The Championship action continues on Saturday with a number of intriguing clashes including the derbies between Midlands pair Birmingham and Leicester (4/1 joint favourite – Championship outright) and Lancashire duo Burnley and Blackpool.
The game at St Andrew’s could be season-defining for both sides and defeat may even see either Lee Clark or Nigel Pearson lose their jobs (Match Betting – Birmingham 21/10, draw 12/5, Leicester 5/4).
After missing out in the play-offs last season, the Blues were widely expected to once again be challenging for promotion, but they have struggled so far this term, winning just three of their 10 matches.
This run has seen them drop to 21st in the table and despite only arriving in the summer there is already huge pressure on Clark to start delivering some results.
In contrast, the Foxes are flying, sitting second in the league, but that hasn’t stopped the speculation surrounding Nigel Pearson’s position, with Harry Redknapp being linked with the job as the club’s ambitious board look to bring a big name in to boost their profile.
Despite the internal struggles at the King Power Stadium, 49-year-old Pearson has done a stunning job at Leicester and has managed to get rid of the disruptive elements that harmed their form last season.
This has led to them playing some of the most exciting football in the Championship and although the game will be tight, they should extend their run on Saturday (Leicester 8/1 to win 2-1).
The other game that stands out is the clash between Lancashire rivals Burnley and Blackpool in the late game (Match Betting – Burnley 15/8, draw 12/5, Blackpool 11/8).
The Clarets are currently a side in crisis following boss Eddie Howe’s recent return to Bournemouth and haven’t won in their last four matches.
Whoever comes in at Turf Moor will certainly have their work cut out, as Howe appeared to be only half way through transforming them back into the promotion contenders after selling a lot of the club’s leftover stars from their time in the Premier League.
However, they still have plenty of talent within their side and with Charlie Austin (5/4 to score at anytime) in fine form, they’re always dangerous.
After a superb start to the season the Seasiders have also struggled in recent weeks, losing three out of their last four games, but are still well in the promotion hunt.
With a number of his players back after the international break, Ian Holloway will be looking for a response and his young side will be desperate to prove their worth after a difficult few weeks.
With so much talent on display, this game could produce fireworks but with all the confusion surrounding Burnley, Blackpool will expect to get back to winning ways (Blackpool 12/1 to win 2-0).
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