally have a decent record at the Den.

However, while Paul Lambert’s side have done well on the road this term, I fancy the Lions to nick this one by the odd goal (13/10 – 90 minutes betting).

Leeds were flying on the road again with their win at Coventry making it three successive away day victories. However their home form is inconsistent with heavy losses against the likes of Cardiff and lowly Preston.

Struggling Yorkshire rivals Hull City arrive at Elland Road without a win in seven, but capable of grabbing a share of the spoils in what would be Leeds’ first home draw of the campaign (13/5 Draw – 90 minutes betting).

Burnley’s home form has been the key to them sitting within two points of the play-off places so far this term.

And Brian Laws’ side should make it six wins at Turf Moor (11/10 Home win – 90 minutes betting) in a tight game against a Doncaster Rovers side that sits three places below the Clarets but level on 22 points.

At the wrong end of the table Preston will hope to pull away from the bottom three relegation places by seeing off a Barnsley side without an away win to their name this season at Deepdale.

However Darren Ferguson’s men have lost four on home soil so, with that in mind, expect a tight game with both sides settling for a point (5/2 Draw – 90 minutes betting).

Scunthorpe United are brilliant on the road this season with five away wins already in the bag – the latest came in the derby at struggling Hull City on Saturday.

However they have struggled in front of their own fans with just one win and four defeats at Glanford Park.

The Iron will feel confident of improving on those statistics when Middlesbrough arrive in town with the worst away record in the whole country – no wins, a draw and six defeats with only two goals scored so far.

However it is the first away match for Boro since Tony Mowbray took over from Gordon Strachan and the Teessiders will go into the game buoyed by their 2-1 win against fellow strugglers Crystal Palace at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.

Boro could build on that result by taking advantage of Scunthorpe’s home woes and grab a much-needed point from the tussle (9/4 Boro to earn a draw).

Bottom club Crystal Palace let a one-goal lead slip late on at Boro on Saturday and they will return to Selhurst Park to face Watford on Tuesday.

George Burley has been boosted by the return to fitness of Darren Ambrose and Neil Danns, but they will find it difficult to get anything from a Hornets side which has a great away record with four wins from seven on their travels (Watford 8/5 to make it five away wins).

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Premier League Preview – Tuesday

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Stoke City take on Birmingham City on Tuesday night with manager Tony Pulis still seething from yet another big decision that appears to have gone against his men at the weekend.

Mark Clattenburg is set to take charge at the Britannia Stadium and Pulis will be hoping that he can cut out his high-profile mistakes that have caused controversy in recent weeks.

Potters fans never know what to expect from their team at the moment as they lost their first three Premier League matches, then took 10 points from their next four, and haven’t added to that tally since beating Blackburn on October 2.

But the current poor run includes three away defeats and the only reverse at home was against Manchester United when they looked set to take a point from the Red Devils before Javier Hernandez won the game with just four minutes to go.

Stoke do not have a great recent record against Alex McLeish’s side at home, as Birmingham have won three of their last four league and cup games at Stoke, keeping a clean sheet in each match, and the Midlanders  travel to the Potteries after coming back from 2-0 down to take a point against West Ham at the weekend.

Goals may be at a premium in this match as Birmingham have only scored six in their last eight matches, while they have won just three of their last 21 Premier League contests.

Stoke have scored two goals in their last four top-flight matches but if they can get the rub of the green then we predict that their losing streak will come to an end and they will sneak this one by the odd goal (Stoke 11/2 to win 1-0).

Tuesday’s other Premier League match-up sees Tottenham entertain Sunderland with Harry Redknapp’s men desperate for a win to get their season back on track.

The north Londoners have been superb in Europe and it may be that their league form has suffered as a consequence, with a draw and two defeats in their last three games leaving them in seventh place on 15 points.

However the table is so congested, with four other teams also on 15 points, two on 14 and a couple more on 13, and so the standings could alter significantly over coming weeks.

Spurs are back at White Hart Lane and that should give them the edge over a Sunderland side who have also garnered 15 points to date.

