Championship Tipsheet: Best bets for Saturday afternoon

Oxford vs Blackburn

Points shared at the Kassam

Gary Rowett has had an instant impact at the Kassam. The former Birmingham is regarded as a 'safe pair of hands' at this level, although he does have some limitations. His sides tend to be incredibly competitive and tough to beat, yet they occasionally lack adventure in the final third. The Yellows are currently five unbeaten and Rowett has overseen a return of 11 points from a possible 15 and although there may be some tired legs, they should be able to keep the unbeaten streak going. They came up against an inspired Dan Grimshaw on Tuesday night and could easily have taken all three points.

Blackburn are another side who aren't easy to overcome. John Eustace has created a well-drilled and cohesive outfit who have suffered just three times since the beginning of November. They have avoided defeat in five of their last six on the road and should put up plenty of resistance. They are still lacking bodies in midfield, yet they will be competitive throughout the 90 minutes.

Luton vs Preston

Exciting start to Bloomfield's tenure

Rob Edwards was shown the door at Kenilworth Road last week following a poor run of form. Under his tenure, the Hatters were fairly reliable in front of their own fans, yet they were horrendous on the road. His successor Matt Bloomfield gets a home debut for his first game in charge and we are expecting to see a little more fight from his side. Prior to their 1-0 defeat here to Norwich, the hosts had netted in every single home match and they will be expected to get on the scoresheet once again.

Preston beat Charlton on Tuesday night and although their form on the road is mixed, they tend to create a few chances. Milutin Osmajic scored in midweek and his pace and power will give Bloomfield's men plenty to think about. PNE have found the net in their last nine games and there's no reason why that streak cannot continue this weekend.

Sheffield United vs Norwich

Entertaining contest in South Yorkshire

Sheffield United's defence has been resolute throughout the campaign, however, the loss of Harry Souttar has upset the apple cart. They have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last four Championship matches and a rotated Blades outfit were also defeated by Cardiff in the FA Cup last week. Vini Souza's absence has also been keenly felt with sides able to expose the Blades' defence fairly frequently as a result. Chris Wilder will be hoping that his side can return to winning ways at Bramall Lane and take advantage of a depleted Norwich outfit.

The visitors will be without Borja Sainz and Marcelino Nunez for this tie. Although Josh Sargent is fit again, the US international is likely to be eased back into the fold and may be given some minutes from the bench. The visitors are poor on the road and although they won at Kenilworth Road last time, their record when visiting top-half sides is below average.

West Brom vs Stoke

Stalemate at the Hawthorns

West Brom have looked a little more adventurous under Chris Brunt. With Raphael Wicky reportedly turning down the opportunity to manage the Baggies, the temporary management team will remain in charge for this fixture. They have been dealt a blow with the news that Josh Maja will face an extended period on the sidelines. His absence is likely to significantly reduce their goal threat. The hosts have suffered just a single defeat on their own patch this season and are unlikely to lost this game.

Mark Robins, who was linked to the WBA vacancy, has made a decent start in the Potteries. The former Coventry boss has tightened them up, however, they lack a clinical striker in the final third. Million Manhoef's injury coupled with Tom Cannon's recall has left them short up front. They have recalled Nathan Lowe from his productive loan spell in League Two, yet Robins' isn't renowned for his willingness to throw young players into the starting XI. The visitors will be typically frustrating to play against and they may have enough grit to take a point back to Staffordshire.

Coventry vs Bristol City

Robins to take something back to Ashton Gate

There has been a bit of frustration amongst Coventry fans with the lack of signings at the CBS. Frank Lampard hasn't been able to strengthen his squad so far and with Brandon Thomas-Asante linked with a move away, supporters are hoping for some good news in the coming weeks. On the field, they have been fairly average and have won just one of their last five. They do tend to be fairly tough to beat on their own patch and have won three of their last five. Bristol City remain one of the trickiest teams to analyse in the second tier. Liam Manning's side can be brilliant at times, yet they are equally as capable of throwing in a stinker. They do appear to be in a good place at the time of writing, winning three of their last four. They are winless in five on the road, yet they did manage to take a point from their trip to the Stadium of Light. They should be able to take advantage of the malaise which is engulfing the hosts and snatch something from this contest.