Championship Predictions > Jan 22nd - 24th

[StevieDay1983]

[StevieDay1983]

The Championship has a heavily reduced fixture list this weekend with the FA Cup 4th Round taking place. The majority of those teams in this division that have been eliminated will play out some games but there's limited viewing. Let's hear what you are all thinking ahead of these matches! 

[malabgd]

Stoke City vs Watford FC

 

 

Stoke City

Doubtful: Steven Fletcher (19/4 f), Josh Tymon (14/0 d)

Out (injuries/other): Ryan Shawcross (2/0 d), Lee Gregory (6/1 f), Angus Gunn (4/0 2nd goalkeeper), Morgan Fox (17/0 d), Nathan Broome (0/0 g), Niki Maenpaa (0/0 g), Tyrese Campbell (16/6 f, top scorer)

Suspended: -

 

Watford FC

Doubtful: Glenn Murray (5/0 f)

Out (injuries/other): Ben Foster (22/0 first goalkeeper), Christian Kabasele (17/1 d), Isaac Success (0/0 f), Domingos Quina (14/1 m), Tom Dele-Bashiru (2/0 m), Stipe Perica (11/1 f)

Suspended: -

 

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

 

Win/Draw/Lose
Stoke City 12 home games	Watford FC 11 away games

42%	Win	18%
25%	Draw	45%
33%	Lose	36%
17%	Win and over 1.5 goals	0%
25%	Lose and over 1.5 goals	18%
58%	Team won first half	9%
17%	Draw at half-time	64%
25%	Team lost first half	27%

[StevieDay1983]

QPR vs Derby

The Championship is on a reduced schedule this weekend with the FA Cup taking most of the clubs away from league commitments but the solitary game on Saturday is the 3pm GMT kick-off between lowly placed QPR and Derby at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium. Both teams are experiencing improved form but are still lower in the league than they'd have liked at this stage of the season.

QPR come into this game in 17th place but with the club now 7 points above the relegation and having enjoyed back-to-back wins in the league it feels like things are less worrying than they had been. Mark Warburton's side scraped a narrow 1-0 win over my Cardiff side in midweek to put an end to Neil Harris' reign at the Bluebirds. I have to say, I wasn't particularly impressed by them and even though they've kept two consecutive clean sheets in the league now it feels like their opponents haven't exactly tested them in either game. It's been 4 home league games since Rangers tasted victory. The team have also failed to even score in their last 3 home league matches.

Derby secured their first league win with Wayne Rooney as permanent manager when they beat Bournemouth 1-0 during midweek. The Rams are still down in 21st place and just 2 points above the relegation zone with the teams below them possessing games in hand over them. It's a bit of a controversial decision to offer the job to Rooney given the club's distinctly average form. Derby have lost 3 of their last 5 league games and hadn't scored in any of those defeats. One interesting statistic is that Derby have conceded less than 1 goal per away game.

I'm not exactly anticipating a thriller here. Less than 2.5 goals have been scored in 10 of the last 11 matches Derby have played in the league. QPR have also witnessed fewer than 2.5 goals being scored in their last 9 league games. Add into this the fact that 12 of the previous 13 meetings between these two sides have ended in less than 2.5 goals being scored suggests we're not going to see a goal fest. I'm backing a bore draw.

Draw @ 3.25 with SBK

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.68 with SBK

[StevieDay1983]

Middlesbrough vs Blackburn

The Championship matches continue into Sunday this weekend with a couple of matches being shown live on Sky Sports. The one I want to focus on is the fascinating clash between Middlesbrough and Blackburn at 3pm GMT being played at the Riverside. These two sides both have quietly optimistic aspirations of qualifying for the play-offs this season but can either side take the victory here?

Middlesbrough are, as anyone with knowledge of Neil Warnock and the Championship would have expected, progressing well this season and turning into a fierce promotion chasing outfit. The team are in 7th position and just 3 points off the pace of the play-offs with a game in hand on 6th placed Bournemouth. Boro have won 5 of their last 7 league games and have managed to win 4 of their last 5 league matches at home. The 1-0 loss against Birmingham at home last weekend was only their second loss on home turf this campaign. The defence could do with tightening with Warnock's men failing to keep a clean sheet in their last 6 competitive games but at least they are still scoring having hit the net in 7 of their last 8 matches in all competitions.

Blackburn are a side that have plenty of potential. The squad boasts the likes of Adam Armstrong, Bradley Dack, Harvey Elliott, and Lewis Holtby. Yet the team is only down in 12th place and 9 points off the play-offs. It's easy to see how Tony Mowbray is coming under fire from certain sections of the Blackburn fan base. Interestingly, a quick scan through the Blackburn fan forums shows their unhappiness at the number of former Middlesbrough personnel at the club including Mowbray, Stewart Downing, and Daniel Ayala. Rovers have lost 3 of their last 4 away league games. Just 1 win from their last 6 competitive matches makes you understand why the fans are becoming disgruntled and you have to wonder just how long Mowbray can hold onto his job if they lose here.

Before the season started I had touted both of these sides to be pushing for the play-offs at least. I did even think Middlesbrough could potentially push for automatic promotion but that's probably wishful thinking. Blackburn are a team that are under-performing after having looked so good earlier in the campaign. I think Middlesbrough will seal a solid win and pile more pressure on Mowbray.

Middlesbrough to Win @ 2.56 with SBK

BTTS @ 1.91 with SportNation