This week’s midweek Championship fixtures should deliver goals across three standout matches: Hull vs Leicester, Swansea vs QPR, and Bristol City vs Southampton.
Hull’s games have been wide open, averaging 3.5 goals, with eight of ten finishing over 2.5. Leicester’s away matches also trend high-scoring, with both teams creating plenty and defending loosely. Swansea and QPR look another strong both teams to score candidate, with both sides ranking among the league’s most consistent for goals at both ends. Swansea’s home fixtures have seen both teams to score in 80%, while QPR’s away games have a perfect record.
At Ashton Gate, Bristol City and Southampton both create plenty but concede too easily. Each ranks in the top half for xG, yet both lack defensive stability.
With all six teams favouring attacking, front-foot football, goals should again dominate this midweek round.
Hull City vs Leicester City
Hull and Leicester meet in one of the most appealing games of the Championship round, and all the data points to goals. Hull’s matches have been consistently open, producing the highest totals in the league outside Coventry.
Their 10 games have generated 35 goals in total, averaging 3.5 per match, and eight of those ten have finished over 2.5. Both home and away, their games follow the same pattern with 3.4 goals per game at home, 3.6 away – with end-to-end football a constant theme.
Hull’s attacking process is strong. They have scored 17 times from 13.25 xG and rank in the top six for both shot volume (171) and shots on target (51). Their style under Sergej Jakirovic is front-footed, with full-backs pushing high and plenty of numbers committed forward, but that leaves them open defensively.
They have conceded 18 goals from 20.5 xGA, the second-highest defensive figure in the league. Over two-thirds of the shots they face come from inside the box, and opponents have scored in 8 of their 10 fixtures.
Leicester arrive with almost identical attacking intent. Their matches average 2.3 goals overall but that rises to 2.8 away, and they have seen both teams score in 70% of their fixtures. Leicester’s underlying process supports goals: 11.86 xG for, 13.77 xGA against, and an xG per shot figure of 0.11, suggesting good-quality chances at both ends.
They also rank among the most open top-half sides in transition, with their defensive metrics overperforming by nearly five goals compared to expected data.
Both teams press high, play expansive football, and rely on attacking rhythm more than defensive control. Given Hull’s 80% over 2.5 rate, Leicester’s strong away scoring record, and their combined average of 3.4 goals per game, this fixture should deliver another high-scoring contest. Over 2.5 goals looks the clear and well-supported play.
- Best Bet: Over 2.5 goals at 10/11 with Betfred
Swansea City vs QPR
Swansea host QPR in a fixture that has every sign of producing goals at both ends. Both sides rank among the most consistent both teams to socre teams in the Championship and the data strongly supports another open contest.
Swansea’s home games have been far livelier than their away fixtures. They have seen both teams to score in 80% of their matches at the Swansea.com Stadium, and their home games average 2.6 total goals. Defensively, they allow opponents to create good chances, with 67% of shots faced coming from inside the box and an average xGA of around 1.2 per game.
They have kept only one clean sheet in their last five and tend to leave space in transition when their full-backs push forward. Offensively, they are steady, creating 1.20 xG per home game and scoring in all but one at home this season.
QPR bring a similar profile but with even stronger both teams to score numbers. They have seen both teams score in eight of their 10 league games, including every single away fixture. Their matches are some of the most open in the division, averaging 3.0 goals overall and 4.0 away.
They attack in numbers and average 13.3 shots per game, but their defensive structure remains suspect with just one clean sheet all season and none on the road.
Tactically, both teams favour a proactive, front-foot style that opens up space. QPR’s wide players and Swansea’s possession game both create chances, but neither side looks capable of shutting the other out. With both consistently scoring and conceding, and their underlying xG data and recent form pointing in the same direction, this game looks primed for another both teams to score outcome.
It’s a matchup between two sides whose attacking output outweighs their defensive control, making both teams to score a strong and data-backed bet.
- Best Bet: Both teams to score at 10/11 with Coral
Bristol City vs Southampton
Bristol City host Southampton in a match that sets up well for both teams to score. The data points strongly towards an open, attacking game where neither side is likely to keep a clean sheet.
Bristol City have been solid at home, averaging 3.0 total goals per game and seeing both teams to score in 60% of their league fixtures, including 80% at Ashton Gate.
Their attacking process is balanced, producing 15.8 xG from 148 shots, while defensively they give up 11.7 xGA and have only managed four clean sheets in 10 matches. They are efficient in front of goal but can be exposed by sides with pace and movement in the final third, and Southampton fit that description perfectly.
Southampton’s matches have been among the most consistent for both teams to score in the Championship. Eight of their 10 games have seen both teams score, including every single away match. They rank second in the league for xG (18.6) but have massively underperformed finishing, scoring only 11 goals.
Their defensive numbers are also far from convincing, conceding 12 from 11.4 xGA, and they have kept just two clean sheets all season. Will Still’s team dominate possession but continue to allow high-quality chances on the counter, with 67% of shots faced coming inside their own box.
Stylistically, both sides play on the front foot and prefer open, possession-based football. Bristol City’s pace in wide areas and Southampton’s fluid front line should create space and chances throughout. With both teams ranking in the top half for total shots and expected goals, and their both teams to score percentages among the league’s highest, everything points towards another end-to-end contest.
Given their respective profiles with attacking strength and defensive vulnerability both teams to score looks a strong, data-backed selection at Ashton Gate.
- Best Bet: Both teams to score at 8/11 with Coral
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