Live on BBC 1: Sun 13.15: Swansea are 6/5 (Totesport) to beat Cardiff in the all-Welsh clash in the Championship this weekend.
Sunday’s massive derby clash at the Liberty Stadium headlines this weekend’s Championship action and aided by home advantage, Swansea look a decent bet to get the better of rivals Cardiff for the second time this season.
Brendan Rodgers’ side were beaten by Leyton Orient in the FA Cup in their last home match but they bounced back impressively in midweek with a 2-0 victory at Bristol City and their record on their own patch is bettered only by that of leaders QPR.
Furthermore, Cardiff have lost four of their last five league encounters on the road and have beaten the Swans just once in the pair’s last ten meetings. Subsequently, Totesport’s 6/5 marked against a home win catches the eye while for the bold, 888Sport quote 3/1 for Swansea to shade it by a one-goal margin and Stan James offer 7/1 for them to register a 1-0 triumph, as they did in the reverse fixture back in November.
Consecutive league wins, either side of a respectable performance at Arsenal in the Carling Cup, are a sign that Paul Jewell’s appointment, and the renewal of his partneship with assistant Chris Hutchings, are having a positive effect at Ipswich. The pair can preside over another victory this weekend too, as struggling Sheffield United arrive at Portman Road and the Tractor Boys are hard to ignore at even money with bet365.
The Blades have dropped into the bottom three having taken just two points from their last seven matches and although sceptics will point to the fact that they drew their last away match, that goalless clash was against an off-colour Coventry side on a dismal run of their own.
It tends to be a good idea to focus on goals in Leeds’ home games, primarily because there are so many of them and we’re sticking with that policy this weekend as the Whites entertain the Sky Blues. Admittedly, some might fancy backing Simon Grayson’s men at 8/11 with Paddy Power but they’ve drawn a few too many of late and are skinny enough to collect three points.
Punters seeking to side with the hosts could instead back Leeds striker Davide Somma at 5/4 (Coral) to get on the scoresheet for the fourth league match in a row but a better bet in the anytime goalscorer market is Coventry’s Marlon King.
The powerful forward has also netted in his last three outings (including one in the FA Cup) but that achievement is made slightly more impressive by the fact that his team are out of form and have lost that trio of games. Given the rate at which Leeds tend to concede at Elland Road then, he’s a definite goal threat at 13/5 with Coral.
Recommended Bets:
Ipswich to beat Sheffield United – evens (bet365)
Swansea to beat Cardiff by one goal – 3/1 (888Sport)
Marlon King to score at any time for Coventry – 13/5 (Coral)
Compare all Championship odds and bet at the best price.
