EFL Championship Tips: The Best Bets for Good Friday

• Potters to continue their ascent

• Rovers return to home comforts

• Bruising basement battle at Bloomfield

Purposeful Potters to pounce again

Stoke 1.865/6 v Bristol City 5.14/1; The Draw 3.7511/4

Stoke blitzed their way past Coventry last weekend and continue to end the season strongly. There is a little discrepancy in the xG numbers for this game, however, its impossible to argue that the Potters were anything other than dominant throughout the 90 minutes.

Across the last three matches, Alex Neil's side have the best xG numbers in the division and they should be able to take advantage of an injury-hit Bristol City outfit on Friday afternoon.

There is a 12 point between the hosts and the top six and they are highly unlikely to gatecrash the play-offs, yet despite having to settle for another season in the second tier, there are plenty of reasons to be positive in Staffordshire.

Bristol City squandered the lead against Reading last weekend and have now picked up just a single victory in six. That success came against a Blackpool side who offered very little going forward and with a number of key players still yet to return to the XI, this could be a difficult afternoon.

It is worth noting that the Robins have only conceded six goals across their last five away games, so they aren't likely to be unpicked easily, yet it feels unlikely that they will come away with anything to show for their efforts.

Battling Latics to make it tough

Sheffield United 1.528/15 v Wigan 8.27/1; The Draw 4.47/2

Sheffield United have a six point cushion over Middlesbrough in the battle for automatic promotion and with the Teessiders not in action until later, the Blades have a chance to put some daylight between themselves and the chasing pack.

Paul Heckingbottom's side returned to winning ways last weekend and although they aren't going to win any awards for aesthetics, they are finding a way to win games once again.

Nevertheless, the Blades have struggled when hosting bottom six sides this season and have won just one of their four matches against struggling opposition here.

Wigan gave themselves hope of avoiding the drop with a crucial three points last weekend. The Latics are still bottom of the pile, yet they are battling and scrapping for every point and should be able to restrict the hosts for long periods of this contest.

Play-off pair to play out a pulsating 90 mins

Blackburn 2.962/1 v Norwich 2.747/4; The Draw 3.39/4

Blackburn are clinging onto the final play-off spot and will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Birmingham last weekend. Rovers are exceptionally strong at home and are yet to suffer a defeat at this venue in 2023. Furthermore, they are incredibly tough to breach at Ewood Park with five clean sheets in their last six (56% overall at home).

Only four sides have left this ground with maximum points this season, and on current form, Norwich are unlikely to add their name to that exclusive list.

Things have gone sour under David Wagner for the Canaries and they arrive in Lancashire winless in four. The East Anglian club have failed to score in three of those matches and with a combined xG of just 1.8 across their last three matches, they could struggle to find a way through Blackburn's resolute rearguard.

BTTS at Vicarage Road

Watford 1.748/11 v Huddersfield 65/1; The Draw 3.7511/4

Watford produced yet another insipid performance last weekend as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Kenilworth Road. Despite their issues on the road, the Hornets are exceptionally tough to beat on their own patch and are yet to suffer a defeat here in 2023.

Despite keeping two clean sheets in their last four matches here, the hosts have given away a fair few chances and having recently conceded to Wigan, a clean sheet feels unlikely.

Huddersfield are motoring under Neil Warnock and they produced an exceptionally good second half display to upset Middlesbrough at the John Smiths. The Terriers have tended to struggle on the road this season, yet they managed to take all three points against Millwall three weeks ago.

Nevertheless, they survived an onslaught in that fixture and they may not be quite so lucky this time around.

Crucial six-pointer by the Seaside

Blackpool 2.982/1 v Cardiff 2.727/4; The Draw 3.259/4

Just four points separate these two sides at the bottom of the table and this is set to be a crucial 90 minutes in the battle to avoid the drop. Blackpool are in a perilous position and former Cardiff boss Mick McCarthy will be determined to avoid defeat against the Bluebirds.

Nevertheless, a draw would not be a good result for either side and both sides must show a little bit of adventure going forward. Blackpool have been better at home recently and despite losing heavily to Coventry prior to the international break, their form at Bloomfield Road has been largely solid.

Cardiff have failed to score in five of their last six away games, yet they've looked stronger going forward in recent weeks. Although Callum Robinson looks set to miss this match, Sory Kaba has been in excellent form and could find his way onto the scoresheet once again.

PNE to push QPR closer to the danger zone

QPR 2.546/4 v Preston 3.39/4; The Draw 3.211/5

QPR have just a three point gap over the bottom three and their poor recent form has plunged them firmly into a relegation battle. Gareth Ainsworth has overseen just a single victory so far and although they are stronger at home, this is an incredibly tough Good Friday fixture.

Despite several key players returning to the side, the Rs were still fairly stodgy last weekend and have now scored just twice across their last four outings.

Preston will be on a high following their derby day victory over Blackpool. Ryan Lowe's side have lost just one of their last nine games and have taken at least a point from three of their last four away games.

Nevertheless, with just one win in five on the road, it is a far safer option to back the DNB.

Points shared in Berkshire

Reading 32/1 v Birmingham 2.89/5; The Draw 3.185/40

Reading's points deduction was finally confirmed this week and it has plunged the Royals back into the relegation mire. Despite their issues off the field, the players are clearly still battling for Paul Ince and they collected a point against Bristol City last weekend. The combination of Lucas Joao and Andy Carroll is working well and they are far stronger at home.

Aside from their 5-0 hammering to Middlesbrough, the hosts have been fairly decent defensively and have conceded two or more goals in just two of their last ten Championship outings.

Birmingham aren't playing for much, however, John Eustace's side are battling admirably. They have kept a clean sheet in three of their last four games and should be fairly satisfied with a point.

Another entertaining clash in South Wales

Swansea 2.3611/8 v Coventry 3.39/4; The Draw 3.55/2

Swansea fans were in dreamland last weekend as their side competed the second consecutive double in the South Wales derby. Russell Martin has eased the pressure with successive Championship victories and they've netted five times across the last 180 minutes.

The Swans don't have anything to play for, however, they always create plenty of chances at home and unlikely to down tools anytime soon.

Coventry's play-off ambitions took a significant knock last weekend as they suffered their heaviest loss of the campaign. The Sky Blues have suffered successive defeats just once since September and are likely to bounce back here.

The visitors are unbeaten in five matches and have scored 11 times during that sequence. They should be able to find the back of the net.