The Championship Preview: Barnsley to have too much bite for the Tangerines

Barnsley boss David Flitcroft has made a fine start to his managerial career

The shock results continue to happen in the Championship, and Mike Norman is hoping that theme stays the same on Saturday with these three lesser-fancied sides...

This Championship doesn't get any easier, I can tell you. Only a last minute goal at The Valley prevented us from having three losing weeks on the spin, but hopefully that stroke of luck means fortunes have started to turn back in our favour.

And I notice that during the week the Championship was up to its usual tricks, the two bottom clubs in the division - Barnsley and Bristol City - both recording comfortable wins over in-form top-half sides.

In fact, given the nature of results in this division, those two clubs mentioned above, with new managers at the helm, look worth a wager this weekend to upset the odds once again as they strive to pull themselves away from the relegation zone.

Blackburn 1.758/11 v Bristol City 5.49/2; The Draw 3.9n/a

There have been some crazy managerial sackings in English football in the last 12 months but not many can argue with Derek McInnes being shown the door at Ashton Gate after a run of just three wins in 21 games.

A change was definitely needed, and the arrival of Sean O'Driscoll has produced exactly what was hoped - immediate results and belief that they can remain a Championship club at the end of the season. True, City lost their first game - albeit narrowly - under O'Driscoll, but back-to-back wins over Ipswich and the very much in-form Watford will have done wonders for morale at the club.

Of course, Blackburn have a new manager of their own, but wins have not come immediately for Michael Appleton. In fact Rovers are yet to win in three league games under their new boss, two of which were on home soil.

There's a sense that the Blackburn hierarchy don't really know who they want to take their club forward, whereas Bristol City have appointed exactly the right kind of manager to help them survive. And on very recent form - albeit just a few weeks - the Robins shouldn't be huge outsiders to win this game.

Recommended Bet: Back Bristol City to win @ 5.49/2

Blackpool 1.748/11 v Barnsley 5.49/2; The Draw 4.03/1

Blackpool are surprisingly one of the most out-of-form sides in the division with just four league wins from their last 20 games, although last week's victory at Wolves should give the Tangerines a bit of confidence, and so too should the fact that they managed to keep hold of their starlet Thomas Ince in the January Transfer Window.

In a recurring theme in this week's preview, Barnsley are another club to have parted company with a manager in recent weeks and new boss David Flitcroft - like O'Driscoll at Bristol City - has hit the ground running, winning four and drawing one of his six games in charge (three of them as caretaker boss).

The Tykes 1-0 victory away to high-flying Hull in the FA Cup last week shows what they are capable of in this division, and with the acquisition of Rory Delap from Stoke, combined with the poor form of Blackpool, I believe Barnsley are an excellent price to upset the odds.

Recommended Bet: Back Barnsley to win @ 5.49/2 (best bet)

Leeds 3.052/1 v Cardiff 2.486/4; The Draw 3.55/2

There isn't a club in the country in better form than Leeds on their own patch right now. Since losing 1-6 to Watford on home soil, Neil Warnock's men have won six straight league games at Elland Road and last week they deservedly dumped out a strong Tottenham side in the FA Cup.

Leeds also enjoyed a good Transfer Deadline Day too, bringing in three new players including Stephen Warnock who reportedly turned down a move to West Ham to join the Championship club. So it seems life is a bed of roses in Yorkshire right now, and United ought to be full of confidence ahead of the clash with top-of-the-table Cardiff City.

True, this will take a huge effort for Leeds to win this game, but Cardiff aren't exactly unbeatable away from home. In fact, the Bluebirds have won just 50% of their away games and lost five of them already, seven if you include cup defeats at Macclesfield and Northampton.

Recommended Bet: Back Under 2.5 Goals @ 2.0621/20

Season P/L (1pt each bet, 2pts Best Bet)

Wagered: 112 pts
Returned: 122.74 pts
P/L + 10.74 pts