Boxing Day - Championship

Three picks in the Championship - the first somewhat speculative!

We're backing Millwall to get the better of Wolves - something that noone has managed since October now - in fact, only one side in that period have stopped them winning when Sunderland snatched an unlikely away draw. 

So why Millwall?  Well first off, they've enjoyed a decent enough set of results at home this season - the New Den is never the easiest place to go. They've won six of their last nine at their own place, including a 4-0 demolition of Norwich, and back to back wins over Sheffield United and Middlesbrough - both sides of decent quality. 

Wolves have been getting the results on their travels, but only with marginal wins, and wouldn't take a lot of luck to swing to see them start to lose a couple. They won 1-0 at both Sheff Wednesday and Birmingham, which aren't amazing results, and beat Norwich and Reading 2-0 each prior to that. 

1pt Millwall to beat Wolves at 16/5 (Bet365)

Next up are Neil Warnock's Cardiff who look a nicely settled outfit, and while the defeat at Bolton last time out would trouble some, for us it makes them look a more compelling bet this week if anything. 

It was a result which will have sharped the mind, and Warnock will have ensured his players understand the expectation they are under and that slips like that will not be tolerated at this crucial time in the season. Prior to that result, Cardiff had won five from six and their home form is expecially good - winning their last four on the bounce and unbeaten in nine. 

Fulham are the visitors who busted our main bet over the weekend, so they owe us one now. With four defeats from their last five away matches, including a disappointing reversal at Sunderland, they have to be more likely to play their part in a Cardiff win here, and they havent kept a clean sheet away from home in eight matches now. 

3pts Cardiff to beat Fulham at 13/10 (Bet365, Betfred)

Finally, Nottingham Forest are getting underrated ahead of their match with an injury struck and managerless Sheffield Wednesday. 

Lee Bullen takes charge of the Owls in the post Carlos Carvahal era, and it's one which should probably have started much sooner judging from the atmosphere from most of the ground over recent months. Morgan Fox is expected back in the starting XI after his ban, but Kieren Westwood, Jack Hunt, Tom Lees, Kieran Lee, Barry Bannan, George Boyd, Steven Fletcher and Fernando Forestieri make up the lenghty list of crocked players. 

A change of manager is unlikely to address that issue, and the Owls have collected just four points from a possible 21 now. 

Forest have seen up and down results - five wins and five defeats from their last 11 tells a story of inconsistency, but five wins from six at the City Ground gives us the confidence to back Forest at 29/20.

2pts Nottingham Forest to beat Sheffield Wednesday at 29/20 (Bet365).

With all three teams available at the same firm at top price, we might as well put half a point on the treble at 23/1 as well.

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