The new EFL Championship season kicks-off on Friday and the second tier in England is likely to be as keenly-contested as ever with as many as 14 teams realistically in with a chance of promotion.
The Championship is often considered one of the most fiendishly difficult leagues to predict with shock results often busting plenty of weekend accumulator coupons.
However, before a ball has been kicked, it’s probably no surprise to see last season’s three relegated Premier League teams – Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United – at the top of Mansionbet’s To Be Promoted market.
Relegated Trio Likely Contenders
Last term, Norwich City, Watford and, eventually, Brentford all made it up from the second tier, with the first two of those sides bouncing straight back up following relegation, so it makes sense that the Cottagers, Baggies and Blades – all with new managers – are tipped to follow that pattern and do well this time around.
Of the three, Fulham, 7/4 to be promoted, look best-equipped to go back up immediately and, on paper, have the best squad in the league.
Aleksandar Mitrovic is a proven Championship goalscorer, netting 42 goals in 82 matches in the second tier, while the likes of Antonee Robinson, Tom Cairney and Bobby Reid – to name just three – are players more than good enough to shine in the division.
The Cottagers have also signed Harry Wilson from Liverpool to add more attacking quality to their ranks and, with the experienced Marco Silva in the Craven Cottage hotseat, they appear to be perfectly primed to produce a promotion charge.
Ismael Impressed With Tykes
West Brom have drafted in Valerien Ismael to hopefully guide them back up as well after he managed to defy the odds and take Barnsley into the play-offs last term.
Like Fulham, Albion, who are 9/4 to be promoted, have plenty of talented individuals like Matheus Pereira and Grady Diangana, while Alex Mowatt has followed Ismael from Oakwell.
Add in experienced campaigners like Jake Livermore, Semi Ajayi and Robert Snodgrass and it looks like the Baggies have an ideally mixed squad to cope with the rigours of a demanding Championship campaign.
Slavisa Jokanovic has been tasked with reviving Sheffield United after their dismal top-flight season in 2020-21 and he has previous after guiding Watford up in 2015 and then Fulham as play-off winners in 2018.
The new man in charge at Bramall Lane has plenty of players who have done it before in the Championship, including Chris Basham, John Fleck and Oliver Norwood, while Rhian Brewster will hope to start to fulfil his potential and reproduce the form he showed on loan at Swansea a few years ago when hitting 11 goals in 22 games.
The South Yorkshire side are 5/2 to go straight back up.
Royals out to Avoid Drop-off
Of the rest, Barnsley (6/1) will hope new boss Markus Schopp can build on the fantastic work Ismael did last term, while Reading (15/2) were promotion candidates during the first half of last season and shouldn’t be discounted this time around.
Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City (all 5/1 to be promoted) all have Championship-savvy managers in charge in the shape of Neil Warnock, Chris Hughton and Mick McCarthy and are all big clubs who, with some good early results, should be able to build plenty of momentum.
Rams Still Relegation Strugglers
In terms of relegation, Derby County’s problems have been well-documented this summer, with boss Wayne Rooney making it clear he needs several new signings to ensure the Rams can keep themselves in the second tier and their problems are reflected in their price of 5/8 to go down.
Newly-promoted Blackpool are also tipped to struggle and are 7/2 to go down, while Huddersfield Town (3/1), who finished just outside the dropzone last season in 20th, are also likely to be in the relegation mix again.
Hatters Face Tough Task
Luton Town, who are 13/2 to be relegated, defied expectations to finish 12th last season, but they are restricted by a very tight budget and must hope Cameron Jerome and Henri Lansbury, who have joined this summer, can guide those less-experienced players around them up to a position of safety in what is set to be a congested bottom half.
Blackburn Rovers could be the side to somewhat unexpectedly struggle and are a tempting 13/2 to be relegated.
Boss Tony Mowbray doesn’t have much money to spend and key striker Adam Armstrong, who notched 24 goals last season, continues to be heavily linked with a summer exit.
If Rovers lose their talisman, they will find it very difficult to replace him and a relegation scrap may well be on the cards.
*All odds correct at time of writing