Championship Betting: Back Forest to stay top of the table

Stuart Pearce's Nottm Forest look a good bet at 2.2 this weekend when they host relatively out-of-form Brighton

Mike Norman's hot form continues and it's now seven successful best bet selections in a row across all his football columns, and all at odds against. Here's Mike's three recommended wagers from Saturday's Championship action...

Nottm Forest 2.26/5 v Brighton 3.814/5; The Draw 3.55/2

We successfully opposed Brighton 12 days ago when they lost at Ipswich and the main reason for doing so was because the Tractor Boys looked over-priced against their relatively out of form opposition.

Nothing has changed. Brighton are still out of form; they've fallen further down the table (now 18th), and their only away league win this season came at Birmingham, a club that has the worst home record in English football in the last 12 months.

So I was very surprised to see top-of-the-table Nottingham Forest priced at 2.26/5 at home to Sami Hyypia's strugglers. Yes please.

Stuart Pearce's men remain unbeaten in the Championship this season, winning five and drawing three of their eight league games to date. At the City Ground they've been particulary impressive, scoring four against a decent Reading side and five in their last home game to Fulham. Club record signing Britt Assombalonga has already netted eight league goals this term and remains in fine form.

The Seagulls meanwhile are without a win in their last four league games, failing to score in the last two, and they perhaps recorded their worst result of the season last Saturday when they became the first club in the division to fail to beat hapless Blackpool on home soil.

True, Brighton won comfortably in the Capital One Cup in midweek but that was against League Two outfit Burton, whereas Forest played well at White Hart Lane before eventually losing to Spurs.

I'm now worried about those midweek results one bit - if anything they've simply served to push out Forest's price a little so at 2.26/5 to back I'm making Pearce's men my best bet of the day.

Recommended Bet
Back Nottm Forest to Win @ 2.26/5 (best bet)

Blackburn 2.35/4 v Watford 3.39/4; The Draw 3.613/5

Blackburn beat Wigan 4-3 on the final day of last season and it seems high-scoring games have been the norm ever since in games involving Rovers.

Prior to their 'boring' 0-1 win at Fulham on Saturday Gary Bowyer's men had played seven Championship games and all seven resulted in both teams getting on the scoresheet; the last six of those games finished with at least three goals being scored, and the last five resulted in Over 3.5 Goals paying out.

Blackburn's four league games at Ewood Park this season have averaged exactly four goals per game.

Watford have surprisingly been involved in some relatively low-scoring games of late (just four goals scored in their last three matches) but they are a side that possess some incredible attacking talent at this level and you only have to think back to the end of August to remind yourself of the type of games they can often be involved in.

The Hornets beat Leeds and Huddersfield 4-1 and 4-2 respectively while losing in the League Cup 1-2 to Doncaster - three games that saw a total of 14 goals scored.

In fact, take a look at all of Watford's league games in August and you notice that 19 goals were scored in five matches - that's a total of 3.8 goals per game.

Over 3.5 Goals is available to back at 3.185/40 here, and for a match-up between two sides that produce more high-scoring games than not then I think that has to be the wager.

Recommended Bet
Back Over 3.5 Goals @ 3.185/40

Ipswich 2.0421/20 v Rotherham 4.3100/30; The Draw 3.55/2

The Tractor Boys are in good shape and find themselves seventh in the table after three consecutive wins, so again, anything above evens at home to a lowly side is a price well worth taking.

The last of Ipswich's three wins was on Monday night away at Wigan, a terrific result that confirmed my belief that they can challenge for the play-offs this season. Mick McCarthy is a very astute and experienced manager at this level and I can only see his side getting better.

Ipswich have won three of their four league games at Portman Road and there was no disgrace, just a loss of bragging rights, in their home loss to derby rivals Norwich.

Newly promoted Rotherham have done ok so far this term but they've now gone four league games without a win and occupy 19th position in the table. The problem they have is scoring goals - just seven scored in 10 league and cup ties - and you always worry for a club when that is the case.

Steve Evans will need to address his side's goalscoring problems sooner rather than later but as I know to my cost it's best not to expect the Millers to trouble too many defences on current form. A home win has to be the call here.

Recommended Bet
Back Ipswich to Win @ 2.0421/20

Championship 2014/15 Season P/L

Staked: 32 pts
Returned: 39.06 pts
P/L: + 7.06 pts

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