Championship winner odds, relegation predictions and top scorer bets

Best bet

Sheffield United to win the title
2pts 5-2 bet365, Hills

Already advised

Norwich to win the title
2pts 11-2 bet365

Watford to be promoted
3pts 2-1 BoyleSports

Betting offers

• Paddy Power are giving away free bets to new and existing customers and all you need is an account. Sign up here
• Sky Bet are offering new customers multiple free bets when they sign up. Click herefor free bets, money-back specials and BuildABet free bets
• Betfair have lots of offers and money back offers. Sign up for a new account here
• To get free bets from Ladbrokes today, simply sign up to a new account here
• Don't have a Coral account? They have an offer for new customers here
• New William Hill customers can claim free bets and benefit from their daily offers including Scratch Of The Day by clicking here

Championship promotion predictions

Burnley and Sheffield United have established themselves as clear front runners at the halfway point of the Championship season and there may be some value in backing the Blades to finish top of the pile.

With so much of the season remaining, it would be foolish to assume there will not be any more twists and turns in the battle for automatic promotion.

However, given the general lack of consistency from teams outside of the top two, there is a massive opportunity for the Clarets and Blades to build on their healthy positions.

Burnley drew a lot of games earlier in the campaign as they adjusted to a new manager, Vincent Kompany, and a possession-based style of play.

But everything seemed to click either side of the World Cup with the Clarets reeling off seven wins in eight league games and scoring 21 goals in the process.

Kompany's side are the highest scorers in the league with 46 goals and there has been speculation that they could add even more firepower in January, although it would make far greater sense if they focused on tightening up at the back.

Burnley have conceded 24 goals, which is five more than Sheffield United and two more than fourth-placed Watford, who should have scope for a much-improved second half of the season.

The Clarets showed a vulnerability from crosses when losing 5-2 at Sheffield United in early November and it is an issue which may prevent them from hanging on to top spot.

If Burnley are to be knocked off their perch, Sheffield United seem the most likely side to take their place.

Paul Heckingbottom's side are just three points adrift in second despite having had to deal with a host of injuries to key players.

The World Cup break came at just the right time for the Blades. Eight senior players were absent when they signed off for the World Cup with a 1-0 win at Cardiff, but five - Sander Berge, Anel Ahmedhodzic, Oli McBurnie, Jayden Bogle and Max Lowe - were back when the Yorkshiremen started their December schedule with a 1-0 success at home to Huddersfield.

The worst of the Blades' injury problems seem to be behind them which could allow United to be even more consistent in the second half of the season.

If Burnley or United were to falter, Watford seem the most likely team to squeeze into the top two.

The Hornets have improved under Slaven Bilic, losing just one of their last eight games, and could be a lot stronger in 2023 with key midfielders Edo Kayembe, Hamza Choudhury and Imran Louza expected to shake off injuries and make their returns to the squad.

However, much depends on what happens to Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr during the January transfer window.

Sarr is attracting Premier League interest after some impressive performances at the World Cup and Watford need to hang on to their star turn if they are to threaten the top two.

Black Cats have playoff potential

Best bet

Sunderland top-six finish
2pts 11-2 general

Already advised

West Brom top-six finish
4pts 11-10 Betfred

Verdict

Approximately two thirds of the Championship clubs are hopeful of contending for a top-six finish and there could be a few surprise names in the mix, including a Sunderland side who are not without a chance of clinching back-to-back promotions.

Sunderland are 13th after finishing their pre-Christmas schedule with a 1-1 draw at Hull, but they are only three points adrift of the playoffs places and likely to get better.

Tony Mowbray replaced Alex Neil at the helm in late August and it took the veteran tactician a while to put his own stamp on the team. However, performances have been improving and Sunderland's attacking threat is substantial with key striker Ross Stewart back from injury and talented Manchester United loanee Amad Diallo having scored five goals in his last eight appearances.

Stewart and Diallo should each be targeting a personal haul of at least 15 goals given their talent and that would probably be enough to propel Sunderland into the playoff mix.

West Brom are a fast-improving side who could also push for a top six finish and they have received plenty of market support.

Carlos Corberan's Baggies should do well in the second half of the season, but they are not exactly going under the radar.

Millers could be ground down in survival battle

Best bet

Rotherham to be relegated
3pts 6-4 bet365

Already advised

Reading to be relegated
4pts 15-8 bet365, Betfair, Power

Birmingham to be relegated
3pts 15-8 Betfair, Power

Verdict

Rotherham have spent the last six seasons yo-yoing between the Championship and League One and they could be preparing for life back in the third tier come May.

The Millers are a small club compared to most of their second-tier rivals and, after making a bright start to the season, they appear to be on the slide.

Paul Warne's decision to leave the New York Stadium to take the reins at Derby was a significant blow and his replacement Matt Taylor has got off to a choppy start.

Since Taylor's arrival, Rotherham have taken 12 points from 13 games and dropped from 12th to 19th in the table.

Poor defending was a feature of recent losses to Bristol City and West Brom, and it is doubtful whether Taylor will be afforded the necessary resources to bring in some much-needed reinforcements in January.

Rotherham will try to box clever by perhaps making greater use of the loan market, but their task is made more difficult by the fact that there are no really poor teams in the division.

Reading survived with 41 points last term but it could easily take 50 points to stay up this time around and the Millers may struggle to reach that mark.

Pedro providing the sting for Hornets

Best bet

Joao Pedro top scorer
1pt each-way 14-1 general

Already advised

Karlan Grant top scorer
1pt each-way 18-1 general

Ross Stewart
0.5pt each-way 25-1 Betfred

Verdict

The race to be the Championship's to[ goalscorer is wide open but Watford's classy Brazilian attacker Joao Pedro is starting to show his potential, scoring eight goals in 19 league games, and looks a serious contender.

Coventry's Viktor Gyokeres leads the way with 11 goals and should continue to deliver for as long as he remains with the Sky Blues. However, Coventry have well-documented financial issues and Gyokeres is by far their most saleable asset.

Top-flight interest in the Swede may prove tough to resist and if Gyokeres departs the top-scorer race will be easier to win.

Watford's Pedro is another rising star attracting admiring glances but he signed a new six-year-contract at Vicarage Road in September, putting the Hornets in a strong bargaining position.

Pedro netted braces in the recent 2-0 wins over Reading and Huddersfield and he would take some beating if he can reach the 20-goal mark.

Sign up to emails from Racing Post Sport and get all the latest news and tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport