The Championship returns this weekend with relegated duo Fulham and West Brom seeking to continue their good starts to the season.
Both dropped out of the Premier League in May but, with new managers at the helm, already look good picks for an immediate return to the top flight.
They are first and second respectively with 13 points, two clear of third-place QPR.
At the bottom, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, and Blackpool are awaiting their first wins of the season.
Fluid Fulham to Beat Blackpool
Marco Silva perhaps had a point to prove when he was announced as Fulham’s new manager and, as it stands, he is certainly proving his worth.
Fulham have won four matches from five and scored more goals than any other team in the division.
They managed to retain much of the quality from their Premier League squad and a 3-0 win against play-off chasing Stoke before the international break certainly outlined their credentials.
Blackpool have only picked up two points from five games and have lost both their outings at Bloomfield Road.
As a result, Fulham will be approaching this believing they will win comfortably and they can be backed at 29/4 to score over 3.5 goals.
Baggies to Keep up the Chase
Valerien Ismael is looking like one of the most inspired managerial appointments of the summer based on West Brom’s opening five games.
What has been particularly impressive is the speed of which he has been able to implement his free-flowing high-energy brand of football.
As such, they sit just behind Fulham on goal difference and outlined their credentials with a 4-0 thumping of fellow relegated outfit Sheffield United in August.
However, they can be prone to conceding goals with five in five shipped so far this season.
Millwall are aiming for the play offs but have had a below par beginning to the new season, winning just one from five.
The Lions can at least can take comfort from the fact they have scored goals in each of their five Championship games.
West Brom can be backed to win at 10/19 and over 3.5 goals in the game is priced at 47/20.
Little to Separate Stoke and Huddersfield
The surprise packages in the early stages of the Championship season are Huddersfield, who sit fourth in the table.
Carlos Corberan’s team were tipped by many to get relegated this season after their summer consisted of signing a number of free transfers and loans.
However, they have won three in a row and demolished Reading 4-0 at home just before the international break.
Stoke look a solid outfit under Michael O’Neill – aside from their 3-0 defeat by Fulham last time out, their season so far has been a success.
The last three meetings between these two have generated 16 goals but O’Neill’s instinct is to be more solid than that.
Corberan likes to play swift attacking football and the game should prove an intriguing contrast of styles.
A draw can be backed at 51/20.
*All odds correct at time of writing
