Championship / Andrew French / 06 February 2009 /

Andrew French is showing faith in the two Welsh Championship sides this weekend and even greater faith in the current favourites to win The Championship, Reading. Best bet: Reading to beat Preston at [1.68].

They may be second in the table and still five points adrift of leaders Wolves, but Reading are now favourites on Betfair to win The Championship - and they are my best bet of the weekend.

The Royals are at home, and that is the key to why I like them so much to see off Preston. In short, Reading at home are about as close as you get to a good thing. They've won 12 out of 15 at the Madejski in the league, they've hammered in 37 goals and conceded just eight.

Preston are a good side and look likely to be one of the play-off contenders, but such has been the dominance of the top three that they look a cut above everyone else. And Reading are a notch higher than the rest on their own patch.

They beat Wolves in their last home game and having survived the January transfer window intact, Reading look in fine fettle to push on and secure a return to the Premiership in the second half of the season.

Back them at [1.68] to see off North End.

Having finished seventh in the Premiership just five years ago, it is incredible to see Charlton with what amounts to one leg dangling through the trap door to League One. Their last two away games have delivered a right kick in the teeth too - they led at both Burnley and Bristol City, only to lose both games 2-1.

The Addicks have won just one of their last 21 league games, and they sit nine points adrift of safety. Sadly for them, I can only see more misery this weekend as I'll be backing Cardiff to leave The Valley with maximum points. The Bluebirds are unbeaten in 13 and although they lost Willo Flood to Celtic, the loan signing of former Arsenal man Quincy Owusu-Abeyie gives them another option.

Therefore, back Cardiff in this one at [2.24].

In fact, I'm suggesting a Welsh double this weekend by taking Swansea to beat Ipswich at the Liberty Stadium. The Swans have beaten both Reading and Preston at home in recent weeks, and although they have drawn a lot of games, a 14-game unbeaten run stretching back to late November shows they are a very hard side to get the better of.

Ipswich have won their last three away games and have one of the better records on the road in the Championship. Those three away wins were all against teams below the Horses in the league, and they will find Swansea a totally different class of opposition.

So, backing Swansea at [2.16] is my suggestion.

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