The Championship returns from a two-week hiatus this weekend, with two promoted clubs hoping to emulate Norwich City and Southampton in action on Friday night.
The Championship is a notoriously difficult league to get out of, unless you are a side fresh out of League One. In recent seasons, Norwich and the Saints have made a mockery of the strength of the second tier.
Both clubs achieved automatic promotion in their first seasons, leaving established Championship clubs scratching their heads. Momentum is massive in any sport and those two clubs certainly had it.
Those success stories will have no doubt given Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton Athletic and Huddersfield Town real belief this summer.
Out of the three teams promoted from League One last term, Sheffield Wednesday (6/1 to be promoted) are perhaps the best placed to challenge for a second successive promotion.
The Owls will face a test of their credentials when they make the long trip down to Brighton & Hove Albion (Brighton 21/20, draw 12/5, Sheff Weds 5/2).
Brighton were in Sheffield Wednesday’s position in 2011-2012 and began impressively, before fading away. They will have learnt from that experience and will be better equipped to challenge this season.
Seagulls boss Gus Poyet made a number of eye-catching signings in the summer, with the likes of Stephen Dobbie and Andrew Crofts making the switch to the south coast.
Wednesday, too, were active during the transfer window. Jay Bothroyd has the ability to take the Championship by storm, while Rodri offers Dave Jones’ side continental flair.
The two clubs go into the clash at the Amex Stadium with seven points from their opening four matches, an encouraging start to a gruelling Championship campaign.
Wednesday fell to a disappointing defeat at Crystal Palace last time out and will be desperate to get back on track. They will find life difficult at Brighton, but have enough quality to emerge with a point (1-1 draw 11/2).
Friday’s other clash sees Charlton face Crystal Palace in a south London derby at The Valley (Charlton 10/11, draw 5/2, Palace 3/1).
The Addicks were the dominant side in the third tier last term and have already made an impression in the Championship – earning a creditable draw at Birmingham City on the opening day before beating pre-season favourites Leicester City at home.
Chris Powell has largely stuck with the squad which won him the League One title, with only six players making the switch to The Valley in the summer.
The most notable of which was former Stoke City striker Ricardo Fuller (7/1 first goalscorer). The Jamaica international has a tendency to make the headlines for all the wrong reasons, but does have the ability to change games, particularly at this level.
Palace go into tomorrow’s match on the back of a morale-boosting victory over Sheffield Wednesday. The Eagles had lost their opening three games and looked devoid of confidence.
Dougie Freedman brought in David Goodwillie on a short-term loan on the final day of the transfer window. The Scotland international is the type of player who could fire Palace to a shock derby win (Goodwillie-Palace 2-1 66/1 – Scorecast).
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