Who is David Prutton tipping for victory in the Sky Bet Championship on Easter Monday and Tuesday? Find out here…
Middlesbrough vs Watford, Monday 12.30pm – Live on Sky Sports Football
Middlesbrough are still in with a play-off shout, in my opinion, with just seven points between themselves and sixth-placed Reading but games are running out and Neil Warnock’s men will need to kick on pretty quickly to stay in the mix.
Meanwhile, there really is no stopping Watford at the moment. The win over Sheffield Wednesday on Good Friday was a narrow one and they weren’t at their best, but, crucially, they held on to win a sixth straight game. I think they’ll make it seven here.
Prutton predicts: 0-2 (Sky Bet odds)
Monday 5th April 12:00pm
Kick off 12:30pm
Reading vs Derby, Monday 3pm
Reading are another team who need to kick on, too. A top-six berth that had looked a certainty for most of the campaign is now under threat after three draws and a defeat from the last four. Had it not been for Lucas Joao’s horror miss against Barnsley, the outlook could be different, but the reality is that they’ve not won since March 6.
Wayne Rooney’s men could be a tough nut to crack on Easter Monday. They ended a winless run of their own last time out and strengthened their survival hopes by comfortably beating Luton at Pride Park. I do feel the Royals will just about have enough.
Prutton predicts: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds)
Swansea vs Preston, Monday 3pm
It’s now three games without scoring for Steve Cooper’s men who are faltering in front of goal at a less than ideal point in the season. I do wonder how conceding that last-minute penalty against Birmingham on Friday will affect them on a mental level.
Preston will undoubtedly have a spring in their step after that dramatic draw against leaders Norwich at Deepdale a few days ago but with 10 points between themselves and the bottom three, there’s not much at stake for them at this stage. Home win.
Prutton predicts: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds)
Sheffield Wednesday vs Cardiff, Monday 5.30pm – Live on Sky Sports Football
It’s all looking pretty bleak for Wednesday right now. They are seven points from safety, have won just one of their last 10 games and are now just two points ahead of bottom club Wycombe, who picked up a big 1-0 win over Blackburn last time out.
Chances of reaching the play-offs have slimmed somewhat for the Bluebirds, who are five points off the pace heading into Monday’s fixtures after a disappointing run of just one win in five. They could do with finding the winning formula that accompanied Mick McCarthy’s appointment and I think they’ll just about edge this.
Prutton predicts: 0-1 (Sky Bet odds)
Monday 5th April 5:15pm
Kick off 5:30pm
Brentford vs Birmingham, Tuesday 7pm
Similarly to Swansea, Brentford are stuttering at just the wrong moment, which is allowing Watford to get very comfortable in the second automatic promotion place behind Norwich. With three draws in succession, they’ve really lacked a cutting edge of late.
Having beaten the Swans and boosted their hopes of avoiding the drop just a few days ago, Birmingham will be quietly confident about beating another promotion hopeful here, with Lee Bowyer’s appointment having breathed new life into the squad. That said, I think the Bees could get back on track here.
Prutton predicts: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds)
Norwich vs Huddersfield, Tuesday 7.45pm – Live on Sky Sports Football
Though they still boast a healthy lead over Watford going into this game, you’d imagine Daniel Farke and Co will be starting to look over their shoulders, having dropped points in the last two games. They will have designs on another title win and the Hornets are their closest realistic challengers.
Huddersfield are five unbeaten now and managed to keep Brentford’s talisman Ivan Toney quiet at the John Smith’s Stadium last time out. I’m not sure they’ll be able to do the same with Teemu Pukki and Emi Buendia, though, and this should be a comfortable victory.
Prutton predicts: 3-1 (Sky Bet odds)
Tuesday 6th April 7:45pm
Kick off 7:45pm
Prutton’s other predictions (All Monday 3pm kick off)
Blackburn vs Bournemouth: 1-2 (Sky Bet odds)
Coventry vs Bristol City: 2-2 (Sky Bet odds)
Luton vs Barnsley: 1-1 (Sky Bet odds)
Nottingham Forest vs QPR: 1-1 (Sky Bet odds)
Rotherham vs Wycombe: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds)
Stoke vs Millwall: 0-1 (Sky Bet odds)