Saturday Championship football tips: Ipswich to boost title challenge at Birmingham, and more…

Football pundit Russell Tovey, who runs his AGF service on Tipstrr, has picked out his best value bets for us, and anyone who is so inclined could combine them into a treble which is available at around 13/2 at the time of writing - not bad for three odds-on bets..

Birmingham City vs Ipswich Town

Birmingham’s decision to replace John Eustace with Wayne Rooney, despite sitting in sixth place, has so far looked to be a disastrous decision. Albeit only three games into his reign, they’ve so far lost all three games, scoring one and conceding six. 

Birmingham have slipped down eight places to 14^th and, based on the boos he received at the end of their home defeat to Hull, the Bluenoses are already growing restless.

When you’re desperate for points, the fixture you don’t want to see looming is the arrival of Ipswich Town, who have taken to the Championship magnificently, winning eleven and losing just one of their opening thirteen games.

Performances need to improve drastically if Birmingham are going to start picking up victories and, based on the evidence so far, it would be very surprising if they managed to do so against Ipswich on Saturday. 

Odds of 10/11 for a side who’ve won all but two league games, going up against a team who have lost three in a row, looks far too tempting to turn down.

Suggested bet: Ipswich Town to win

Preston vs Coventry City

Two out-of-form teams meet at Deepdale on Saturday when Preston North End host Coventry City. Preston are currently on a seven-match winless run, while the Sky Blues have lost three in a row.

Despite not picking up any victories in their last seven, Preston’s home form does not look too bad on paper. Their record at Deepdale so far is four wins, two draws and one defeat, and they’ve only lost two of their last fifteen home games.

Last season’s beaten play-off finalists Coventry have had a very strange season so far, having lost just twice prior to their current three game losing run.

They also hadn’t been winning though, having picked up just three victories so far, with only one of those coming away from home (against struggling QPR).

Even though they are both in poor form, each side’s respective home and away records suggest siding with Preston in this one.

The 7/4 odds for a home win is tempting, but a safer play is to plump for Preston Draw No Bet at 20/21.

Suggested bet: Preston Draw No Bet

Norwich City vs Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers travel to a Norwich side whose early-season play-off aspirations are in tatters after losing seven of their last nine matches and dropping to 17^th in the table. 

The Canaries have conceded 27 goals, the most in the division, and there are calls from fans, ex-players, and the media for changes at all levels of the club.

With everything so negative at Carrow Road right now, it’s hard to understand why they’re clear favourites for this match, with Blackburn currently 21/10 to win this one, which is tempting. 

Rovers won here last season (when Norwich 5^th in the table), and before their home defeat to Swansea last weekend, had won three games on the bounce. 

The play in this one is Blackburn on a +0.25 Asian Handicap at 20/21 (if Blackburn win, we win the full bet, if it’s a draw we win half the bet).

Suggested bet: Blackburn Rovers +0.25 AH

Weekend treble summary:

Birmingham vs Ipswich   Ipswich win (10/11)

Preston vs Coventry   Preston Draw No Bet (20/21)

Norwich vs Blackburn   Blackburn +0.25 AH (20/21)

Back all three selections as singles if you prefer, or you can also combine them into a treble @ odds of 6.45/1 on PlanetSportBet.

All prices provided by Planet Sport Bet and could be subject to change before kick-off.

These tips were provided by Rhys Tovey, who runs his AGF football service on Tipstrr