The Championship is back in full swing now with the third round of fixtures set to take place this midweek. Here, we pick out the big games from Tuesday’s action, including Southampton’s attempt to maintain their 100% start.
Ipswich v Southampton (7.45)
Nigel Adkins’ Saints have taken their return to the Championship like ducks to water after a 3-1 opening-day demolition job on Leeds which was followed up with a battling 1-0 win at Barnsley on Saturday in which they played for the last six minutes with ten men after Richard Chaplow’s red card.
Ipswich were good on the opening day with new striker signing Michael Chopra (13/8 Anytime Goalscorer) helping to shoot down Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
But Paul Jewell’s men could not follow that up on home soil as Matty Fryatt’s solo strike handed Hull a 1-0 win at Portman Road at the weekend.
It all points towards a club record ninth straight win for the Saints (15/8 Away 90 Minutes) following on from last season’s promotion success, but Ipswich are unlikely to roll over given that they disappointed their own fans at the weekend.
Therefore, back the Tractor Boys to halt the Saints’ run in its tracks on Tuesday night.
Prediction: Ipswich Home 90 Minutes @ 6/4
Value Bet: Chopra M 1st Goal 2-1 Ipswich Scorecast @ 33/1.
Leeds v Hull (7.45)
There have only been two games played so far this season, but it seems there is an element of pressure starting to mount on Leeds boss Simon Grayson’s shoulders following successive league defeats at Southampton and against Middlesbrough at Elland Road on Saturday.
Grayson will point to the ridiculous refereeing decisions which resulted in his side finishing the Boro game with nine men, while the opposition were also reduced to ten, as the key behind the 1-0 defeat.
But that will count for nothing when the Tigers come calling on Tuesday as he will now also be without banned striker Max Gradel and skipper Jonny Howson for the Yorkshire derby.
The arrival of Andy Keogh from Wolves will boost Grayson’s striker options for the game which his side can’t really afford to lose (11/8 Home 90 Minutes).
Nigel Pearson’s men will be on a high, having bounced back from the opening-game defeat to Blackpool and a Carling Cup humiliation at the hands of Macclesfield with an impressive 1-0 win at Ipswich on Saturday and they will no doubt scent a second successive away win (2/1 Away 90 Minutes).
However, Leeds’ defeat to Boro on Saturday was their first reverse on home soil since last October and they will not want to follow that up with a second just three days’ later.
This clash ended 2-2 last season and don?t be surprised if there is a similar outcome this week.
Prediction: Draw 90 Minutes @ 6/4
Value Bet: Draw 2-2 Correct Score @ 14/1.
Barnsley v Middlesbrough (7.45)
An interesting encounter at Oakwell sees Keith Hill’s Tykes up against Tony Mowbray’s Boro side who are bubbling along nicely so far this season after finishing last term on with four successive wins.
Barnsley started the season well with a creditable goalless draw at Nottingham Forest, before being knocked out of the Carling Cup by Morecambe in a 2-0 defeat at Oakwell last week.
Southampton then took maximum points from the South Yorkshire outfit on their own patch at the weekend. Therefore Barnsley are still searching for their first goal of the season as well as a first three-point haul.
Goals have not been a problem for Boro and, in particular, Dutch striker Marvin Emnes (6/1 First Goalscorer), who scored in the opening day 2-2 draw with Portsmouth at the Riverside, before bagging a hat-trick in the cup at Walsall and then scoring the winner at Leeds on Saturday with a tremendous strike.
It all points to an away win as Boro (6/4 – 90 Minutes) have suffered just one defeat in their last 15 games and have won four away games on the bounce in all competitions.
But Barnsley will be desperate to get off the mark in front of their own fans and have defeated Boro in the past two seasons on home soil (Barnsley 7/4 Home 90 Minutes) so that is worth considering when making a decision on this match.
Prediction: Draw 90 Minutes @ 23/10
Value Bet: Emnes M 1st goal 1-1 Draw Scorecast @ 30/1.
Watford v West Ham (7.45)
The pre-season joint promotion favourites West Ham finally got up and running with a 1-0 win at Doncaster on Saturday thanks to summer signing Kevin Nolan’s early strike (13/2 First Goalscorer) at the Keepmoat Stadium.
It helped to erase the memory of a disappointing opening game defeat against Cardiff at Upton Park the previous Sunday for Sam Allardyce and he will be hoping the Hammers can now progress and go on a good run of results – starting at Vicarage Road on Tuesday.
Sean Dyche started his tenure as Hornets boss with a 2-2 draw at Burnley after his side had led 2-0 at Turf Moor, only to then come down to earth with a bump as Derby secured a 1-0 win at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
The Hammers squad is undoubtedly a lot stronger than Watford’s on paper and if they can continue to gel following their morale-boosting win in South Yorkshire, they will have too much for the hosts.
Prediction: West Ham Away 90 Minutes @ 6/5
Value Bet: West Ham To Win 2-1 Correct Score @ 8/1.
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