Championship Tips for the Weekend 23/11/21

Bournemouth welcome Huddersfield Town to the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, with the Cherries aiming to strengthen their position at the top of the Championship. Scott Parker’s side are five points clear of his old team, Fulham, after 13 games.

The south coast outfit are still yet to lose a single league fixture this season, putting them very much on track to return to the Premier League following their 2019/20 relegation from the top tier. The visitors have had a strong start to the campaign, seeing them move into a promotion place in sixth spot.

The Terriers have gone four games without defeat in the league, which includes wins over Hull City and Blackburn. Huddersfield should put up a strong fight, but Bournemouth are clear favourites to make it four successive Championship wins.

Another team doing a good job of returning to the Premier League is Fulham, who travel to the City Ground to take on an in-form Nottingham Forest. After a dreadful start to the season, things were looking bleak for Forest. However, since the arrival former Swansea boss Steve Cooper, the Reds have been in great form and have won their last four league games, as well as managing one draw.

They’ve beaten some decent sides, but Fulham will be a different test for Cooper and his team, so could be in line for a first loss under their new boss. Wednesday’s win over Cardiff bumped Fulham up to second, overtaking third-placed West Brom and sending them into the automatic promotion places by one point. Marco Silva’s men have won their last two on the bounce and will be favourites to make that three.

Aleksandar Mitrovic got the second in midweek and has been back to his goalscoring best this season. The Serbian has notched up 13 goals in as many games so far and we think he'll do it again here.

Barnsley host Sheffield United at Oakwell on Sunday, with both teams in search of an important three points in a big South Yorkshire derby.

The Tykes have been disastrous so far this season, winning just one of their 13 league games. Markus Schopp’s men are currently enduring a torrid time, losing their last five matches in a row, and sitting second-from-bottom. If not for Derby County’s financial troubles and points deduction, Barnsley would be rock-bottom. It’s been a mixed start to the season for Sheffield United. Just when it looks as though Slaviša Jokanović and his side have turned a corner and could get a winning run together, the Blades slip up and suffer a setback.

They lost in midweek at home to Millwall came after a big win against Stoke last weekend. The Blades are currently in 14th place and could climb a few places with a win.

Two sides with aspirations of reaching a play-off spot meet at Ewood Park on Saturday, with Blackburn and Reading going head-to-head. The hosts had a decent start to the season but have slipped a bit in recent weeks, winning just once in their last five. The 1-0 loss away to QPR on Tuesday was Rovers’ third defeat in their last five.

Tony Mowbray’s men are 13th on 17 points but could move above their weekend opponents with a win, as well as move up the league in that tight cluster of teams below the top seven. Ben Brereton Diaz will more than likely lead the line for Rovers after enjoying a fantastic start to the season.

The English-born striker has become a sensation in Chile after his goalscoring exploits whilst on international duty for the national team. The former Forest man has continued that form into his league campaign, scoring 10 and providing one assist in his 13 Championship games. Reading are in an up-and-down sort of run in the Championship at the moment as the Royals went on a three-game winning run in September before losing at Derby, then winning against Cardiff and Barnsley.

With pressure building on Mick McCarthy, it’s a huge game at the Cardiff City Stadium vs Middlesbrough. The Welsh outfit have lost a staggering seven Championship fixtures in a row, seeing them drop to precariously above the relegation zone.

The Bluebirds are two points above 22nd-placed Hull, after just three wins all season. It may well be the final straw for the ex-Wolves boss with another defeat this weekend. Interestingly, all of Middlesbrough’s last four games have ended with the 2-0 scoreline.

Neil Warnock’s side beat Sheffield United then lost to Hull before consecutive wins against Peterborough and Barnsley, respectively. They can make it three wins on the bounce by heaping more pressure on Mick McCarthy this weekend.