Championship Play-Off Final Predictions > May 26th

[StevieDay1983]

[StevieDay1983]

The Championship Play-Off Final is this weekend between Aston Villa and Fulham in a 5pm kick-off at Wembley this Saturday. The winners will earn promotion to the Premier League. The losers will be condemned to another season in the Championship. Slavisa Jokanovic's side enter the game as favourites with the bookies but Steve Bruce's men cannot be counted out after re-discovering their best form.

What bets will you be backing to place?

[StevieDay1983]

Aston Villa vs Fulham

Finally, the Championship Play-Off Final has arrived. It's time for Aston Villa to take on Fulham in a 5pm kick-off this Saturday at Wembley with a place in the Premier League at stake. The winning side is likely to benefit from a £160 million windfall in what is being touted as the most lucrative game in the world.

As the teams that finished 3rd and 4th in the Championship this season it is probably fair to say that these two have earned the right to be in this final after their wins over Derby and Middlesbrough in the semi-finals. The big question now is who will go that final step and reach the promised land?

Steve Bruce's side will be hoping to bounce back up to the top flight at the first time of asking. It wasn't always looking like a realistic possibility with the team struggling early on in the season with just 1 win from their opening 7 league games. However, 7 league wins on the bounce over the New Year and across January helped to move them into promotion contention before narrowly missing out on automatic promotion.

Slavisa Jokanovic's men have done well to recover after that disappointing finale to the season. The Cottagers had also started the season below par with just 1 win in their opening 6 league games. Their outstanding unbeaten run from 16th December until their final game looked like it might get them over the line in second but eventual runners-up Cardiff held their nerve. Winning this game would see Fulham return to the top flight after an absence of three seasons.

The bookies are slightly favouring Fulham and I have to say that my gut instinct wants to back them. I've just had a sneaky feeling that Aston Villa will do it all this time. I think their experience will see them through. I'm still not confident enough to back either side though. I think the game is more finely poised than the bookies are suggesting.

Their previous meetings this season have seen Villa win their home game 2-1 with Fulham winning their home tie 2-0. So it's tough to call. I think nerves will be clear to see in this game and it'll be a tight match. I'm not convinced it'll end in 90 minutes and it could even go to extra-time and penalties.

I'm going to have to call this a draw over 90 minutes and I think we'll see less than 2.5 goals scored during that period. I am tempted to back Aleksandar Mitrovic to score any time due to his recent run of scoring but I think it could be the familiar case of the winner coming from an unusual source. Anyone willing to bet on John Terry scoring the winning goal?

Draw @ 3.20 with BetVictor

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.62 with Betfair

@waynecoyne, @sajtion, @arvee, @canaries91, @Mindfulness, @betcatalog, @Magic0024, @malabgd, @CloughandTaylor, @Tiffy, @PokerWolf1, @teddybear3011, @skyblues88, @allyhibs, @Icongene, @KikoCy, @willie82, @Neubs, @Papa Lazarou, @kulikTS, @Valkovets, @harry_rag, @Pipoca, @padman, @Marek76, @silver fox, and @the bastardian, what will be the outcome of this crucial game? What bets are you considering?

[malabgd]

Aston Villa v Fulham FC

Aston Villa: Ahmed El Mohamady (44/0 m, doubtful), Neil Taylor (29/0 d), Axel Tuanzebe (5/0 d), Andre Green (5/1 m), Jed Steer (0/0 g)

Fulham FC: no absences

 

Daily updated injuries and suspensions information from more then 100 football leagues and competitions worldwide at: www.injuriesandsuspensions.com

[Tiffy]

Unders for me too!

[Magic0024]

Football Facts and Streaks regarding Championship

Fulham have won their last 4 home games against Aston Villa in all competitions.
Fulham have won 87% of their last 15 home games in Championship.
Fulham are undefeated in their last 16 home games in Championship.
Aston Villa have kept a clean sheet in 71% of their last 7 games in Championship.

You can find interesting 87 Football Betting Streaks for 26.05.2018 on this link ... http://eurofootballrumours.com/football-facts-and-streaks-26-05-2018-9721

[StevieDay1983]

I've spoken to a few Villa fans over the past few days and they seem to think this game is theirs. Already talking about transfer targets for going up. Such arrogance. This talk about John Terry's new contract allowing him to miss Chelsea games also seems premature. Surely Fulham's team talk is done?

[Icongene]

Liking the unders on this one. Bruce has been and done this before. He knows how to manage this game and the situation and I'd be shocked if he wasn't looking to keep it tight. 

The playoff final and pressure often makes for a bit of a dull nervy affair.

Cue a 4-4 thriller now haha