All articles by: Thomas Mcgrath

Wigan Athletic vs Nottingham Forest – Match Preview

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Wigan Athletic vs Nottingham Forest
Sunday 20th October 2019
The Championship, DW Stadium

Live on Sky Sports Football – Kick Off: 14:00 BST

Wigan Athletic return to the DW Stadium this weekend as they host Nottingham Forest in the SkyBet Championship on Sunday afternoon.

The Latics will be hoping they can build on their slight upturn in form prior to the International break, which saw them lost only two of their last six matches; before that, the Greater Manchester side had gone on a run of four consecutive defeats. Their opponents Nottingham Forest are enjoying a fantastic opening to this campaign, where they currently sit 2nd in the Championship standings, but are level on points with league leaders West Bromwich Albion. Forest have lost only once in the league this season; the opening day defeat to West Brom.

Compare that to this stage of proceedings last season, Forest were sat in 5th place with sixteen points. Sabri Lamouchi’s introduction to Championship management couldn’t be going too much better, and the Frenchman and his side have got Forest fans believing this may well be the season which propels them back to the big time.

Paul Cook’s Wigan side will be hoping for an improvement on last seasons finish of 18th place, where they finished 12 points above the relegation zone; which will have been the primary objective following their promotion from League 1 the season before, to secure Championship football for the following season. If Wigan are to build on last seasons bottom half finish, then their form at the DW Stadium must be bettered. The Latics won eleven times on home soil last season and drew eight. Turning them draws into victories is the next step for Paul Cook’s side, which is what will certainly help them climb higher this season.

Last seasons meetings between these two sides resulted in a win and a draw for Forest. They defeated this weekends opponents 3-1 at home, before the 2-2 stalemate at the DW Stadium back in January. There are only fourteen meetings between these two sides on record, the first coming back in 2003 in what was then Division 1. Both fixtures between the two last season resulted in BTTS, and this is a market worth considering for this encounter.

The referee for this weekends clash is Matthew Donohue. This is the Englishman’s first season officiating in the Championship, and in his six appearances so far this season he has awarded twenty-eight yellow cards. Because of this, I would suggest a minimum of 30+ yellow cards. Donohue is yet to oversee a Nottingham Forest match this season but did officiate Wigan’s 3-1 defeat to QPR in August, where he awarded six yellow cards that day.

This match will be shown live on Sky Sports Football, with kick off scheduled to take place at 14:00 BST on Sunday afternoon.

Prediction: Wigan 1-2 Nottingham Forest

Suggested Tips (BET365)

  • First goalscorer – Joe Lolley to score first – (link no longer available).
  • Correct Score – Nottingham Forest to win 2-1 – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips (SKYBET)

  • Nottingham Forest Price Boost – Nottingham Forest to win and BTTS – 5/1.
  • Correct Score Group Betting – Nottingham Forest to win 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1 – 5/2.
  • Combined Player Shot Multiples – Josh Windass and Lewis Grabban to have 5+ shots on target between them – 10/1.
  • Player Tackles – Charlie Mulgrew to make 2+ tackles – 4/1.
  • To Score 2+ Goals – Nottingham Forest to score 2+ – 6/4.

Markets last updated 20th October 2019 at 10:53 AM.

Blackburn Rovers vs Huddersfield Town – Match Preview

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Blackburn Rovers vs Huddersfield Town
Saturday 19th October 2019
The Championship, Ewood Park

Live on Sky Sports Football – Kick Off: 12:30 BST

Blackburn Rovers return to Ewood Park as they host Huddersfield Town in the SkyBet Championship on Saturday lunchtime.

Rovers will be looking to return to winning ways following their 4-2 defeat against QPR prior to the International break, meanwhile their opponents Huddersfield Town will be hoping they can extend their impressive start to life under new Manager Danny Cowley. The Terriers have won their last two outings and picked up a total of seven points from a possible twelve since his arrival.

Tony Mowbray’s side currently sit 14th in the Championship but are without a win in their last three.

Bradley Dack has enjoyed a positive beginning to the season for Blackburn, registering five goals and two assists in eleven fixtures thus far. The 25-year old is already a third of the way towards last season’s total, where he netted fifteen times in forty-two Championship fixtures. Dack to open the scoring this weekend is priced at 9/2 on SkyBet.

The last time these two sides met was in the 2016/17 season, the season which Huddersfield Town secured Premier League football for the first time in their existence. In fact, the last time The Terriers suffered defeat to this weekends opponents was back in 2014, where they lost 4-2. Huddersfield are on a six-match unbeaten run against Blackburn and will be hoping they can extend that run come Saturday lunchtime.

Both of the previous two meetings between these sides he resulted in draws, and SkyBet are offering odds of another draw his weekend at 5/2.

