5 Championship Tips - 3/9/22

Luton host Wigan Athletic at Kenilworth Road this Saturday, with The Hatters looking to bounce back from a 2 - 1 loss against Cardiff City. Wigan also need to win, with a 1 - 1 draw with West Brom and a 5 - 1 loss to Burnley since their last win.

However, this clash seems more suited to be a draw, despite both teams needing a win to progress from 13th and 18th for Luton and Wigan respectively.

In fact, Luton have drawn four times in their last six games at Kenilworth Road and Wigan have shared the points in four of their last nine games away from home.

To add to this, three of the last four games between Luton and Wigan have ended in both teams taking a point, suggesting that this weekend’s clash may end in a very similar manner.

Norwich City welcome Coventry to Carrow Road this Saturday in a clash that could see The Canaries leapfrog Sheffield United to sit top of the Championship. Coventry will also be desperate for the three points to get some momentum to get them off the bottom of the table.

Norwich come into the tie with four successive wins, the most recent being a 2 - 1 win over Birmingham, Onel Hernandez coming to Norwich’s rescue with a 93rd-minute winner. Coventry on the other hand have lost three of their last four, their most recent loss being a 1 - 0 against Preston.

Despite Coventry having a better overall record against Norwich, 54 wins compared to The Canaries’ 35 wins in the tie, Dean Smith’s side are still highly likely to take a win this weekend. This is even more likely when Coventry’s less than exemplar away record, losing both trips away from home so far this season.

Millwall face off with Cardiff City at The Den this weekend, The Lions looking for a win to improve their poor form and their less than ideal league placement, currently sat in 19th with just seven points. Cardiff aren’t fairing much better, sat in 17th, just a point above Millwall, and similar form.

The Lions have just a single win in their last five games, that win coming against bottom of the table and ten-man Coventry, who they beat 3 - 2. Cardiff also have just one win in their last five, this being a 1 - 0 win over a struggling Birmingham.

However, Millwall are the more likely side to leave the weekend with all three points. The Den seems to be a hotbed for Millwall's success, The Lions winning five of their last six home games.

Along with this Cardiff have lost five of their last seven games away from home, as well as failing to score in five of their last six games in the Championship, making a Millwall win likely and the scoreline being under 2.5 goals even more so.

Preston North End meet Birmingham at Deepdale this weekend, with Ryan Lowe’s men looking to keep their good run going. Preston currently sit in tenth place with 11 points and two wins and three draws in their last five games.

Birmingham on the other hand sit a disappointing 22nd in the table with only five points from seven games. The Blues have a staggering four losses and a draw in their last five games, meaning John Eustace’s men will need to take all three points this weekend in order to mount a good survival campaign.

However, Preston do look the likelier side to win all three points in this clash. The Lilywhites haven’t lost the last three meetings with Birmingham, and have an overall better record against The Blues with 40 wins in comparison to Birmingham’s 36 wins in the clash.

To compound this, Birmingham haven’t won away from home in their last seven games, which makes a loss for Eustace and his side even more likely this weekend.

Blackburn Rovers host Bristol City at Ewood Park this weekend, with Rovers looking to build momentum from their 1 - 0 win over Blackpool and improve upon their current fifth place in the Championship.

Bristol City have similarly had a promising start to the 2022/23 Championship season, sitting in seventh, just a point behind Blackburn. Nigel Pearson’s men have an impressive three wins and two draws in their last five games, including scoring 13 goals in their last six games.

However, Blackburn have only conceded five in six games, which makes it likely that both teams will find themselves on the scoreboard this weekend. Though, it is even more likely that Bristol City will be the ones taking all three points, with City winning two of the last four meetings between the two, the others ending in the teams sharing the points.