Saturday Championship betting preview with free bets
Leicester City v Reading, 5.20pm
It’s not been the start to the season that either team were looking for, although the Championship is a competitive division and any side is just two wins away from catapulting themselves up the table. By all accounts, the Foxes have been playing some excellent football and they are 13/10 (Sporting Bet) to break their duck for the season. Paulo Sousa will just be hoping that City can cut out the sloppy defensive errors that saw them lose 3-0 at Burnley last Saturday.
It’s now nine goals conceded for Leicester and Reading will be hoping to take full advantage at the Walkers Stadium. It was a fixture that the Royals won last season and Brian McDermott’s team are 2/1 with bet365 to get their first win of the Championship season and shoot up the table. Perhaps both teams will cancel each other out and Sky Bet offer a stand-out 23/10 that it ends all square.
Derby County v QPR, 3pm
Neil Warnock’s team have got their season off to a flying start, although it will take more than home wins against Barnsley and Scunthorpe to get promoted. They are 11/8 with William Hill to continue their 100% record at a ground where they came from 2-0 down to register a 4-2 win last season.
However, Derby County are playing some excellent football this season, despite losing two of their three league matches. They were unlucky to lose to Coventry on Saturday and are too big at 2/1 (Sky Bet) to win at Pride Park and cruise up the table.
Kris Commons (8/1 Ladbrokes) is the danger man for the Rams, although American forward Conor Doyle is 9/1 (Paddy Power) to grab his first goal since signing for Derby in the summer as Nigel Clough looks to improve a defence that hasn’t yet kept a clean sheet. Adel Taarabt is the danger man for the Hoops and he’s 10/1 (Victor Chandler) to break the deadlock.
Nottingham Forest v Norwich City, 3pm
Forest have failed to win any of their three Championship matches to date, although they have had relatively tough games against Burnley, Leeds and Reading. It’s Norwich who are the visitors to the City Ground on Saturday and the home side are even money (Paddy Power) to kickstart their season with three points.
It’s a decent price from the Irish firm when you consider that Ladbrokes go 5/6 about the Tricky Trees beating a team that won League One by a country mile last season and have started well this term with wins against Scunthorpe and Swansea. The Canaries will go into this match with nothing to lose and Blue Square offer 7/2 that they win the match.
Their chief concern will be trying to stop the twin threat of Robert Earnshaw (5/1 bet365) and Dexter Blackstock (11/2 William Hill), although they have a couple of hot strikers themselves. Grant Holt is a 7/1 shot (Stan James) to open the scoring against his former club, with Simeon Jackson an eye-catching 10/1 (bet365) to break the deadlock.