They bounced back from humiliation in the north-east derby to beat Stoke on Saturday, albeit with a little help from the officials, but they are a different side away from Wearside, with three draws and two defeats on their travels.

Steve Bruce is likely to go looking for a point on Tuesday, as his men rarely score away from home, and it could be like the Alamo at times with Spurs; attacking talent bearing down on the Sunderland box.

Tottenham are capable of beating the best on their day and we believe they will run out winners by at least two goals, although an early strike will be vital to force the visitors to come out and try to get back into the game (Spurs 5/1 to win 2-0).

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10 things we learned about the weekend’s football

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1) Lorient are laughing all the way to the bank after selling Laurent Koscielny to Arsenal for £9.7m as he is not any kind of answer to their defensive problems – Gunners fans can breathe a sigh of relief though as the red card against Newcastle means he is banned for two games (Arsenal 4/7 to beat Wolves on Wednesday).

2) Arsenal also still have keeper problems as Lukasz Fabianski played up to his nickname – Flappyhandski – as Newcastle stunned the Gunners at the Emirates on Sunday.

3) Andy Carroll is proving any doubters wrong and that he may well have deserved a place in the England team. The 21-year-old will be hoping he is still firing when the next squad is announced by Fabio Capello.

4) Liverpool’s Fernando Torres (8/1 to finish as the Premier League’s Top Scorer) is proving the old adage true that ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’ following his two-goal demolition job on champions Chelsea.

5) Spurs are struggling to balance their domestic and European commitments, and badly need Jermain Defoe back from his ankle problem as the club has mustered just 13 goals in 11 Premier League games, despite smashing seven in two past Euro champions Inter Milan.

6) Teams do not always get what they deserve – just ask Mick McCarthy. Wolves played well enough to win at a misfiring Manchester United but a 93rd-minute goal keeps Wolves in the bottom two and United (3/1 to win the Premier League) in the title hunt – always play to the whistle!

7) His heart may not be in it but Carlos Tevez is capable of showing that money can indeed buy you a title after Man City ended their three-match losing streak at West Brom.

8) Alternatively tune in to watch Real Madrid, no shrinking violets when it comes to splashing the cash, and they are tearing up in La Liga, remain unbeaten in all competitions and are banging in goals for fun. Maybe Jose Mourinho really is the Special One.

9) Blackpool (11/10 to stay up) have been a breathe of fresh air in the Premier League this season and look as though they will continue to be so after another good performance – plus Ian Holloway is always good for a post-match quote.

10) West Ham (Evens to be relegated) are in bad enough trouble as it is without throwing away a 2-0 goal lead, apparently through complacency, and it’s the fourth time this season they have surrendered a winning position. The Hammers are going to continue to struggle unless they improve their resilience.

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Fergie admits to Owen mistake

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Sir Alex FergusonOwen Hargreaves made his first start for over two years in Manchester United’s 2-1 victory over Wolves on Saturday but he lasted just a few minutes before injury forced him off the field again (United 7/2 to win the Premier League) and boss Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted it was a mistake to play the midfielder in the game.

A bewildered Ferguson has revealed it is a hamstring problem that has affected the midfield star this time, rather than a recurrence of the long-standing knee injury that has sidelined him for the best part of two years.

“We thought by doing that it would give us a compact midfield with experience. But he only lasted five minutes. It was a disaster,” revealed the Old Trafford chief. “He has hurt his hamstring, which is unbelievable.”

United left it late yesterday, with Ji-Sung Park scoring the winner in stoppage time, as they keep the pressure on league-leaders Chelsea, who visit Liverpool on Sunday.

The shock result of the day perhaps came at the Reebok Stadium as Bolton Wanderers secured an impressive 4-2 victory over Tottenham.

Spurs went into the game on the back of a famous European victory over Champions League holders Inter Milan but they struggled to cope with a compact and determined Bolton side.

Kevin Davies opened the scoring for the hosts, before Gretar Steinsson and a Davies penalty appeared to put the Wanderers out of sight.  Spurs did hit back through Alan Hutton and Roman Pavlyuchenko to set Bolton’s nerves jangling but Martin Petrov added a fourth to ensure the home side secured all three points.

