Championship Accumulator

It’s crunch time in the Championship on Easter Monday when various promotion and relegation issues are likely to be settled, or at least strongly affected. We pick four short-odd favourites, all playing at home, for a 5/1 accumulator with VictorChandler. Three of the top four look like they’ll be unstoppable, and in-form Burnley look primed to continue their charge towards the play-offs.

Let’s start at the very top and back QPR to seal promotion by putting on a performance for their fans at Loftus Road. Even one more point is almost certain to be enough for Neil Warnock’s side but after dominating the Championship all season the Hoops will want to get over the line in style. A 2-2 draw away to Cardiff on Saturday, having come from behind twice, all but sealed the west London’s side return to the top flight for the first time since 1996. Hull may still have faint play-off hopes of their own, but this looks three points and a party for the home faithful.

Norwich City have a bit more work still to do to claim the second automatic promotion berth, but an away 5-1 demolition of Ipswich in the East-Anglian derby on Thursday suggests they have serious momentum. Derby County come to Carrow Road tomorrow,  and the Rams look like lambs to the slaughter. Nigel Clough’s side are in the bottom six but pretty much certain to stay in the division now with the points already on the board. A mediocre side with little to play for should be Canary fodder, and this comprises the second part of our accumulator.

Home bankers don’t appear to come anymore backable than Reading v Sheffield Utd at the Madejski Stadium. The Royals are still chasing Norwich with a run of eight wins and a draw in the last nine outings. The visit of the Blades, who are rooted to the bottom of the league, with virtually no hope of survival, should hold no fears. Micky Adams’ side will officially go down with anything less than three points; a rampant Reading will surely crush their spirits well before the end of this encounter.

Our final home pick is Burnley, now only out of the play-off spots on goal difference, against Portsmouth. The away side are exactly the sort you wish for when chasing promotion - indifferent form and with very little to play for. The Clarets have revived their top six hopes with three straight wins, including an impressive 4-2 result at Pride Park on Saturday. Pompey, in contrast, may already be ‘on the beach,‘ with no win in their last five. Mid-table mediocrity, and a fourth home win on our coupon, at 5/1, surely beckons.