Blackpool are the only Championship side with a 100 per cent record but they face a big test at Leicester City, who are currently 8/1 to win the title outright, on Saturday.
The Foxes are considered one of the favourites to win promotion this season under Nigel Pearson but Leicester haven’t got off to the kind of start they would have hoped for, with just three points on the board after three games.
Blackpool could have been forgiven for starting the season slowly after defeat in the play-off final at the end of the last campaign but Ian Holloway’s men seem set to mount a sustained promotion challenge and demonstrated this with a 6-0 hammering of Ipswich last weekend.
In contrast, Leicester are in the midst of a mini-slump and even a home tie against Burton in the Capital One Cup in midweek didn’t offer any respite as the Foxes slumped to a 4-2 defeat. Therefore, the freescoring Seasiders look good value at 23/10 to secure all three points in the 5.20pm kick off on Saturday, while the hosts are 11/10 and the draw 5/2.
Another side who have legitimate promotion aspirations this season are Nottingham Forest, who completed the signing of Henri Lansbury from Arsenal earlier this week. Lansbury is recovering from injury and will not feature as Forest hosts Charlton on Saturday but Sean O’Driscoll’s men should still be able to continue their unbeaten start to the season and maintain their 100% home record.
Forest are evens to take all three points, the draw is 12/5 and a win for the Addicks is priced at 11/4.
Gianfranco Zola’s arrival at Watford in the summer was met by some scepticism but the Italian has enjoyed a fine start to life as a Championship manager with six points from the Hornets’ three games to date. Zola’s side travel to Derby County on Saturday, with the Rams still seeking their first win of the season.
Derby have only lost one fixture so far, at Bolton, but as Watford’s raft of summer signings continue to gel they will only get better and are great value at 2/1 to take all three points at Pride Park. Derby are 13/10 to seal the win and the draw is 12/5.
South Yorkshire outfit Barnsley are in the middle of an injury crisis and boss Keith Hill is without 10 first-team players for the visit of high fliers Bristol City on Saturday. Hill has even gone as far as checking what cars his players are driving, sitting positions and distances travelled to try and find the root cause of his injury nightmare and when it gets to that stage you know you’re in trouble.
It could be a case of damage limitation for the Tykes until they have a few more bodies back from the treatment room, including Egyptian forward Mido, and the visiting Robins could capitalise on Barnsley’s plight. City boss Derek McInnes brought in a number of attacking additions during the summer and has plenty of options available to him and the Robins will be confident of taking all three points back to Ashton Gate when they visit Oakwell on Saturday.
A win for Bristol City is 13/8, Barnsley are also 13/8 to pick up three points and the draw is 23/10.
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