The race for automatic promotion from the Championship is intensifying and it now looks like being a three-horse race between Southampton, Reading and West Ham, who are all in action on Saturday looking to get some more vital points on the board.

Burnley v West Ham

Sam Allardyce’s Hammers have hit a sticky patch at just the wrong time in their bid to secure an immediate return to the Premier League (4/7 – Promotion) this season.

The Londoners looked certain to win promotion at one stage, but their recent inability to kill teams off – particularly at home – has resulted in five draws from the last six outings which has allowed in-form Reading to jump into second spot behind league leaders Southampton.

However, West Ham have been strong away from home all season and it might be good for them to be playing away from Upton Park as the pressure from the stands appears to have affected them in recent weeks.

The Hammers have picked up half of their total of 68 points on the road so will be confident of improving on that at Turf Moor.

Julien Faubert and Ricardo Vaz Te are still absent with respective groin and hamstring problems, while defender Guy Demel and midfielder Papa Bouba Diop have long-term injuries.

Burnley have been consistently inconsistent this season with their home record of six wins, six draw and six defeats summing things up perfectly. However, Eddie Howe’s men did defeat the Hammers 2-1 at Upton Park earlier in the season and have lost only four of 36 games against them on home soil.

Left-back Danny Lafferty and forward Danny Ings will be checked before the game, while top scorer Jay Rodriguez is also likely to start again after completing 90 minutes against Ipswich in midweek.

The Clarets want a first win in seven, while West Ham know a draw will mean a record fifth consecutive stalemate, but Allardyce’s side should get their promotion bid back on track on Saturday.

Prediction: Away Win 90 Minutes @ 5/4
Value Bet: Draw/West Ham HT/FT @ 9/2

Reading v Blackpool

A huge game is in wait in the scrap for promotion and play-off places at the Madejski Stadium as second-placed Reading take on fifth-placed Blackpool.

Brian McDermott’s Royals have jumped above West Ham into the second automatic promotion places (4/7 – Promotion) following a run of nine wins and one draw before Tuesday’s surprise 3-1 defeat at Peterborough.

They stay two points ahead of the Hammers, who have a game in hand, so will be desperate to secure three points against the Tangerines to stay in the box seat for another weekend.

The Royals have won five successive games on home soil going into this match and will be looking to extend that run, although they will have to do it without striker Jason Roberts due to a hamstring injury.

England youth international Benik Afobe has arrived on loan from Arsenal until the end of the season, and the youngster could make his debut, while Hayden Mullins is set to continue on the right of defence in the absence of ankle injury victim Matt Connolly and Joseph Mills continues to miss out.

Blackpool have hit an indifferent run of form in recent weeks, although Wednesday’s last-gasp 3-3 draw with Leicester at Bloomfield Road has kept them in the play-off places.

Ian Holloway’s side have won two, drawn two and lost two in their last six, but an encouraging statistic is they are the Championship’s top scorers on their travels with 32 so far.

Roman Bednar will sit this one out due to injury and so it is a timely return for Stephen Dobbie to the club from Swansea.

The Royals look set to bounce back from Tuesday’s Posh defeat and put another three points on the board this weekend.

Prediction: Home Win 90 Minutes @ 4/5
Value Bet: Reading To Win 3-2 Correct Score @ 25/1

Southampton v Doncaster

A real top-versus-bottom affair at St Mary’s which, on the face of it, appears to be one of the biggest home bankers of the weekend.

Nigel Adkins’ Saints sit five points clear at the top of the Championship table (1/3 – Outright) and look good for a return to the Premier League, while Doncaster are one place and one point off the bottom spot.

Southampton’s home form is easily the best in the league with 14 wins and just two defeats, while they have won five and drawn one in their last matches.

Guly do Prado and Tadanari Lee are injury doubts for the Saints so Billy Sharp could be handed a rare start against his former club, while midfielder Richard Chaplow could return to the squad after missing out at Hull in midweek.

Dean Saunders’ Rovers are in desperate need of a win as they are four points adrift of safety following a run of just one win in six, which came at fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest.

Shelton Martis remains a major injury doubt for Doncaster with hamstring and calf problems, while Tommy Spurr’s absence means George Friend will contest the left-back berth with Herita Ilunga after returning to training from knee ligament damage.

Pascal Chimbonda is poised to return at right-back having missed the Millwall home defeat due to his wife being unwell, while Kyle Bennett faces a late fitness test on his toe.

Everything points to a home win, but Rovers did defeat the Saints 1-0 at the Keepmoat Stadium earlier in the season and won 2-1 on their previous visit to St Mary’s so they will have some hope of securing a result.

But anything other than a comfortable win for the Saints would be a major shock.

Prediction: Home Win 90 Minutes @ 1/3
Value Bet: Lambert 1st Goal Southampton To Win 3-1 Scorecast @ 22/1

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