Playing Away: Derby County, Hull City and Huddersfield Town set to shine

Twelve games into the Championship season and the league is as unpredictable and exciting as ever, with the games coming thick and fast following a full midweek fixture list. This weekend sees three sides who will be eyeing a top-six finish come May in the shape of Derby County, Hull City and Huddersfield Town take to the road as they look to keep within distance of the early-season pacesetters.

While their prices on each to win should be considered on their own, new customers who decide to back the trio to emerge victorious with their free £20 bet would see a return of £353.44 if successful, with the treble coming in at just over 17/1.

Derby County to beat Peterborough United @ 27/20

Nigel Clough’s Derby side have made a solid start to the season, currently sitting in mid-table, just three points off the top six as they head to second from bottom Peterborough this weekend.

An injury-time strike from Nathan Tyson ensured a 2-1 win for the Rams away at Ipswich in midweek after coming back from a goal down to make it two wins and three draws in as many games, with Clough praising their resilience in recent weeks.

Theo Robinson has notched five goals this season, including three in his last four matches, and he’ll be looking to add to the three goals he scored against Peterborough last season, especially as the Rams are unbeaten in their last three meetings with the Posh.

Peterborough picked up their first win at home in midweek following five successive defeats at London Road, as they saw off Huddersfield to leapfrog Ipswich Town at the bottom of the table, but they are still in search of a clean sheet this term.

That win is likely to give Darren Ferguson’s side a lift going into this game, but unlike my ‘Home Heroes’ counterpart Lee Calver, I don’t think Posh can follow it up with another triumph.

The Rams have proved a difficult outfit to beat this campaign, losing just three of their opening 12 matches, and are an attractive price to make it back-to-back victories.

Hull City to beat Bristol City @ 27/20

Two wins in their last three matches sees Hull City occupy ninth, having won six, drawn one and lost five of their 12 league matches as they aim to go one better than last season’s eighth-placed finish by claiming at least a play-off spot come May.

Steve Bruce’s men travel to a Bristol City side that sit just one place above the bottom three and head into this game on the back of three successive defeats and just one win in their last nine outings.

Derek McInnes’ side were dealt a blow in midweek as their late equaliser against Burnley was not enough to secure a point – the Clarets securing a stunning 4-3 victory with a winner in the sixth minute of injury time.

One of the problems for the Robins this season has been their inability to keep teams out as they are still in search of a clean sheet and the 26 goals they have conceded, nine coming in their last three matches, is more than any other side in the league.

The Tigers managed to pick up four points against the West Country side last term – their last meeting resulting in a comfortable 3-0 success at home back in February – and Bruce’s men have a good opportunity to bounce back from a midweek defeat with a win at Ashton Gate.

Huddersfield Town to beat Millwall @ 11/5

Following their promotion from League One last season, Huddersfield have showed no signs of struggling to adapt to Championship football this year as they currently find themselves just outside the top six on goal difference.

The Terriers are five points behind league leaders Leicester City and travel to face a Millwall side who have picked up just one win in their last eight outings as they find themselves just four points above the bottom three.

The Yorkshire side have picked up five wins from their last eight games, three of which have come on the road, and in on-loan duo Jermaine Beckford and James Vaughan, they have a front line that can cause any defence a problem on its day.

They’ll certainly fancy their chances of getting their name on the scoresheet against a Lions defence that has conceded 24 times so far this season and failed to record a clean sheet, with only Bristol City having shipped more.

Despite racing into a three-goal lead at home to Birmingham City in midweek, Millwall had to make do with a point after a Marlon King hat-trick secured a point for the visitors, and Simon Grayson’s men will view this as a good opportunity to bounce back from their defeat at Peterborough on Tuesday.