The Insider
Just three weekends to go in the Championship season - so you're running out of time to make a mint courtesy of our 'Insider' tips! Check out our predictions and win big at pnebetting.com.
Barnsley 11/8 Draw 9/4 Leicester 2/1
The Tykes will need a (Diego) 'Leon-hearted' performance to see off the threat of relegation-threatened Leicester, and that's exactly what I expect we'll get. However, the Yorkshire side's need for points isn't quite as great as it was this time last week, and I'll expect them to be mildly charitable in a desperately scruffy affair.
Verdict: Draw
Blackpool 11/8 Draw 23/10 Sheffield Wednesday 19/10
Tip against Blackpool is the rule, but if the top two fixtures on this list go the way of the home side, our Championship status is assured for 2008/09. It still pains me, though, to go for the Seasiders, so I'll sit on the fence and hope that North End take all three points for themselves.
Verdict: Draw
Colchester 2/1 Draw 23/10 Coventry 11/8
Another one that we could do with going the way of the home side. The Essex boys can obviously play with freedom, but surely there's too much at stake for the boys from the West Midlands to be turned over by an already relegated outfit?
Verdict: Draw
Norwich 12/5 Draw 12/5 West Brom 11/10
The Canaries have virtually nothing left to play for except pride, and we all know what's at stake for the visitors in this game. Those men in yellow have had a tendency to self-destruct at home on a number of occasions this season, so expect the rampant Baggies to show no mercy if they start falling apart again.
Verdict: West Brom
Plymouth 11/10 Draw 23/10 Preston 3/1
Three to one for an away win? Do our odds compilers not bother to look at the form book before putting these crazy prices into play? It's six games since we lost on our travels, so their generocity seems to know no bounds.
Verdict: PNE
QPR 11/8 Draw 23/10 Charlton 19/10
There's a never-ending stream of London derbies in the top flight, but there's an increasing scarcity of them at this level. Expects lots of aggro, narked expressions, and general cries of 'oi', but little in the way of footballing entertainment as Pardew's men throw away one of the easiest chances for promotion they've had in years.
Verdict: Draw
Scunthorpe 5/2 Draw 23/10 Cardiff 11/10
It's all too tempting for Cardiff to have one eye on their return to Wembley (a phrase like that still reminds you that hosting the semis there greatly cheapens the actual final appearance) but those Welshman seem to be made of stern stuff and have compounded their critics on a regular basis this season.
Verdict: Cardiff
Sheffield United 11/8 Draw 23/10 Hull 19/10
Long odds for the Tigers to take the spoils in another game they must win to keep automatic promotion in their own hands. They seemed to have relatively few problems taking advantage of Barnsley in midweek, so unless James Beattie goes goal-crazy again, they should make it a derby double this weekend.
Verdict: Hull
Southampton 11/10 Draw 12/5 Burnley 3/1
The Saints seem to have a knack of doing the exact opposite of what you'd expect, and in their nervy position I'd expect them to make hard work of a Burnley side that possesses far more quality than many give them credit for. With that in mind, I'm expecting them to win this one by a clear four or five goals.
Verdict: Saints
Watford 11/8 Draw 9/4 Crystal Palace 2/1
I mentioned those all-too-rare London derbies earlier, so how odd that the fixture computer should throw up an almost London derby on the day that the only other possible derby combination for the capital could have come up. With most of these southern fixtures I couldn't give a monkeys, but this one's got Play-Off excitement written all over it, and Watford have got to do something special to avoid setting the world record for most draws ever, anywhere, anytime, any circumstance.
Verdict: Draw
Wolves 11/10 Draw 9/4 Ipswich 5/2
Two sides trying to claw their way into that top six shape-up, but a lot hinges on the fact that the visitors are indeed the visitors in this particular tie. At Portman Road I'd be tipping the Tractor Boys straight away, but reverse the tie and it's an entirely different kettle of fish. I know Ipswich is a bit stuck out on a limb, but they've got to come up with a solution for their persistent travel sickness.
Verdict: Wolves
Stoke Evens Draw 12/5 Bristol City 11/4 (Live on Sky, Saturday 5.20pm)
A mouthwatering prospect on offer and it's no surprise to see that the Sky TV cameras have snapped up this one and made it a late kick-off. OK, so we said exactly the same thing about last week's TV game (word for word - you can check it in the archives), but this is a proper promotion tussle which will be played in front of an expectant bumper crowd. And you know what happens when all the part-timers come along wanting to be entertained...
Verdict: Bristol City
A £1 accumulator on this dozen will pay out £121,059.27 at the above odds!
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