Title hopefuls could serve up a thriller

Sky Bet Championship
Sky Sports Football, 5.30pm Saturday

Nottingham Forest and Leeds are set to be mainstays of Sky's Championship coverage this season, but it might not just be the size of their fanbases that makes them an attractive proposition.

The teams are regularly described as sleeping giants and their supporters will be encouraged by starts that suggest their time in the wilderness could be about to end.

Forest are fourth having won three of four matches and a 2-1 victory over relegated Middlesbrough in their last game at the City Ground points to big things ahead for the Tricky Trees now that the club appear on a stable footing financially and have a solid manager in former Rangers boss Mark Warburton.

And it's a similar story at Leeds, where new boss Thomas Christiansen has hit the ground running and even the sale of striker Chris Wood may not derail them, judging by Kemar Roofe's hat-trick against Newport in the League Cup on Tuesday.

The Whites have been frustrated by two goalless draws on their own patch but wins at Sunderland and Bolton in two televised games show there could be more to come.

Forest have also had to deal with a striking departure after Britt Assombalonga left for Middlesbrough but they have a decent record of finding the net on their own patch.

And with Leeds having failed to notch in just two of their last 15 Championship away games, there is a decent chance there will be at least three goals on the banks of the River Trent.

Recommendation
Over 2.5 goals
2pts 11-12 188Bet

Bet on this match at soccerbase.com

Team news

Nottingham Forest
Midfielder David Vaughan faces a fitness test but new signing and Leeds old boy Liam Bridcutt is standing by to make his debut.

Leeds
New signing Jay-Ray Grot is unlikely to start as Kemar Roofe could keep his place at centre forward after netting a hat-trick in the League Cup win over Newport

Key stat
Forest have scored at least twice in nine of their last 12 Championship matches at the City Ground.