Championship
Fixture: Derby 2-2 Swansea
Venue: Pride Park (Derby home)
Kick-off: 7.45pm GMT
Verdict: It is very wise not to underestimate how false Derby County's position in the Championship is. They may have lost away to Doncaster at the weekend, but nowadays that is no disgrace. Since Nigel Clough has come in, Derby have been a lot more cohesive and have started to string together a number of good results. Although any challenge for the play-offs looks a case of too little too late, they are more than capable of beating anyone at home. Swansea's form is a little hit and miss and their promotion push may be hampered by too many draws. This has got draw written all over it.
Betting Advice: 2pts draw at 11/5 (3.2 at Betfred)
Fixture: Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Reading
Venue: Hillsborough (Sheff W home)
Kick-off: 7.45pm GMT
Verdict: There is a major discrepancy on the over/under 2.5 goals market here. To be fair to the bookies, it is quite a tricky one: while Sheffield Wednesday have been scoring goals for fun, Reading have scored one in seven games. That stat in itself suggests that this is going to be a tight affair and I would imagine Reading will be happy with a clean sheet and maybe troubling the scorer for the first time since the end of January.
Betting Advice: 3pts Under 2.5 goals at 4/5 (1.8 at Victor Chandler and Skybet)
League One
Fixture: Northampton P-P MK Dons
Venue: Sixfields Stadium (Northampton home)
Kick-off: 7.45pm GMT
Verdict: MK Dons were desperately unlucky not to grab all three points in their top of the table clash against Leicester at the weekend. It took a 95th minute equaliser to deny them a deserved victory. What that result did do was extend their unbeaten run to five and they can make that six again here. They should beat a Northampton side who have been pretty abject of late but beware the local derby factor.
Betting Advice: 4pts MK Dons to win at 5/4 (2.25 at Bet365, Paddy Power and William Hill)
Fixture: Southend 0-1 Millwall
Venue: Roots Hall (Southend home)
Kick-off: 7.45pm GMT
Verdict: But for a dramatic loss of form before and during Christmas, there would be barely a hair's breadth between Southend and Millwall in the league standings. As it is Millwall are currently nine points above the coastal side and favourites to win tonight. They shouldn't be. Southend suffered a loss of confidence, which is to be expected from any relegated side, but they have bounced back strongly and recent wins against Peterborough, Scunthorpe and Colchester have put them back in the frame for a play-off spot. Millwall are out of sorts themselves at the moment and defeats to Oldham, Brighton and Leeds has left them doubting themselves.
Betting Advice: 4pts Southend to win at 6/4 (2.5 at Paddy Power and Bet365)
League Two
Fixture: Grimsby 0-1 Brentford, Bournemouth 2-0 Aldershot
Venue: Blundell Park, The Fitness First Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm GMT
Verdict: Tonight is the night that Grimsby, sadly, become the first non-penalised team to enter the dreaded league trapdoor zone. Grimsby have lost their last four on the spin and it is very difficult to see them keeping leaders Brentford at bay. Meanwhile, Bournemouth can nick a home win against Aldershot, who are pretty abject away from home.
Betting Advice: 2pts double Brentford x Bournemouth to win at Evens and 11/10 (4.2 generally)
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