The referee for this weekend’s clash is Darren Bond. Bond has appeared in six Championship affairs this season, accumulating twenty yellow cards in the process. This considered, I would recommend a minimum of 30+ booking points for this fixture.  Saturday will be the first time Bond has taken charge of a match with either of these two sides this season.

Despite the contrasting results last time round between these two sides, I’m expecting a tight encounter this weekend. Huddersfield look a completely new side following Danny Cowley’s arrival. They look more confident, organised and they’ve rediscovered how to win football matches following their wretched start to the season. Blackburn meanwhile will be desperate to get back on track with a win, especially on home soil.

This match will be shown live on Sky Sports Football, with kick-off scheduled to take place at 12:30 BST.

Prediction: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Huddersfield Town

Suggested Tips – Blackburn Rovers vs Huddersfield Town – (BET365)

  • Correct Score – Draw – 1-1 – (link no longer available).
  • First Goalscorer – Bradley Dack – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – Blackburn Rovers vs Huddersfield Town – (SKYBET)

  • Correct Score Group Betting – 1-1, 2-2 or 3-3 draw – 3/1.
  • Half time/full time – Blackburn Rovers / Draw – 16/1.
  • Blackburn to score in the first 10 mins –  11/2.
  • Price Boost – Karlan Ahearne-Grant and Bradley Dack both to score – 15/2.

  • Popular RequestABets – Dack & Ahearne-Grant to score and Evans & Bacuna to be carded – 100/1.

Market last updated at 15:01 BST on Friday 18th October 2019.

Cardiff City vs Sheffield Wednesday – Match Preview

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Cardiff City vs Sheffield Wednesday
Friday 18th October 2019
The Championship, Cardiff City Stadium

Live on Sky Sports Football – Kick Off: 19:45 BST

Championship action resumes this Friday night as Cardiff City host Sheffield Wednesday at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Both sides entered the recent international break with contrasting results. The Bluebirds were hammered 4-2 at the hands of league leaders West Bromwich Albion, meanwhile Wednesday continued their promising start under Gary Monk with a 1-0 victory over Wigan.

Neil Warnock’s side sit 11th in the SkyBet Championship standings, with the defeat at West Brom only their third of the season so far. Before that, City were on an impressive seven-match unbeaten run; winning three and drawing four. The visitors on the other hand sit 8th in the league and have lost once in their last five encounters.

In the build up to Friday nights clash, Wednesday were handed a boost as it appears long-term absentee Fernando Forestieri could be in contention for the trip to Wales after serving a six-match ban issued in July. The Argentine has netted 27 goals and registered 14 assists across his two seasons so far at Hillsborough and would certainly offer additional attacking reinforcement to Garry Monks side, who are currently only a point outside the top six.

Incidentally, it was Forestieri who grabbed the goal the last time Wednesday were victorious against Cardiff back in 2017. His goal coming in the 84th minute to secure a 1-0 home win for Wednesday. Could the Argentine return to inflict more misery on the Bluebirds?

Since Monk’s arrival to Yorkshire, Wednesday have picked up ten points from a possible fifteen, and a win on Friday night would propel them into the thick of the play off places.

It’s Wednesday too who come into this fixture with the recent bragging rights between the two sides and are on a seven-match unbeaten run against Friday nights opponents. Cardiff’s last win came in 2014. The last two meetings between these two sides have resulted in draws, and SkyBet are offering odds of a repeat result at 23/10.

The referee for this fixture is Keith Stroud. The 50-year old has appeared in seven matches so far this season, awarding a total of seventeen yellow cards. This considered, I would recommend a maximum of 40+ booking points for this clash.

This match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football, with Kick-off scheduled to take place at 19:45 BST.

Prediction: Cardiff City 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday.

Suggested Tips – Cardiff City vs Sheffield Wednesday – (BET365)

  • Correct Score – Draw – 1-1 – (link no longer available).
  • First Goalscorer – Adam Reach – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – Cardiff City vs Sheffield Wednesday – (SKYBET)

  • Correct Score Group Betting – 1-1, 2-2 or 3-3 draw – 3/1.
  • Popular Player Stat RequestABet – Flint to score a header and Sheffield Wednesday to score a penalty – 125/1.
  • Price Boost – Adam Reach to score from outside the penalty area – 12/1.
  • Price Boost – Aden Flint to score a header – 14/1.
  • Combined Player Tackle Multiples – Sean Morrison and Sam Hutchinson to make 5+ tackles between them – 3/1.
  • BTTS in first half – Yes – 7/2.
  • Half time/full time – draw/draw – 4/1.

Market last updated at 13:56 BST on Friday 18th October 2019.