Saturday Championship Tips: Baggies have chance to get back to winning ways

Baggies have golden chance to get back on track

West Brom 1.38 v Ipswich 9.80; The Draw 5.00

Had a slightly rocky ride of late in the Championship? Want to put your push for automatic promotion back on track? Let's play Ipswich Town would be a great response. Darren Moore's West Brom have exactly that opportunity.

The Baggies appeared to be flying a couple of weeks ago and looked the most likely team to put pressure on Leeds and Norwich above them. But a 1-0 home defeat to fellow promotion hopefulls Sheffield United and a 4-0 battering by Leeds has derailed their hopes. But at the Hawthornes against bottom side Ipswich is the perfect chance to close the gap. With 10 games to play, West Brom are seven points off second and nine points above Derby in 7th.

The Tractor Boys would love West Brom's problems. Paul Lambert's team are 12 points from safety and without a win in eight matches. It doesn't look healthy and can only be made worse by their East Anglian rivals Norwich looking like strong candidates for a Premier League push.

West Brom have won seven of their last nine league meetings with Ipswich (D1 L1) and they are playing a visiting side that hasn't won away from home in the Championship since last October. The only thing that prevents me from going all-in on West Brom to romp this one is their home record. They have taken only one win in their last eight home Championship games. The Hawthornes had been a happy hunting ground before then.

But surely, this is a home win against Ipswich who currently lack the punch to fight their way out of a paper bag. 1.38 is too short a price on a team with West Brom's recent track record, but rather than look for ways in that include Ipswich success, it's pro-home handicaps or goalscorer bets that bring bigger returns.

Jay Rodriguez has been directly involved in seven of West Brom's last nine league goals at the Hawthorns (five goals and two assists) and he's my way in. West Brom to win and Rodriguez to score is 2.34.

Blades looking good to see off South Yorkshire rivals

Sheff Utd 1.43 v Rotherham 9.20; The Draw 4.80

Sheffield United, like West Brom, are ridiculously short for their game against Rotherham. And equally it's a valid price on a team sitting in third place in the Championship and unbeaten in seven league games (W4, D3).

The Blades have won their last four home league games against the Millers by an aggregate score of 8-0 and are unbeaten in eight (W6, D2). Rotherham are showing serious fight in their battle against the drop. Unbeaten in their last six Championship games (W1 D5), they have only kept one clean sheet in this period.

Looking for goalscorers? Semi Ajayi has scored four goals in his last eight league appearances for Rotherham, as many as he had in his previous 79 games. He is 9/1 to add to his tally this weekend. For the home side Billy Sharp is the obvious pick. The veteran marksman keeps banging them in and at 10/11 anytime is a sensible play.

I'm taking Sheffield Utd to win and over 2.5 match goals at 2.11.

Brentford simply don't win away

Boro 2.42 v Brentford 3.20; The Draw 3.40

Brentford have won their last seven home matches, but away from home it's a completely different story. Just one Championship victory in their last 18 road trips is not form you'd be wise to put your money behind. That away win came against lowly Rotherham, which isn't something to shout from the rooftops. That makes Boro a real play in this one at 2.42.

Middlesbrough are unbeaten in 12 matches against Brentford in all competitions (W10, D2) since a 1-2 defeat in the FA Cup in January 1964. Tony Pulis's side have kept three straight clean sheets in the Championship and are notoriously tough to break down at the Riverside.

Said Benrahma has been directly involved in 13 league goals for Brentford in 2019 (seven goals, six assists); the most of any Championship player. He's a massive 4/1 to score anytime against Boro. The reverse wincast isn't the daftest bet in this match - Boro to win and Benrahma to score for Brentford is a 23.87 shot that is well worthy of a nibble.

RECOMMENDED BETS

Back West Brom to beat Ipswich and Jay Rodriguez to score @ 2.34 (best bet)

Back Sheffield Utd to win and over 2.5 match goals @ 2.11

Back Boro to win and Benrahma to score for Brentford @ 23.87