Championship Gameweek 38/39 betting preview

Burnley v SUNDERLAND, FRIDAY 8PM 

Perhaps the most important and high-profile fixture from this matchweek is the first to take place, as Burnley host Sunderland at Turf Moor knowing they are now just two wins from immediate promotion back to the Premier League. Aside from promotion, there is still a wealth of records on the table for Burnley to equal or surpass, but the main one Vincent Kompany will be looking at is the points record.

Currently on 83 points, Burnley need a return of 24 from the last 27 available to surpass Reading’s Championship record of 106, and considering the Clarets have won 12 of their last 13 home league games (D1), you’d expect them to move three points closer to that goal here. Spreadex have a Total Points spread of 99 - 100 - would you buy or sell?

Ahead of this one, the visitors will need to produce a turnaround in their recent form if they are to salvage any hopes of a play-off spot, with the Black Cats winning just one of their last five matches and now seven points off of sixth place. They also fell to a 4-2 defeat in the reverse fixture, but interestingly have not lost twice in the same season to Burnley since 1972/73!

The match odds for this one are Burnley at 4/9, Sunderland at 7/1 and the draw at 4/1. The supremacy spread stands at Burnley/Sunderland 1.2 - 1.4, with Total Goal Minutes at 140 - 150. We also have several PRICE BOOSTS available!

NORWICH V SHEFF UTD, SATURDAY 3PM  

Both of these sides are still in contention for promotion (albeit through different routes) and will look at this match as an opportunity for a crucial three points. Sheffield Utd are perched in second place and with automatic promotion as it stands, but are just three points ahead of third. The Canaries meanwhile sit just outside the play-off places, three points behind sixth place.

The home side will also need to break their run of consecutive draws in their last two matches, while the visitors have not had a draw in their last eleven matches. 

Head to head form certainly favours the visitors though, with the last five meetings seeing three Sheff Utd victories and two draws. Interestingly, both of those draws ended 2-2. The same result can be backed for a third time here at 11/1.

The supremacy spread ahead of this one stands at Norwich/Sheff Utd 0 - 0.2, while our PRICE BOOSTS include Norwich to win and Both to Score boosted from 15/4 to 24/5!

WEST BROM V MILLWALL, SATURDAY 3PM 

The Baggies face a crucial visit from Millwall, and a win will give them a real chance at fighting for a play-off spot. The home side currently sit in ninth place and five points off their visitors in sixth, but have a game in hand and could close that gap to just two. It is likely to be a very tightly contested match, with both sides in similar form recently. However, Millwall lost to strugglers Huddersfield last time out and this may be a good time for West Brom to host them.

H2H form shows recent superiority for the away side though, defeating the Baggies in three of the last five meetings (one draw, one WBA win).

Five of the last WBA home matches have seen under 2.5 total goals, and that can be backed at 8/13 here. Total Goals are at 2.25 - 2.45 on the spreads with TGMs at 114 - 124. In terms of match odds, West Brom are 87/100, with Millwall at 7/2 and the draw at 12/5.

HUDDERSFIELD V MIDDLESBROUGH, SATURDAY 3PM

And finally, Huddersfield look to keep their hopes of survival alive by taking on the sizeable challenge of third-placed Middlesbrough here. After producing a surprise against promotion chasing Millwall last time out, former Boro boss Neil Warnock now turns his sights to spoiling the weekend of another promotion candidate - his former club.  He knows all too well how to beat them too, with Warnock-managed sides picking up 30 of a possible 36 points against Middlesbrough across his long managerial career (W10, L2).

Things still look precarious for the Terriers as they sit in the drop zone and three points off safety but having played a game more, but will take some confidence in the fact that the last five meetings with Boro have produced mixed results but including two wins for Huddersfield and a draw - a 0-0 stalemate in the last meeting.

With just two wins in their last 15 matches, can the home side produce a shock here? They can be backed at 17/4.

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