The Championship Betting: Inconsistent Baggies will find it tough at Leicester

Championship / Andrew French / 06 November 2009 / Leave a Comment

Nigel Pearson is obviously shouting the right instructions judging by Leicester City's position in the Championship. Can they beat West Brom and climb even higher?

"Nigel Pearson's side have won their last three - including an impressive away success at in-form QPR last week - and they are a very hard side to beat on their own turf."

The Championsip is once again proving that it's the toughest division of all as anyone continues to beat anyone. This doesn't faze our man Andrew French however, and he fancies these four to triumph on Saturday.

Having handed new Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan an immediate taste of the unpredictable nature of life in the Championship, I fancy Plymouth to build on that fine away win when they host Doncaster at Home Park on Saturday.

Having failed to win any of their first nine games, the Pilgrims are slowly finding some form and have triumphed in three of their last six. That's a still a fair way from the sort of form they'll need to be sure of pulling clear of the drop, but it ought to be good enough to see off Rovers. Sean O'Driscoll's side have won only once in their last 10 outings and have not taken three points on the road this season. Back Plymouth at [2.56].

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The biggest game of the day at the top of the table is at the Walkers Stadium, where Leicester put their promotion credentials to the test against West Brom. The Baggies trounced Watford 5-0 last weekend but that ended a run of just one win in six games - they may be a good side, but they still struggle for consistency. Therefore, I'm siding with Leicester who have made the step up with ease after winning League One last term.

Nigel Pearson's side have won their last three - including an impressive away success at in-form QPR last week - and they are a very hard side to beat on their own turf. Therefore, at [2.72], I suggest backing Leicester.

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Two managers who really have felt the heat of pressure recently meet at the Madejski as Reading host Ipswich. Brendan Rodgers must have been relieved to end a run of four straight defeats by winning at Coventry last week, but he still has to sort out the Royals' dire home form. Incredibly, they have not won a league game in front of their home fans since January, and have netted a paltry five goals in that miserable 15-game sequence (16 games if you include the play-off second leg!).

Ipswich finally got the winless monkey off their back last weekend, and that result stretched their unbeaten run to four games. Roy Keane's side could now be able to build a little run, so at [3.25], I'm taking them to add to Rodgers' home woes.

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Having watched Newcastle grind out a 1-0 win at Sheffield United on Monday night, I was left in little doubt that the Toon have the best group of players in this division by some way. What other club can call on the likes of Smith, Butt, Nolan, Enrique and co? They may find opposition raise their game, but if Newcastle's players play to their potential, they will have too much for most other sides in the Championship. Therefore, even at a skinny price like [1.5], I'd back them against Peterborough.

Posh have struggled away from home so far: no wins and just five goals in seven outings. St James' Park (or whatever it is called these days) is not the place to improve on that sort of record.

* Andrew is showing a profit of approximately £163 (£10 level stake/liability) on all his selections so far this season