Charlton expected to make it three Championship wins on the spin
Charlton [2.28] v Birmingham [3.35]; The Draw [3.35]
Charlton were written off by many pundits in pre-season, but Lee Bowyer’s side have defied those critics, and have won four of their first six Championship matches. Last year’s League One play-off final winners managed to remain unbeaten throughout August, and are one of just three sides who are yet to taste defeat in the second tier.
The Addicks went into the international break off the back of an impressive 2-0 win at the Madejski Stadium. It was a notable victory as it was the first time that they’d kept back-to-back clean sheets this campaign. It’s now just two defeats in their last 25 matches in all competitions, and Bowyer’s men will be confident of extending that eye-catching run on Saturday afternoon.
Although their XG numbers haven’t been particularly strong, they’ve still managed to find a way of winning games, and a number of players have caught the eye so far. Lyle Taylor has once again played a significant role while the return of Josh Cullen has also been key. Tom Lockyer has settled in at the back, whilst Jonathon Leko looked extremely lively against Reading, grabbing his first goal since October 2018.
They’ve already beaten Stoke and Brentford at this ground, and they will not be overly concerned about Pep Clotet’s Birmingham. The Blues were victorious on the opening day of the season, but have lost each of their last three away games by a 3-0 score-line. They’ve registered just 21 shots in those fixtures, and barely threatened the Swansea defence during their recent visit to the Liberty Stadium.
Birmingham don’t have a particularly good record at this ground, winning just one of their last eight visits to North Greenwich. Clotet guided his previous club Oxford United to just four away wins in League One during his tenure at the Kassam, and his sides are seemingly set up to be much more effective on home soil.
Charlton have the momentum, and they should be too strong for Birmingham. The Blues haven’t impressed on the road, so backing the Addicks at [2.28] on the Exchange is advised in this one.
Entertaining afternoon expected in West London
QPR [1.99] v Luton [4.0]; The Draw [3.7]
Despite some reservations surrounding the appointment of Mark Warburton, QPR have made a strong start to the campaign, and the Rs find themselves just outside the play-off places coming into this fixture. The former Brentford boss specialises in developing young players, and the likes of Eberechi Eze and Ilias Chair are flourishing under his tutelage.
Only Leeds and West Brom have had more shots than the Hoops this season, with Warburton’s men averaging 15 per match. They have only scored nine goals, which is the lowest in the top eight, but have netted five of those in their last two Championship outings. One potential area of concern is the fact that they are yet to register a clean sheet, while they’ve also conceded the first goal in five of their last six games.
The arrival of Jordan Hugill looks like an astute bit of business, and the striker has looked at home in a QPR shirt. He’s netted in each of his last three matches, and is likely to keep the Luton defence busy throughout the 90 minutes.
The Hatters have finally kickstarted their season, and back-to-back victories have helped propel Graeme Jones‘ men away from the relegation zone. Luton rarely have problems scoring, and have hit the back of the net in five of their six games, however summer signing Simon Sluga is yet to chalk up a clean sheet.
QPR will have to remain switched on throughout this game, as Luton offer a significant threat in the final third. Ten of their 16 strikes have come from set-pieces so far, and that could be their best route to goal once again.
Neither side has convinced defensively so far this season, but both of these teams offer a significant threat at the other end of the pitch. Sportsbook customers can use the Same Game Multi to back Over 2.5 Goals and Both Teams to Score at [1.94], and that looks a superb way of approaching this potentially entertaining tie.
Swans and Forest set to entertain
Swansa [1.97] v Nottingham Forest[4.0]; The Draw [3.7]
Although they face stiff competition from Charlton, Swansea are surely this season’s surprise package so far. There was little fanfare surrounding the appointment of Steve Cooper, but the former youth coach has done a superb job since taking over from Graham Potter. Prior to the international break, the Welshmen saw his side beat Leeds at Elland Road, which helped lift them to the summit of the Championship table. They rode their luck at times in West Yorkshire, and somehow managed to claim a second consecutive clean sheet.
Swans fans were pleased to see a rejuvinated Borja Baston remain at the club, while Andre Ayew have also looked reborn in recent weeks. The likes of Matt Grimes and George Byers have also caught the eye, and Bersant Celina has offered a couple of magic moments so far.
Cooper tends to opt for an easy-on-the-eye style of football, and this has allowed them rack up 12 goals so far. Only Preston can match their record of eight goals from their first three home matches, and they should give Nottingham Forest plenty of problems on Saturday afternoon.
The Tricky Trees are unbeaten in their last five matches, and have become incredibly difficult to beat under Sabri Lamouchi. They have lost just two of their last twelve games against the Swans, and have suffered just a single defeat in their last 11 Championship matches (vs West Brom).
December 2007 was the last time that Swansea won five consecutive matches, and this will certainly be a tough task for the hosts. Although the draw is tempting in this game, backing Both Teams to Score? Yes at 4/6 on the Sportsbook looks to be a much safer way of betting on this clash.
You can follow Jack Critchley on Twitter @jcritch7
Source: Betfair UK English Championship
