The Championship Betting: Warnock to engineer a party at the Palace as Barnsley come to town

Championship / Andrew French / 17 October 2008 / Leave a Comment

Andrew French gives us the lowdown on all the action in The Championship this weekend.

He might not be everybody's cup of tea, but it's difficult to deny that Neil Warnock generally makes the best of what he has.

The list of clubs he has managed is anything but glamorous, and yet he's still achieved a great deal of success. Last season he so nearly took Crystal Palace from the foot of the Championship to promotion, and so it's surprising to see them making a slow start this term. However, Warnock appears to be getting the Eagles back on track and they look a good bet to account for Barnsley in Saturday's live teatime game on Sky.

Palace have won their last two without conceding, and host a Barnsley side that has been consistently poor on the road. The Tykes have managed just one point and one goal in five away games, and that followed last season when they won just three times on their travels.
At [1.82] I'll be backing Palace, although I'm not expecting it to be a thriller. Barnsley will gladly take a point and will set up shop accordingly, and breaking teams down at Selhurst Park has not been Palace's strong suit this term: they have scored only four goals in five games, although they have let in just two in the same period. Therefore, Under 2.5 goals at [1.8] is appealing.

Although they have made an inauspicious start and still need to get their home form in order, Derby have repaid my faith in them over the last few weeks as they have enjoyed a run of six games without defeat.

Before a ball was kicked, the Rams were among the favourites to win the Championship, and although they have given their fellow contenders a head-start, they are now starting to click. Visitors Plymouth have, in contrast, made a flying start and are right in the mix at the head of the table.

However, I'm a big believer that class tells in the end, and I am confident that Derby are a better side than the Pilgrims and will come out on top in this one. At [2.04] to back, I think that's an attractive price.

When you talk about class sides in the Championship, you have to include Reading - and if the Royals can replicate their stunning home form away from the Madejski Stadium, they will be very hard to stop. Steve Coppell's side have won all five home games and banged in 19 goals in the process. But on the road it's been a different story - just one win in five.

However, that sole victory was their last away day, and was mightily impressive: a 3-0 win at high-flying Wolves. This weekend Reading travel to Preston, and can pounce as North End are suffering a mini slump.

Alan Irvine's charges enjoyed a great start but have since lost their last four. I'm taking Reading to extend Preston's misery at a price of [2.46], and with the goals flowing so freely for the Royals, Over 2.5 goals at [1.79] has to be worth considering.

It's been anything but a straightforward season so far for my club Watford, as they find themselves languishing in the bottom third with money concerns behind the scenes. The international break should have helped ease Aidy Boothroyd's injury problems though, and I'm going to stick my neck out and tip them to claim their first away league win of the season at Southampton.

The Saints were showing signs of finding some form before they were trounced 4-1 at Coventry last time out, and they have struggled to make home advantage tell at St Mary's - their last 14 league games on their own turf have produced just four wins.

The Hornets also have an excellent recent record against the Saints, winning each of the last five meetings and scoring 17 times in the process - including a 3-0 romp at St Mary's last season. Admittedly Watford are not the team they were 12 months ago, but the spirit they showed in coming from behind to beat Preston in their last game encourages me to suggest siding with them at [3.25].