There is a full programme of Championship football on Saturday with all 24 clubs in action. Cardiff are sitting pretty at the top of the table and will hope to maintain that lead against lowly Ipswich. We will take a look at that match-up and the other big ties affecting the top clubs this weekend (Cardiff 9/2 Championship Outright).
Ipswich v Cardiff City
While August was a mixed month for the Bluebirds, the advent of September saw the Welshmen’s season ignite with four wins and just one defeat en route to the top of the standings.
And October also began well with a 2-1 victory over Birmingham City to welcome the start of autumn as they opened up a one-point gap on Leicester City.
The task now for the capital club is to keep it going and a trip to Portman Road does not look too taxing for Malky Mackay’s charges.
The Tractor Boys last tasted league success back on August 21 at Watford and since swatting the Hornets, they have lost four and drawn three games and these are worrying times for the East Anglia outfit.
Home form is always the key to success and Ipswich have yet to win on their own patch with two draws and two losses, while they have only scored four goals.
It is true that Cardiff’s away form has not been their strength to date, with just one win on their travels, but they look a confident outfit and should have enough to claim the spoils from this one.
But history is not on their side as Cardiff have only won three times at Portman Road and were beaten 3-0 in the corresponding fixture last season.
Craig Bellamy looks set to miss out due to injury and Tommy Smith is doubtful, while midfielder Luke Hyam has been ruled out for Town but Michael Chopra is fit to play.
Pressure is mounting on Ipswich boss Paul Jewell and things might be even worse on Saturday night.
Odds: Ipswich 2/1, Cardiff 13/10, draw 12/5
Leicester City v Bristol City
Hot on the Bluebirds’ heels are the Foxes who, like the team above them in the table, won four of five Championship games in September.
That is certainly promotion form and they took some decent scalps last month, with wins at home to Blackpool and Hull while claiming all three points against Middlesbrough at the Riverside.
Victory at Huddersfield last time out made it back-to-back away wins but they are back on home territory this weekend and, with Cardiff playing at tea time, they could temporarily sit at the top of the table.
While they have not really blown any teams off the park, Nigel Pearson’s charges have been efficient and solid at the back and that augurs well for the season’s promotion push.
The East Midlanders have won all four of their home games and conceded just two goals in the process and, while that record will end at some stage, Bristol do not look like the club to ruin the home fans’ afternoon this weekend.
They have taken four points from a possible 12 on their travels but scored only four goals in the process and the Robins currently sit in 14th place in the table.
One win in their last six games is not the sort of form that is going to cause opposition managers too many sleepless nights and, with the middle of the division looking congested, they could easily be sucked into the danger zone if results do not improve.
Odds: Leicester 4/7, Bristol City 5/1, draw 11/4
Derby County v Brighton
Brighton are just one point behind Leicester in third but cannot afford to rest on their laurels with several big clubs nestled in behind and waiting to pounce.
Five consecutive victories had seen the Seagulls fly up the table but defeat at home to Birmingham and a draw with Ipswich last time out has thwarted their progress.
However a trip to Pride Park will not faze Gus Poyet’s high-flyers as they have already picked up nine points from four games away from home and appear happy to continue their brand of passing football away from the Amex.
Indeed it could be argued that they are happier on the road as the south coast club have already dropped seven points on their own patch this term.
They will face a Derby side in mid-table who have scored 11 goals in their four home games this season with two wins in the East Midlands already.
They did lose their last home encounter to Burnley but have taken 10 points from a possible 18 and will be no pushovers this weekend.
Poyet will still be without strikers Craig Mackail-Smith and Vicente with the duo set to return to action after the international break and they will be looking to improve on a record of just four goals in their last four matches.
Odds: Derby 13/8, Brighton 13/8, draw 9/4
Blackpool v Charlton
Blackpool are one of four teams on 16 points and they will hope to add another three to that tally when they welcome the struggling Addicks to Bloomfield Road on Saturday.
The seaside town certainly enjoyed the back end of the summer with a maximum nine points in August, with 10 goals scored and just one conceded, but they found points and goals much more hard to come by in September.
Ian Holloway’s men took just four points from five league contests and suffered defeats to Leicester, Huddersfield and Cardiff.
But they bounced back to form with a 3-2 victory at Hull on Tuesday night to get their promotion bid back on track.
The Tangerines are desperate for another taste of the promised land after failing to stay in the top flight in their only season in the Premier League to date.
And the fact that they came so close to a return last season will surely spur them on to try to go one better this term.
The days when Charlton were a permanent fixture in the Premier League seem a long time ago and it would seem as though they will be fighting a relegation battle this campaign and not considering a push for promotion.
Chris Powell has been unable to halt his side’s slip down the standings and they are currently 20th in the table with just nine points, which includes one win at home and one away.
The boss made it clear to the Charlton fans that they would need at least one season to settle into the Championship before thinking about taking another step up, but if things do not improve they might well be back in League One next year.
Four defeats from their past six games has left the Londoners hovering above the drop zone but they will have taken some confidence from a 2-1 win at Derby the last time they ventured away from the Valley.
But facing Blackpool in the north west will be a lot tougher and it is hard to see them coming away with anything this weekend.
Odds: Blackpool 4/6, Charlton 4/1, draw 11/4
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The second batch of Carling Cup third round matches continue on Wednesday night with two all Premier League encounters and holders Birmingham at big-spending Manchester City, but the stand-out tie is Brighton playing host to Liverpool.
The Championship appears as if it could be the league to watch this season with a number of sides vying for promotion. Two of the more fancied sides face off on Sunday with West Ham (4/1 Championship outright) hosting Cardiff in what could be an explosive match.
The Copa America in Argentina continues on Monday evening with the four sides from Group C taking centre-stage as the much-fancied Uruguay will face an injury-hit Peru and an intriguing battle is in store when a weakened Mexico side goes head-to-head with Chile.
Swindon midfielder Jon-Paul McGovern believes it is vital that the Robins start Saturday’s League One play-off final with Millwall in the right frame of mind and play their own game (Swindon 5/4 – to be promoted).