The Championship Betting: Four selections from Saturday's fixtures

Championship / Andrew French / 05 March 2010 / Leave a Comment

Swansea City's decent away form under Paulo Sousa will be fully tested when the side travel to high-flying Nottingham Forest this weekend

"Paulo Sousa’s side are unbeaten in their last seven away games in the league, during which time they have let in only five goals. This will be a major test of Forest’s winning streak at the City Ground and I think Swansea will go home with something."

Championship lover Andrew French remains in excellent form and can see a defeat for West Brom this Saturday, along with Forest's winning home run coming to an end and a win for bottom club Peterborough.

Who could blame Neil Warnock for leaving Crystal Palace? Unless you're an Eagles fan, it's hard not to understand why Warnock decided to move across London, even if QPR are only one place above his former club. With a man as dogged and proven as Warnock at the helm, Rangers should be able pull clear - and I fancy them to start by upsetting title-chasing West Brom this weekend.

True, there is not a lot to recommend in Rangers' current form - the 2-1 win over Doncaster at Loftus Road a fortnight ago was their only success in nine games. But having had five days to get among his new charges, Warnock has had enough time to get his message across. It's a brave player who doesn't give him 100%. Rangers were in the top six in late October - teams may go through bad runs (very bad in Rangers' case) but they don't simply become useless.

West Brom will give them a stern test, although last week's 3-1 win over Derby was their first success in four outings in all competitions. The Baggies are undoubtedly a very good side at this level, but with a home debut and time enough to make his mark, Warnock could turn QPR into a cracking bet at [3.75].

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Home games are becoming increasingly important for Nottingham Forest as their previously peerless away form has apparently deserted them. Last weekend's defeat at Leicester was Forest's fourth consecutive loss on the road, and has left them two points behind second-placed West Brom having played a game more. Nine consecutive home league wins speaks for itself - but as I have said so many times, the Championship is renowned for showing a total lack of respect for records and the formbook. Such an incredible home winning run has to end - and Swansea are just the sort of team to do it.

No side has a better defensive record than the Swans, and only Newcastle have lost fewer games. Paulo Sousa's side are unbeaten in their last seven away games in the league, during which time they have let in only five goals. This will be a major test of Forest's winning streak at the City Ground and I think Swansea will go home with something - so lay Forest at [2.06].

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I've been really impressed with Coventry of late, and they have done the business on the last couple of occasions that I've tipped them. However, as I said earlier, no team ever seems capable of being good (or bad) for too long in this division, and I think they may well come unstuck at lowly Peterborough. Most of the Sky Blues' fine recent results have been at home, and with Peterborough having such an utterly dismal away record, their home matches are crucial to any survival hopes they have. Jim Gannon's side have won their last two at London Road, and I think at [2.76] they are worth supporting to make it three out of three.

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Having enjoyed a reasonable run through January, Sheffield Wednesday have found things much less pleasant recently. They have lost three on the trot - conceding eight without scoring - and two of those defeats have come at Hillsborough. Visitors Leicester are ideally primed to pounce on that sort of bad run, being unbeaten in eight and having just beaten Nottingham Forest 3-0. At [2.78], I suggest backing the Foxes.

*Andrew is showing a profit of approximately £266 (£10 level stake/liability) on all his selections so far this season