After delivering a winner in each of his two columns over the weekend, SlipsTips shares a selection ahead of Coventry's clash with Middlesbrough in the English Championship on Monday night.
Coventry vs Middlesbrough (Monday, 20:00)
Coventry City and Middlesbrough will clash in a huge top of the table match in the English Championship on Monday night.
Frank Lampard's side will be desperate to revive their title charge, having won just two of their last eight league matches and being knocked off top spot as a result.
As for new leaders Middlesbrough, they have fully capitalised on Coventry's recent stumbles by winning each of their last six matches, so they will come into this clash with serious momentum.
Given the contrasting form of the pair, Boro will have their backers on Monday night at odds of around 2/1, however, I'm going to recommend an alternative angle of attack.
Over 3.5 cards has been priced up at 4/5 on Paddy Power, and that looks too big to ignore, particularly in a game of this magnitude.
While these two title contenders are among the best-behaved teams in the English Championship this season, I'm prepared to look beyond that here given what's at stake.
What's more, Coventry's matches in the English Championship this season are generating 4.00 cards per game, which would be enough to see this bet pay out.
It's also worth noting that Middlesbrough are not too far behind the Sky Blues in terms of their match card average this season, with their fixtures yielding 3.88 bookings per 90.
The fact that Coventry have been involved in a number of bad-tempered affairs of late only adds to the appeal of siding with this selection on Monday night, with a sizeable four of the hosts' last 12 Championship fixtures featuring at least one red card.
That sample includes Coventry's 0-0 draw with Oxford last weekend, which saw the referee dish out seven yellows and one red.
It was a similar story as far as Middlesbrough were concerned last Monday night when they battled their way to a 2-1 win at Sheffield United, in what was a fiery affair that featured five yellows and one red card.
The pressure cooker is cranking up a notch for the pair this week, so there's plenty of scope for both of these teams to combine to deliver four or more cards.
Admittedly, referee Thomas Bramall is not the most attractive of referee appointments, however, the Sheffield-born whistler is averaging 3.8 bookings per game across all competitions this season.
The fact that Bramall has reached for his pocket on at least four occasions in four of the last five matches in which he has taken charge of only adds to the appeal of backing a repeat on Monday night.
Recommended Bet
- Over 3.5 Cards – 4/5 (Paddy Power)
Grant Heaney, aka SlipsTips, is a Freelance Football and Darts Writer with over six years experience. Grant has written football and darts betting content for some of the biggest betting websites and newspapers in the UK. He is a Falkirk season ticket holder and avid watcher of football and darts, whether it be UK-based or further afield. You can find all of his tips on X @SlipsTips
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