Championship: Middlesbrough fly past Derby as Ipswich make claim

Michael Lintorn
19 August 2015

Paul Clement has received a difficult introduction to life in the Derby dugout

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Michael Lintorn looks at how the Championship winner betting has been affected by the initial 31 fixtures...

"Three games in, Middlesbrough and Derby haven’t just swapped positions but altitudes too, with Boro sprinting in to 3.9 title favouritism and the Rams backpedalling to 9.28/1."

The 2015/16 Championship campaign is a mere 12 days old, yet that has been enough time for the league winner betting market to be treated like a Christmas cracker sliding puzzle and hastily rearranged.

When Mike Norman checked in last month, Derby were rated 7.4 frontrunners with Middlesbrough eager to pounce at 8.2. Three games in, they haven't just swapped positions but altitudes too, with Boro sprinting in to 3.9 favouritism and the Rams backpedalling to 9.28/1.

The gap would have been even wider were it not for the late drama in Tuesday night's clash of the popular pre-season picks. The Teessiders led from the 16th minute, restricted their hosts' chances and were minutes away from taking top spot before Johnny Russell's 88th-minute leveller.

As a result, Middlesbrough are left to rue two draws in their first three outings, having also been held at Preston on the opening Sunday, though their strong support from punters demonstrates that they have made a far more favourable impression than Derby.

Since sacking Steve McClaren and hiring former Real Madrid assistant - a position previously held by Boro boss Aitor Karanka - Paul Clement, they have drawn all three Championship matches and exited the Capital One Cup to League Two side Portsmouth. Tack on their dreadful finish to 2014/15 and the Rams haven't been ahead in any of their last six fixtures, let alone won one.

Derby's loss has been to Hull's benefit, with the former Premier League club and 2013/14 FA Cup finalists and their three-time Championship-promotion-delivering coach Steve Bruce moving in to second place at 8.27/1 from a pre-season high of 13.0.

The surprising thing about the Tigers' ascent is that they have gained ground despite pretty much performing to par so far, beating Huddersfield 2-0 and holding fellow hopefuls Wolves 1-1. However, Wednesday's scrap with Fulham offers an opportunity to assume leadership. They are 1.684/6 to win.

Intriguingly, the embryonic top two remain backable at fairly long odds despite obtaining seven points from the first available nine. Pacesetting Ipswich are fifth in line at 14.013/1, while resurgent Brighton are seventh favourites at 19.018/1.