Midweek Championship Tips: Back super Saints to go marching on | OneFootball

Tuesday night's Championship tips

Southampton vs West Brom - Eckert's men to exploit WBA's defensive frailties

Tuesday, 19:45, Live on Sky Sports+ App

Southampton bounced back from the Millwall defeat with a convincing victory over Birmingham. The return of Leo Scienza to the XI gave them a boost with the skilful Brazilian dancing around Brum defenders and setting up the opening goal. Tonda Eckert's first game in charge went perfectly to plan, and they should be able to keep their winning run going on Tuesday night. They are upwardly mobile, winning five of their last six and scoring 3+ in four of their previous five.

Although Eckert has been credited with masterminding a turnaround at St. Mary's, he has a squad full of quality players to work with, and by using them in their preferred positions, he's managed to maintain a happy camp. The German was delighted with his side's performance, although he admitted that he would also love his side to keep a clean sheet. They've managed just one shutout since October 18th and were helped by the visitors being reduced to ten men in that encounter.

West Brom's poor form on the road continued at the weekend with the Baggies slipping to a sixth consecutive defeat away from the Hawthorns. Ryan Mason's side were architects of their own downfall, committing various errors at the back and giving the ball away cheaply at Loftus Road. If they repeat those mistakes, they are likely to be emphatically punished on Tuesday night. This is a tough assignment for a side that just cannot seem to replicate their home form.

Blackburn vs Oxford - Rovers to squeeze past the visitors

Tuesday, 19:45, Live on Sky Sports+ App

For the second time this season, a Blackburn home game has been abandoned due to heavy rainfall. Rovers will be forced to replay their match with Sheffield Wednesday at a later date, although they may have enjoyed an extra few minutes of respite given their hectic schedule which has included the rearranged contest with Ipswich.

The hosts have struggled on the road this season, averaging just 0.89 goals per game at Ewood Park. They've failed to net a first-half goal in four of their last five here, and have taken the lead on four occasions yet have failed to see it through. Nevertheless, they were 1-0 up against Sheffield Wednesday before the weather intervened and they have shown tremendous energy on their travels. Surely they will be able to end their home hoodoo here.

Oxford were very disappointing at the weekend, and Gary Rowett was especially disappointed with their tame first-half performance. The Yellows failed to muster many opportunities against out-of-form opposition and left it too late to mount a comeback. Games involving Oxford tend to be decided on fine margins and Rowett is likely to have a game plan up his sleeve. They will make it tricky for the hosts, but are likely to come up short.

Charlton vs Middlesbrough - BTTS at a sombre Valley

Tuesday, 19;45, Live on Sky Sports+ App

Charlton's game against Portsmouth lasted just 12 minutes at the weekend before the players were taken off the field due to a medical emergency in the stands. Tragically, a Charlton fan lost their life and there will be a tribute at the Valley during this game.

Nathan Jones will be expecting his side to turn in a fitting performance here and if there is one manager in the Championship who is able to inspire this side, it's the Welshman. Unfortunately, the Addicks still have injury issues in defence with Reece Burke missing and question marks over Amari Bell. At the other end of the field, Charlie Kelman could potentially return.

It's far from an ideal fixture for the hosts, who will take on an in-form Boro. The visitors are thriving under new boss Kim Hellberg and were able to blitz Hull with an energetic first-half performance. Jones will demand that his side finds a way to test the Teessiders' patched-up defence and I suspect that they'll find a way through.

It's been eight games since Boro last kept a clean sheet and they still have several first-team defenders missing. They could struggle to contain the fired-up hosts.

Preston vs Coventry - Another tough 90 minutes for the leaders

Tuesday, 19:45, Live on Sky Sports+ App

Preston don't tend to make it easy for visiting sides. Leaders Coventry are unlikely to relish this midweek trip to Deepdale as they look to bounce back from their second defeat of the season. PNE were able to fight back and pick up a point at the weekend against Wrexham and Paul Heckingbottom's side do have a habit of raising their game whenever top sides pay a visit to Lancashire.

They've already beat Ipswich and Leicester here, taken a point from Middlesbrough and seen off Sheffield United from 2-0 down. They haven't been particularly secure at the back recently, and have been unable to keep a clean sheet in any of their last five matches here.

That's good news for Coventry, who saw their lead cut to seven points at the weekend. Frank Lampard admitted that he doesn't like losing and the Sky Blues fans have become accustomed to seeing their side waltz their way to victory so far this season. It wasn't a particularly bad performance from the pacesetters, and they should have been in front at Portman Road. They created several chances and they will undoubtedly play on the front foot once again on Tuesday. Although the hosts do not possess the same level of attacking prowess as the Tractor Boys, they rarely give up and should be able to also get on the scoresheet.

