Championship / Andrew French / 05 March 2012 /

Reading and Coventry are the two in-form home sides in the Championship, and Nottm Forest are on a good run too. No wonder Andrew French is predicting three home wins on Tuesday night then.

Reading v Portsmouth, KO: Tuesday 20:00, Match Odds: Reading [1.51], Portsmouth [8.6], The Draw [4.3]

For a while the top two positions in the Championship have seemed to be the domain of Southampton and West Ham - but Reading are starting their seemingly annual late surge from a better position than previously and are now looking like automatic promotion contenders.

The Royals have won their last six and conceded just one goal in the process. Go back further and they have won an outstanding 11 of their last 13 league games. They were 11th at the start of December but this excellent run has lifted them to third. At the Madejski they have been almost unstoppable, winning eight out of their last nine and keeping six clean sheets in the process. So, while the odds to back them to simply beat Portsmouth are not attractive, supporting them to do so without conceding a goal is far more appealing.

Pompey's problems are well known, and they now face a real scrap to stay up amid a run of six defeats in nine games as well as having points deducted due to being in administration. They have failed to score in four of their last six, and drawn a blank in more than half of all their away fixtures. Up against a Reading team that boasts the second best defence in the division, it's hard to see them netting in this one.

Back Reading Win to Nil @ [2.4]

Coventry v Crystal Palace, KO: Tuesday 19:45, Match Odds: Coventry [2.8], Crystal Palace [2.82], The Draw [3.4]

Which team has the best home form over their last six home games? That's quite easy: Reading (see above). Okay, who has the second best? Go to the back of the class those who said Southampton . . . or West Ham . . . or indeed any of the other 18 clubs sitting above Coventry in the table. Yes, believe it or not, Coventry have the second-best current home form based on the last six matches, with five wins from their last half-dozen games at the Ricoh.

It just goes to show how bad the Sky Blues are on the road that their home form hasn't managed to lift them out of the relegation zone - and if manager Andy Thorn is still sidelined with a virus then coach Steve Harrison will want to make sure they continue to give themselves a squeak of staying up by winning at home.

Palace are stuck in mid-table and have not won away in four attempts - they aren't completely out of the play-off picture but this game means more to the home side.

Back Coventry @ [2.8]

Nottingham Forest v Doncaster, KO: Tuesday 19:45, Match Odds: Nottm Forest [1.78], Doncaster [5.5], The Draw [3.8]

It's a bit early to say Forest have totally turned the corner, but things certainly look rosier at The City Ground than they did a few weeks ago. One defeat in five has lifted Steve Cotterill's side out of the relegation zone - and more importantly they are scoring goals, netting at least once in each of those five games. For a side that failed to score in nine of 11 league games either side of Christmas, that is a big step forward.

Visitors Rovers are winless in seven outings, and their recent away form is what pushes me to back the home side to continue their mini-revival. Donny have failed to win any of their last eight on the road, and they also possess the most porous defence in away games - they have shipped 36 goals in 16 road trips at an average of 2.25 a game. That's the perfect defence for Forest to be facing as they bid to maintain a run that could well ensure they don't drop into the third tier of English football.

Back Nottm Forest @ [1.78]

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