Wanderers boss Owen Coyle was understandably delighted with the result and believes Bolton are heading in the “right direction.”

“I like to think we are improving. Hopefully we are moving in the right direction. It is very much a work in progress,” Coyle said.

“The players are showing a lot of quality, and I thought it was an outstanding performance today.”

Bolton have been beaten just twice this season and look a strong and well organised unit, with players such as Chung-Yong Lee, Stuart Holden and Petrov providing pace and skill.  The Wanderers are a very attractive 20/1 to secure a top-six finish, they are currently fifth in the league, and although very much an outside bet it is not out of the question that Coyle could lead them into Europe this season.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp turned his attentions to Gareth Bale and defended the midfielder’s performance against Bolton.  The Welsh wizard produced some glimpses of magic at the Reebok but failed to make the same impact he did against Inter Milan in midweek.

Bale is without question one of Spurs’ best players but Redknapp is eager to ensure the youngster is not put under too much pressure after he praised the youngster despite the defeat at Bolton.

“There was nothing wrong with Gareth today. He was probably my best player,” said Redknapp.

“He had some fantastic runs and crossed a couple of great balls. If people had got on the end of them he could have made two or three goals.”

Spurs are pushing for fourth spot but could fall further behind the pack if Manchester City end their losing streak and secure a victory at West Brom (Match Betting – West Brom 9/4, draw 12/5, City 23/20).

However, with players such as Luka Modric, Rafael van der Vaart and Bale amongst their ranks it would be foolish to count Spurs out at this stage (Spurs 3/1 to finish in the top four).

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Welsh pride on the line

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It’s going to be fiery crivals Cardiff City and Swansea clash in a juicy first-versus-third contest in another exciting weekend in the rollercoaster ride that is the Championship.

The battle at the Cardiff City Stadium is bound to throw up some incidents and there should be plenty of goals in a match between two attacking sides.

Cardiff have been the stand-out performers in the Championship so far and are on a five-game winning streak in the league which includes a 4-0 hammering of Leeds United at Elland Road.

Whilst the Bluebirds have shown some excellent attacking football  they can be suspect at the back having recorded only one clean sheet in their last five games so Swansea have a good chance of getting on the scoresheet in this one.

Swansea have quietly worked their way up the table and welcome back experienced midfielder Mark Gower as the player has recovered from a torn hamstring.

The Swans are unbeaten in their last six Championship games and look like they could challenge for a play-off spot this season.

Swansea (14/5 to beat Cardiff)  have a good chance of getting something out of this game and will be boosted by the fact that Cardiff are without the league’s top goalscorer – Jay Bothroyd – through suspension.

Down at the bottom of the league Middlesbrough face Crystal Palace in a crucial game for both sides, even at this early stage in the season.

Newly-appointed Boro boss Tony Mowbray did not get off to the best of starts as he saw his side lose 2-1 at home to Bristol City in his first game in charge at the Riverside.

Middlesbrough have not won in their last seven Championship games and will be desperate for all three points on Saturday.

Palace have also had a miserable start to the campaign after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.

The Eagles are leaking goals having conceded seven in their last two games.

Mowbray will be pleased by the fact that his side have not failed to score at home this season, and with Kris Boyd (6/5 to score anytime) starting to adapt to the league, they have a good chance of winning the battle at the bottom.

Two clubs in and around the play-off places are Coventry City and Leeds United and the two meet at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday.

Leeds fans are suffering an up-and-down season; after shocking home performances against Preston and Cardiff they produced an accomplished display at Scunthorpe.

The Whites side seem more comfortable away from the big crowds at Elland Road having picked up more points on the road this season and have won more points from coming back from a goal down than any other side in the league (Leeds 11/1 to win from behind).

The Sky Blues sit in fourth and have had a strong start under manager Aidy Boothroyd.

This should be an interesting contest which has been boosted by the fact that in-form striker Gary McSheffrey will face the side who decided to not keep hold of him last season.

The former Birmingham striker has criticised Whites boss Simon Grayson which will add extra spice to this one.

With Leeds playing well on the road they are in a good position to win the clash on Saturday.

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