The 2024/25 Championship: Three Tips For The Opening Weekend
The EFL is back. All 72 clubs will finally be able to put their pre-season training behind them and turn their attention to getting off to a winning start.
For the 24 clubs in the Championship, their goal is simple. Win promotion to the Premier League. The three sides relegated from the top flight in May are among the favourites on football betting sites to make an immediate return.
But they won't have everything their own way. The title won't be won in August, but it can lost if teams suffer a slow start.
Our football experts have studied the markets to bring you a bet from three of this weekend's Championship fixtures.
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This Weekend's Championship Predictions:
- Blackburn Rovers Vs Derby County - Draw & Under 2.5 Total Goals - 7/2 With Bet365
- Oxford United Vs Norwich City - Draw At 13/5 With Bet365
- Sheffield Wednesday To Beat Plymouth Argyle To Nil - 85/40 With BetVictor
Blackburn Rovers Vs Derby County, Friday 8pm
Blackburn Rovers and Derby County kick off their Championship campaigns at Ewood Park in what, on paper at least, promises to be a closely contested encounter.
Rovers, who narrowly avoided relegation last season, are facing uncertainties regarding their star striker Sammie Szmodics ahead of the summer transfer window closing, who has been linked with a move to Ipswich Town.
However, Rovers’ manager John Eustace has bolstered the squad with several new signings, including Andreas Weimann and Danny Batth.
Derby, back in the Championship after two seasons in League One, secured promotion on the back of a solid defensive record and Paul Warne has strengthened their lineup with the addition of Ben Osborn and Kayden Jackson.
County face injury concerns ahead of their Championship bow, with Jake Rooney and Joe Ward both big doubts.
Under 2.5 goals was a winning bet in six of Blackburn’s final seven home league games last season and Szmodics’ possible absence amid transfer speculation would only increase the chance of another low-scoring affair.
The Rams kept clean sheets in eight of their final 11 matches in League One last term and six of those outings also featured two or fewer goals, which included three of their final four away trips.
As for Blackburn, they drew five of their final seven home league games last season and with both sides surely wanting to avoid defeat on the opening day of the Championship season, The Panel are opting for a another low-scoring draw on Friday night.
Oxford United Vs Norwich City, Saturday 12:30pm
Oxford are back in the second tier for the first time in 25 years thanks to their League One play-off final victory against Bolton, but they are 6/4 favourites with betting apps to be relegated.
Jacob Murphy scored both goals at Wembley, but the out-of-contract winger turned down a new deal and joined Portsmouth instead.
Hometown manager Des Buckingham has brought in a raft of new faces, including experienced winger Matt Phillips following his exit from West Brom, and midfielder Will Vaulks from Sheffield Wednesday.
United lost three of their last four pre-season friendlies against Exeter, Mansfield and Palermo, although they did manage to beat a weakened Southampton side.
Norwich played a mixture of Belgian and German teams in the close season, but failed to win any of their five games under new Danish manager Johannes Hoff Thorup, who has Adam Idah back in the fold, although he is wanted by Celtic where he spent a successful second half of the season on loan.
The Canaries reached the play-offs last season, but lost to Leeds in the semi-finals and with transfer business slow, supporters are starting to get twitchy.
The Kassam Stadium will be rocking as Oxford return to the second tier and they can get a draw against City at 13/5 as the next of our Championship betting tips.
The Panel Tip 2: Oxford United Vs Norwich City - Draw - 13/5 With Bet365
Sheffield Wednesday Vs Plymouth Argyle, Sunday 4pm
Sunday's offering from the Championship comes from Hillsborough where Sheffield Wednesday host Plymouth Argyle.
This could so easily have been a League One fixture as both sides flew too close to the relegation zone for their liking; Plymouth finished one point clear while Wednesday were safe by three points.
While Plymouth won their season opener 3-1 at home to Huddersfield 12 months ago, Wednesday lost 2-1 at home to Southampton.
The bad news for Argyle is that the away side has not won this fixture in any of the last eight meetings and the last six have gone the way of the home side.
We are going for Danny Rohl's side to get their season off to a winning start.
The odds for a home win are 17/20, which is fine, but for greater value we're going to go for Wednesday to win to nil at 85/40.
The Panel Tip 3: Sheffield Wednesday To Beat Plymouth Argyle To Nil - 85/40 With BetVictor
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