Birmingham can leapfrog Reading with a victory in Friday night’s televised Championship match and are fancied to seize the opportunity. Blues are three points behind their visitors with a better goal difference and will be looking to climb into the top half of the table during the second half of the season.
Emiliano Martinez has been cut from 3/1 to 7/4 in bwin’s World Cup 2022 Golden Glove odds after helping Argentina to reach the final. The 30-year-old Aston Villa keeper claimed the same award at the end of La Albiceleste’s victorious 2021 Copa America campaign.
With the finalists now known, we’re taking another look at the World Cup 2022 outright winner odds to see who is being backed for glory in Qatar. The final will take place at Lusail Iconic Stadium on Sunday and these are the remaining contenders to lift the trophy.
Morocco have enjoyed an amazing run through to the World Cup semi-finals and we reckon they will give holders France a tough test in Qatar. Roared on by a passionate support, the Atlas Lions have upset the odds time and time again to become the first African team to get this far.
Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are dominating the World Cup 2022 Golden Ball odds after being the stand-out performers in Qatar so far. Luka Modric and Antoine Griezmann are the only other two leading contenders in the betting.
Rob Edwards will take charge of Luton at Kenilworth Road for the first time with a rare morning kick-off against Millwall on Sunday. His first match in charge ended in a last-gasp defeat at Middlesbrough while Millwall have failed to win either of their two games since the World Cup break.
Two teams in fine form clash when Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray welcomes his former club West Brom to the north east. The Black Cats have already returned to Championship action, beating Millwall last weekend to bookend the World Cup break with victories.
Argentina and Croatia both prevailed on penalties in the World Cup quarter-finals and another close encounter is on the cards in the semis. However, we’re hoping La Albiceleste can find a way to break down the 2018 runners-up and send their army of fans into raptures once more.
It’s derby day in Lancashire when Blackburn and Preston meet at Ewood Park as the Championship returns. Both sides will be raring to go having signed off before the World Cup with a defeat, while Preston will want to erase memories of a 4-1 hammering the last time they met in April.
In the New Year, we will witness one of the most celebrated milestones in the English football season: the third round of the FA Cup. This is the stage at which the 20 Premier League teams enter the world’s oldest national football competition.
England and France were both ultra-impressive in reaching the World Cup quarter-finals and now meet in a mouth-watering match-up. Each side has really caught the eye going forward, but we just feel Les Bleus have looked a touch more vulnerable at the back.
Burnley have been sitting pretty at the top of the table while the Championship has been on hold for the World Cup but that might not be the case when they return to action at managerless QPR on Sunday. Sheffield United could hit the summit with a win over Huddersfield 24 hours before the teams line up at Loftus Road.
Portugal did an absolute demolition job on Switzerland and are now fancied to end Morocco’s fairytale run at Qatar 2022 if maintaining that momentum. The Atlas Lions showed great resilience to stifle Spain, but their next opponents have more of a cutting edge up front.
Netherlands and Argentina are both incredibly-well organised teams and their quarter-final clash could develop into a tactical battle. These nations have met five times before in World Cup tournaments and it is usually tight when they do get together.