Sheffield United vs Norwich - Another goal-heavy 90 minutes at Bramall Lane

Tuesday, 19:45, Live on Sky Sports+ App

Sheffield United are resurgent. Chris Wilder's side have finally put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone with some sections of supporters daring to dream of a play-off run in the second half of the season. The Blades are purring, winning four on the bounce, and they've netted 3+ goals in each of those games, the first time they have managed this in the second tier since 1985.

Although there are myriad reasons for the upturn in form, the arrival of Patrick Bamford is looking like exceptionally smart business. The experienced striker has got himself on the scoresheet, but his all-round game, including his energy and hold-up play, is having a positive effect on the players around him. They created an xG of 2.43 and restricted Stoke to just 0.27. This was the complete performance from the hosts, who were able to rest both Tom Cannon and Callum O'Hare.

For Norwich, Philippe Clement has plenty of work to do. The Belgian is off the mark for the season and Josh Sargent has finally ended his barren run in front of goal, yet many of the defensive frailties which cost them at the beginning of the season are still evident. They switched off against Watford and could struggle to contain a side which appears to be oozing with confidence.

They haven't kept a clean sheet since August 30th and are conceding an average of 1.7 goals per game away from Carrow Road.

Swansea vs Portsmouth - Matos' men to sneak past Pompey

Tuesday, 19:45, Live on Sky Sports+ App

Vitor Matos picked up his first win in South Wales at the weekend as he watched his Swansea side brush aside Oxford. Admittedly, there is still plenty of work to do for the former Liverpool coach, with Josh Tymon's exceptional performance papering over a few cracks. Finding a way to get consistent performances out of the enigmatic Ronald and the slightly underwhelming Melker Widell is one of his biggest challenges, alongside improving the distribution of Ben Cabango. Nevertheless, this was an important victory for the club, who had lost their previous five matches, conceding 14 goals in the process.

The schedule has been relatively kind to Matos and the hosts, with a second successive home game against a fellow bottom-half side.

Portsmouth's game was abandoned after 12 minutes, so there is very little to assess from the weekend's action. Nevertheless, Regan Poole and Josh Knight were both missing from the XI with the former having been an ever-present in the side so far this season. Pompey have suffered from injury issues throughout the season, and they will be hoping that the latter, who has a back complaint, will be able to return for this contest.

The visitors have lost six of their last eight and have conceded ten times in their last three away games. They are unlikely to ship as many goals here, but this will still be a tough evening for John Mousinho's men.

Watford vs Sheffield Wednesday - Owls to be undone by a towering Dane

Tuesday, 19:45, Live on Sky Sports+ App

Watford beat Norwich at the weekend, coming back from a goal down to collect all three points. The Hornets are experts at overcoming a deficit, as this is the ninth time that they have fallen behind this season and still managed to take at least a point from the game. That highlights the spirit within the camp and they are clearly playing for Javi Gracia. Despite losing Giorgi Chakvetadze to injury in the first half, they rallied, and there were several standout displays from Jeremy Ngakia, Othmane Maamma and Luca Kjerrumgaard. The latter has acclimatised to the second tier and is proving to be a handful for opposition defence. The 22-year-old has six for the season, five of which have been scored at Vicarage Road and he could continue his goalscoring streak on Tuesday night.

Watford are very short at 1/2 and will be expected to win, although they have dropped points in games here when odds-on (Bristol City and Preston) so it makes more sense to back the big Dane to continue his purple patch.

Sheffield Wednesday were a goal down before their match at Blackburn was abandoned at the weekend. They've conceded three goals in three of their last four matches and have picked up just two points throughout October and November.

QPR vs Birmingham - Entertaining televised tie at Loftus Road

Tuesday, 20:00, Live on Sky Sports Football

Notwithstanding their struggles at Loftus Road this season, QPR have somehow accrued consecutive victories in West London, beating both Hull and West Brom. It was a decent display from the hosts at the weekend, with both Jonathan Varane and Nicholas Madsen orchestrating things in the centre of the park, and a combination of Richard Kone and Rumarn Burrell wreaking havoc further forward. Burrell has been an inspired signing with only one player in the whole of the EFL having netted more goals than the QPR frontman this calendar year.

Defensively, there is still work to do, yet they always look better with Jake Clarke-Salter in the XI. Given his injury record, we cannot simply assume that he starts this game as he rarely features in back-to-back contests.

Birmingham were punished by Southampton with some fans suggesting that Chris Davies perhaps left his side a little too open. Brum have plenty of dangermen and they should have had a second goal at the weekend with Kyogo Furahashi somehow blazing over from close range. They will create opportunities and take advantage of a defence which hasn't kept a home clean sheet since the beginning of October.

The visitors have conceded the first goal in all but one of their away games this season, so they may need to find a way to fight back once again.

