The Championship is back in action with a thrilling season opener between Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton on Friday night.
Bristol City takes on Preston North End, while Middlesbrough faces Millwall in exciting clashes set to kick off the new season. Let's delve into these matchups and unveil our top betting tips for the weekend's action.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Southampton – Friday, 8pm
The Championship is back in action and thank goodness for that! The best league in the world, in my eyes, will make a triumphant return to our screens for this Friday night clash with Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton. This would have been League One versus Premier League last season, but the two clubs now face one another on an even keel.
The Owls did promotion the hard way last season after winning the play-off final, after overcoming the impossible in the semi-finals against Peterborough United, breaking records in the process. That was then, however, and this is now, and there has been substantial change at the club in the off-season. The popular Darren Moore was moved on in the dugout, with the likeable but ultimately unproven Xisco Muñoz replacing him. They are tipped by many to struggle this season as a result, but with a big crown behind them anything could be possible.
Southampton have endured change of their own, but that has been viewed positively amongst the supporter base. Russell Martin has been tasked with leading the Saints back into the top flight at the first time of asking, having spent the last few years in the Championship managing Swansea City. His progressive style of play will undoubtedly lead to several plaudits, but he’ll ultimately be judged on results.
Focusing on the Friday night clash, the opening game of the season often dictates the tone for the remainder of the maiden weekend. If we rewind 12 months to the first matches of last season, 11 of the 12 Championship battles contained two goals or less. The season before was a straight 50/50 split between over and under 2.5 goals. One thing is for certain, Wednesday will be eager to start strongly with the crowd behind them, but it won’t be easy. Southampton arguably have the best squad in the league at present, and although Martin is looking to trim that down in the coming weeks, he’ll still likely end up with a team more than capable of challenging for promotion.
We obviously have no prior data to go on with it being the first game, and both teams are under new management and may need a degree of adjustment time to bed in to a new way of playing. Nevertheless, I do think Both Teams to Score is a worthy dabble at 1.80 with William Hill. Southampton’s style of play is anything but void of risk, but they may experience some early teething problems, just like Swansea did when Martin took over there.
Expect the home team to play aggressively and press high to force turnovers, whilst Southampton have more than enough in attack to contribute to the goal tally.
Bristol City v Preston North End – Saturday, 3pm
Two familiar foes take in yet another Championship campaign in the form of Bristol City and Preston North End. Ask any football supporter to pick out a typical Championship game, and both of these teams would be nominated more than yet. Bristol City, managed by Nigel Pearson, will be commencing their ninth consecutive campaign at this level. For Ryan Lowe’s Preston, it is exactly the same.
Both clubs have generally flirted with mid-table more often than not in that time, and the fans will be desperate to really have a go at those play-off positions. Easier said than done of course, but if Bristol City’s pre-season is anything to go by then they can be quite excited. The Robins did not experience defeat across their friendly fixtures, although that is of course by no means any kind of guarantee for success. Still, they’ll be feeling good about themselves, and already look to have quite a settled team ahead of this opening game that may stand them in good stead. Preston have made some handy offensive recruits in recent times and will be eager for them to start off with a bang.
Managing to retain Alex Scott, for now, is certainly a positive for Bristol City on the pitch, although you suspect he won’t be at Ashton Gate for much longer if a Premier League team puts up a big enough bid. For now, he is there and will look to make a big impression on the opening day. A hard-working forward line of Sam Bell, Nakhi Wells and Harry Cornick will ensure the Preston back line isn’t given a moment’s piece, and with the home crowd behind them they’ll be confident of a victory.
One issue both of teams have struggled with in recent times in a real lack of consistency. You just never really know what you are going to get. Bristol City have struggled to shake off their ‘streaky’ tag for a while now, and they’ll be hoping this year really is the time for them to break into the next level in terms of seriously challenging for the top six. Preston flirted with this last season, but they did fade away near the end.
Bristol City have only lost one of the last nine head-to-head renewals, so they tend to enjoy facing this particular opponent. That doesn’t really count for anything all things considered, but I get the impression they are the more settled team heading into this. I suspect Nigel Pearson knows his strongest team, whilst Ryan Lowe perhaps does not. I’ll be backing the home side at 2.05 with Coral, mainly as I just feel there is a feel-good factor around the place right now, and that should spill out into the opening day encounter.
Middlesbrough v Millwall – Saturday, 3pm
Middlesbrough promised so much under Michael Carrick as last season progressed, only to disappoint in the playoffs. On one hand, you could argue they did well to even get to that point considering the lowly position they were in when Carrick took charge. The pressure is on them this season, however, and many are tipping Boro to return to the big time. Millwall are the first-up visitors to The Riverside Stadium, a team that somehow failed to make the play-offs in 22/23, throwing away their opportunity in a topsy-turvy final day match.
Carrick’s side may be one of the favourites to contest promotion, but he still needs to do some work in the transfer window to be sure that is the case. As things stand, they head into the new season with a weaker strong than when they finished the last. They knew the loan spells of Ryan Giles, Zack Steffen, Cameron Archer and Aaron Ramsey would be ending, but their replacements are players all with something to prove. Furthermore, star man Chuba Akpom is yet to feature in pre-season and whispers over a possible exit just don’t seem to be going away.
Millwall have been knocking on the door of the top six for a few seasons now, and it did look as though last season really was the chance to break in. They only needed a win from their final game, and they blew a 3-1 lead to lose 4-3 against Blackburn, costing them a shot at the end-of-season lottery. They can’t afford to feel too sorry for themselves, and the team have something of a cagey animal quality about them, knowing they just want to try and right the wrongs of last season. A trip to Middlesbrough is no easy start, but it at least means they’ve got to be right at it to get a result, which should help.
I’m not really buying into the hype around Middlesbrough right now. I think we should best judge them at the end of the transfer window, and I suspect they’ll be quick in the market if they do stumble in the first month or so of the new campaign. All the pressure is on them now to deliver, and this fairly new-look squad needs to prove themselves in that regard. Millwall know the time of day and no team ever really has an easy game against them.
I like the look of Millwall here on a +0.25 handicap at 2.30 with Unibet. We make profit if they avoid defeat, and I just feel Boro may take time to settle into the new season. Millwall have made additions of their own, but the DNA of the team doesn’t look to have changed too drastically. Gary Rowett’s side improved their away form last season compared to years before, so they are now capable of going on the road and getting big results.
Championship Betting Tips
- Sheffield Wednesday v Southampton – Both Teams to Score (1.80 William Hill)
- Bristol City v Preston North End – Bristol City (2.05 Coral)
- Middlesbrough v Millwall – Millwall +0.25 (2.30 Unibet)
In December 2020 we sadly 
Wed/Saints -4 corners + each NAP.
A good start with BTTS in Sheff Wed v Southampton.
Many are tipping Middlesbrough but I’m against them here. Just be careful taking them at a short price. Without some key players for this one. Millwall squad improved in off-season and only one injury.