Championship Betting: Back Brum to continue fabulous record against Lions

Lee Clark's Birmingham have a great record against Millwall

With a full midweek list of Championship fixtures, and a further two winners on Saturday, Mike Norman is confident that his three recommended wagers can give us a run for our money on Tuesday night...

Derby 2.1411/10 v Bournemouth 3.814/5; The Draw 3.613/5

Derby have definitely justified their pre-season tags as one of the favourites for promotion following a run of eight league and cup games without defeat and a surge up to sixth in the table, just four points off top spot.

Steve McClaren's men have scored 14 goals in their last six Championship games and they remain unbeaten at Pride Park this term.

The general concensus is that Bournemouth have started the season very well but the fact remains that they've won just one of their last seven league games, hardly the form of a side that has 'started well' given we've only had nine rounds of fixtures so far.

True, Eddie Howe's men don't lose many (three draws in their last five league games) but you'd like to have seen them win more than what they have if you're a layer of Derby in this encounter. The Cherries beat out-of-form Wigan on Saturday, lost to Leeds a fortnight ago, and failed to beat struggling Rotherham the game before that.

I respect any side that seem difficult to beat, but I just feel that Derby have the momentum right now, they're scoring plenty of goals, and that they ought to be a shorter price than they actually are to win this game, hence the Rams being the selection.

Recommended Bet
Back Derby to Win @ 2.26/5

Middlesbrough 1.434/9 v Blackpool 10.09/1; The Draw 4.77/2

Most of you will know that I'm a Middlesbrough fan, but hopefully two facts will prevent you all from saying that I'm backing the Boro just because I want them to win.

The first is that I rarely bet in games involving Middlesbrough but when I do it's always a bet from the head (and not the heart) and I've never been scared to oppose them if I see value in the opposition. And the second fact is that before a ball was kicked this term I said that I didn't expect us to challenge for promotion and that reaching the play-offs would be fantastic.

Obviously reaching the play-offs will still be fantastic but I have to say that my sights are set higher now, I really believe that we can challenge for automatic promotion.

And if that's the case then brushing aside teams like Blackpool is a must. Aitor Karanka's men have already lost a few time at the Riverside Stadium but they put that right last time out with an emphatic victory over Brentford.

Boro are on a good run at the moment (unbeaten in five league and cup games inside 90 minutes) and have a big squad. Leading scorer Grant Leadbitter was rested on Saturday but will return against hapless Blackpool.

The Tangerines are yet to win a single game this term and have scored just four goals in over 900 minutes of football, including just one away from home. They conceded firt half goals in their opening six league and come games this term and I won't be surprised at all if Middlesbrough lead at the interval before going on to take all three points.

Recommended Bet
Back Middlesbrough HT/FT @ 2.186/5

Millwall 2.01/1 v Birmingham 4.57/2; The Draw 3.55/2

Birmingham, for whatever reason, have been the worst team in the country over the last year on home soil. And I literally am talking a year. And I literally am talking THE worst.

It was October 1 2013 that Brum beat Tuesday's opponents Millwall 4-0 at St Andrews but since then it's been a tale of horror.

Lee Clark's men have won just one of 23 league games in front of their own fans in the last 12 months, an incredibly poor home record. They've jut lost back-to-back home games to Sheffield Wednesday and a Fulham side who had previouly taken just one point from 21 available to them.

So hopefully Clark's men will improve now that they are on the road.

Millwall enter this fixture in poor form, winning just one of their last eight league and cup games, a run that has seen them slip to 16th in the table. They are very opposable here.

And the reason I say 'very' opposable is because we know that in the last 12 months Birmingham have been much better away from home. They defeated Millwall 2-3 at the Den in March, and they have a fantastic recent record against Ian Holloway's men, remaining unbeaten in the last 14 meetings in all competitions.

Recommended Bet
Back Birmingham to Win @ 4.57/2 (best bet)

Championship 2014/15 Season P/L

Staked: 36 pts
Returned: 44.2 pts
P/L: + 8.2 pts

*based on 1pt each bet, 2pts best bet