Wednesday night's Championship tips

Bristol City vs Leicester - Entertaining 90 minutes at Ashton Gate

Wednesday, 19:45, Live on Sky Sports+ App

Gerhard Struber and the Bristol City bench were left seething at the weekend as they saw a legitimate-looking goal chalked off against Millwall. It was a significant decision from the officials as it cost the Robins a point, and they probably did enough to deserve something from this game. The affable Austrian must find a way to focus his players' minds ahead of this midweek clash.

They currently sit seventh in the Championship table with a mixture of inconsistencies and injuries preventing them from forcing their way into the play-off pictures. They have a 2-1-4 record since the beginning of November, although their home record is fairly solid. They tend to struggle when they concede the first goal of the game here, and they must find a way to stop Leicester from making a fast start.

The Foxes started with real urgency at the weekend, racing into a three goal lead at Pride Park. Fans have been purring over Welsh international Jordan James, who has slotted into the number six role perfectly, and the 21-year-old has now netted in three of his last five. Marti Cifuentes was quick the deflect the attention away from himself, admitting that pressure is part of the job. The former QPR boss desperately needed that victory and he will be aiming to find a way to add more consistently to Leicester's game.

The former Premier League champions rarely keep clean sheets and with a sense of injustice still prevalent at Ashton Gate, the hosts will come into this game with a little extra motivation.

Derby vs Millwall - Rams' winless sequence to continue

Wednesday, 19:45, Live on Sky Sports+ App

Derby seem to have gone from having one of the division's toughest defences to possessing one of the flimsiest back-lines in the second tier. The Rams were slow starters at the weekend, leaking three first-half goals to Leicester and they have now been breached seven times in their last three at Pride Park. The issue may not be with the defence itself, but with the players who are tasked with shielding Sondre Langes, Matt Clarke and Dion Sanderson. Ebou Adam's limitations have been exposed in recent weeks and the return of David Ozoh and Lewis Travis cannot come quickly enough for the home fans.

Millwall have also had their fair share of injury issues this season and their midfield has also been decimated with Massimo Luongo, Ryan Leonard, Billy Mitchell and Luke Cundle all on the sidelines. Alex Neil's patched-up side still remarkably sit third in the table and it is absolutely essential that they wrap Casper De Norre in cotton wool over the festive period. The Belgian is essential to the way they play and he will start this game, probably alongside youngster Daniel Kelly, who is still learning the game.

The visitors' defence is secure and if this game descends into a midfield battle, you'd have to back De Norre to triumph.

Ipswich vs Stoke - Another tough away trip for out-of-form Potters

Wednesday, 19:45, Live on Sky Sports+ App

Ipswich became just the second side to beat leaders Coventry on Saturday afternoon. The Tractor Boys were exemplary, putting their recent underwhelming performances behind them, although they rode their luck in the first 30 minutes. They survived a Coventry onslaught and were indebted to Christian Walton for pulling off several outstanding saves. Once they had managed to get a foothold in the contest, they displayed their attacking credentials and will take plenty of confidence into this midweek tie.

They have plenty of width with both Jaden Philogene and Sindre Walle Egeli causing issues on either flank, although McKenna may opt to deploy Jack Clarke for this fixture. There is a tremendous strength-in-depth to this squad and McKenna has regularly pointed to the fact that he has needed time to bed in this new-look squad.

Stoke are slipping down the table following a remarkable start to the season. The Potters sit sixth, yet they still possess the division's meanest defence. Mark Robins admitted that his side 'may have needed a slap' and they were certainly hit hard by in-form Sheffield United at the weekend. They've lost four of their last five and with easier fixtures on the horizon, this is a game in which they have to spend long periods weathering the storm.

Hull vs Wrexham - Visitors to extend their remarkable unbeaten sequence

Wednesday, 20:00, Live on Sky Sports Football

Hull were battered by Middlesbrough in the first half of their Friday night fixture as they struggled to contain Kim Hellberg's men. The men from Humberside managed to gain a foothold in the second half, adding a dash of respectability to the scoreline. The Tigers have now suffered back-to-back home defeats and have lost four of their last six overall. It seems that there is very little danger of them being sucked into a relegation battle as they score far too many goals, yet this is a tough test against one of the division's sternest defences.

Wrexham possess the EFL's joint-longest unbeaten run and they extended that sequence to nine games, despite a late scare at Deepdale on Saturday afternoon. Phil Parkinson's side sit in mid-table, largely due to far too many stalemates this season. They've drawn five of their last six on their travels, and have suffered just a single defeat away from home since the opening weekend of the campaign. Parkinson has plenty of options in his squad if he wishes to rotate amid a hectic period and they should have enough quality to take something back to North Wales.