Posh to keep up Christmas push against Robins

James Dickenson returns with an early look at this weekend's Championship betting using Betfair's fixed odds markets. Has he found the value?

 

Bristol City v Peterborough

A genuine relegation clash is in store at Ashton Gate as resurgent Peterborough take on the Championship's new bottom club Bristol City.

 

Despite a campaign that has given Posh fans little cheer, Christmas has proved a good time to be a Peterborough supporter. Three back-to-back victories have lifted Darren Ferguson's side off the bottom of the league to just two points from safety. Goals have been no problem for Posh with 10 scored during that trio of wins, and new signing Dwight Gayle now has six strikes from five matches after his loan move from Dagenham and Redbridge was confirmed. Away triumphs at Cardiff and most recently Wolves will see the Posh squad brimming with confidence ahead of their trip to the West Country.

 

Bristol City's Boxing Day encounter with Watford was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch - the only game not to go ahead in the league - but it would be a surprise to see the clash with Peterborough halted too. Manager Derek McInnes would love his Robins team to enjoy a revival similar to their opponents, but two wins from their last 10 outings suggest a good run of form isn't exactly around the corner. City have been dreadful at home, failing to record a win in front of their own supporters since August. They have the joint-worst total of goals conceded as hosts in the division, 27, and have lost seven from 11 at Ashton Gate.

 

Last season Peterborough returned from Bristol City with a 2-1 win, and the price of 10.0 for that result to repeat itself in the Correct Score Market looks worth a punt again this term.

 

 

Wolves v Ipswich

Former Wolves boss Mick McCarthy makes his first return to Molineux as Ipswich manager after being sacked by the West Midlands club in February.

 

Ipswich Town were propping up the table when McCarthy took over at the beginning of November, with just one win from 13 Championship games and a miserly points total of seven. Fast forward two months and the ex-Wolves boss has led the Tractor Boys out of the relegation zone to five points from danger. Ipswich have a 54.55% win record under the Irishman, including four victories from their last six. Top scorer DJ Campbell has nine league goals from 15 appearances, and leads a strong Ipswich attack also possessing Daryl Murphy, Michael Chopra, Jason Scotland and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas as forward options.

 

This campaign has not quite gone to plan for Wolves' summer managerial appointment Ståle Solbakken. A one-time Wimbledon player, Solbakken has plenty of coaching experience on the continent but was completely unproven in English football as a manager when he took the job at one the Championship's biggest sides. Currently 14th, the jury is very much still out on his stewardship at the club, and fans will be growing restless after a run of just three wins from 14. Boxing Day saw Peterborough come to Molineux and win 3-0, and if Ipswich can pull off a similar result then the pressure could reach boiling point for the Norwegian.

 

Wolves have fired two blanks in three games while Ipswich's last five outings have all produced matches with three goals or less. Therefore backing Under 3.5 Goals in this one looks a banker at 1.4.

 

 

Middlesborough v Blackpool

Middlesbrough will hope to continue their strong form at the Riverside Stadium when they welcome a staunch Blackpool side who are slowly improving under the leadership of Michael Appleton.

 

Boro have the second best home record in the Championship - behind Cardiff - with nine wins, one draw and just two defeats all season. But Tony Mowbray's side have been inconsistent in recent weeks, with their last ten outings in all competitions yielding five wins and five losses. Having said that, a narrow 1-0 win over Blackburn on Boxing Day will give Smoggies fans hope of another triumph on home soil against Blackpool. Former Everton striker Lucas Jutkiewicz has two goals in as many games and could add to his tally against the Lancashire outfit.

 

Blackpool have tightened up considerably since Michael Appleton replaced Ian Holloway as Tangerines boss, with a fluid if flawed attacking style replaced by a slightly more regimented approach. But it has worked from the coastal club, who have lost just once in nine games under the ex-Portsmouth manager. However, draws have been an issue, with six of those games ending in a stalemate. Tom Ince and Nathan Delfouneso add a youthful spark to the side, but Blackpool's defence looks vulnerable in the North-East.

 

Middlesbrough's last three home games ended in victories to nil for the hosts, 1-0 (Blackburn), 2-0 (Wolves) and 3-0 (Huddersfield), and Boro are worth the price of 3.9 in the Win To Nil Market to add Blackpool to that list.

 

Recommended Bets

Back Peterborough @ 2.87

Back Peterborough to win 2-1 in the Correct Score Market @ 10.0

Back Ipswich to win @ 3.1

Back Under 3.5 Goals in Wolves v Ipswich @ 1.4

Back Middlesbrough @ 2.05

Back Middlesbrough to Win To Nil @ 3.9

 

Prices are based on our Fixed Odds product, so any winnings are exempt from commission.

 

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