Games are coming thick and fast in the EFL Championship as teams now have a clearer idea of their strengths and weaknesses.
The teams at the top end of the table are in good form and have the momentum to maintain their current run.
QPR and West Brom, in fifth and sixth place respectively, also returned to winning ways during the midweek fixtures, remaining within touching distance of the top two.
Elsewhere, 13th-placed Charlton have been without a win since August.
Despite their poor run, just three points separate them from sixth-placed QPR, highlighting how quickly fortunes can change if teams string together a positive run.
Middlesbrough vs Cardiff City – Saturday, October 17, 12:30
High-flying Middlesbrough will take on Cardiff City in Gameweek 11 of the Championship on Saturday, October 18.
Both teams have different ambitions this season. Boro are aiming for the summit after climbing to second place with an impressive 3-2 away win over Stoke City in midweek.
The Bluebirds, on the other hand, have just one objective this season: to avoid an immediate return to English football’s third division after earning promotion in the summer.
Form guide
Middlesbrough brought an end to Stoke City’s six-game unbeaten run with a 3-2 away win, although the scoreline does not tell the full story of Boro’s dominance in the match.
Will Lankshear has now scored in back-to-back games and leads the Championship scoring charts with eight goals.
Kim Hellberg’s side have also been solid at home, remaining unbeaten in their last three matches, with two wins.
However, their inability to keep clean sheets remains a concern. Boro have managed just one in their last five Championship matches.
Cardiff City are back in the Championship but remain far from safety, sitting 19th with 10 points, just two clear of the relegation zone.
More concerningly, the Bluebirds have lost their last four Championship away matches, conceding seven goals and scoring just twice during that run.
However, they head into this fixture on the back of an emphatic 5-1 home win over Watford.
Cardiff must now prove that this win was indeed a turning point rather than a one-off match.
Team news
Riley McGree and Tommy Conway were dropped to the bench for the match against Stoke City and are likely to return to the starting XI against Cardiff.
Alfie Jones is likely to miss out again due to injury, while Rokas Pukštas and David Strelec have also been recent absentees.
Cardiff’s 5-1 win over Watford came at a cost, as centre-back Dylan Lawlor had to be taken off in the 28th minute with a hamstring problem.
The 20-year-old Welshman is a major doubt for this match and is likely to be replaced by Will Fish in the starting XI.
Rubin Colwill and Calum Chambers remain doubtful, while Yousef Salech is also short of match fitness.
Jack Moylan’s two-goal display against Watford makes him a definite starter for this match.
Match odds
Middlesbrough are the favourites to win at odds of 4/7, while a draw is priced at 15/4 and a Cardiff City win at 9/2.
Suggested bet
Middlesbrough to win 2-1.
Millwall vs Lincoln City – Saturday, October 17, 12:30
Millwall play hosts to newly-promoted Lincoln City at The Den on Saturday, with both teams looking for a response following defeats in their midweek matches.
Alex Neil’s side missed a golden chance to move into the top six after losing 1-0 at home to current league leaders Swansea City.
The result also reflects how far the team are from the heights of last season, when they finished third only to lose in the Championship play-offs.
Although a return of 14 points from 10 league matches is not what many would have expected from a team aiming for promotion, the Lions remain just seven points off the top two.
Form guide
Millwall are nowhere near the level they showed last season, when they finished third, just a point behind second-placed Ipswich Town.
This season has been a completely different story, with the Lions managing just four wins, two draws and four defeats in their first 10 matches to sit 11th.
In their last five matches, Millwall have just one win to show for their efforts, losing twice and drawing twice.
The only positive for them is that the season is still in its early stages and they remain within touching distance of the top six.
However, that gap could widen quickly if Neil’s men fail to address their poor form.
Lincoln City’s immediate objective is to avoid relegation.
Although they are currently on a three-game losing streak, their return of three wins from their first seven matches offers some reason for optimism despite their recent struggles.
Over their last five matches, Lincoln have won twice and lost three times, including a 6-0 hammering at home against West Ham.
However, that heavy defeat was largely down to Lincoln being reduced to nine men within the first 23 minutes.
Team news
Millwall still have several players dealing with fitness issues, with Josh Coburn among those unlikely to be rushed back.
Lukas Jensen, Casper De Norre and Mihailo Ivanovic have also been listed among the recent injury concerns.
Tristan Crama and Ryan Leonard returned to the matchday squad against Swansea and should be available for selection, giving the home side more cover in defence and midfield.
Lincoln are without captain Tendayi Darikwa due to a long-term knee injury, while Mason Melia has also missed recent squads.
The more immediate concern is disciplinary, with Hamer and McGrandles suspended following their straight red cards against West Ham.
Their absence will force changes in defence and central midfield.
Match odds
Millwall are the favourites to secure all three points at odds of 7/10, while a draw is priced at 3/1 and a Lincoln City victory at 17/4.
Suggested bets
Millwall to win 2-0.
Watford vs Charlton Athletic – Saturday, October 17, 12:30
Watford host Charlton Athletic in a high-pressure, high-stakes Championship clash at Vicarage Road, with the spotlight firmly on manager Alessio Dionisi and his future at the club.
Despite rumours suggesting that Dionisi was on the verge of being sacked during his side’s demolition at the hands of Cardiff, the Italian has managed to survive, for now.
Watford supporters also made their frustrations clear, but their protests were largely directed at the club’s owners, the Pozzo family, whose perceived lack of investment and leadership has left the club sitting 22nd in the Championship table.
Form guide
Watford opened the season in perfect fashion, scripting an impressive 2-1 win over Premier League promotion hopefuls Southampton.
Since then, however, the Hornets have won just once in their next nine matches, a 2-1 home victory over Preston North End on September 9. They are now on a four-game losing streak.
More worrying is the manner of their defeats in the last two matches: a 4-0 loss to Burnley followed by a 5-1 hammering at the hands of Cardiff, with the players showing little fight and conceding nine goals across the two games.
The heavy defeat against newly-promoted Cardiff City paints a worrying picture. If this trend continues, the Hornets risk ending their five-year stay in the Championship.
Nathan Jones’ Charlton side have been without a win since August 29, when they secured their third consecutive victory at the start of the season with a 1-0 win over Preston.
Since then, Charlton have lost twice and drawn five times, including a 1-1 draw with Bristol City and a 2-2 draw with Burnley in their last two matches.
Team news
Watford are likely to make several changes following their abysmal display against Cardiff.
Dionisi could recall Marc Bola, Amin Nabizada and Iker Bravo to the squad, while Myron Boadu is likely to be dropped to the bench.
The Hornets also remain limited by injuries, with several players still unavailable.
Edoardo Bove (muscle), Jeremy Ngakia (thigh) and Kwadwo Baah (thigh) are all nursing injuries and will miss out.
For Charlton, the injury situation is easing, but Rob Apter remains a long-term absentee after undergoing knee surgery.
Collins Sichenje has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a serious knee and ACL injury during the Carabao Cup match against Tottenham.
Nathan Jones and Harvey Knibbs are both in contention for a start for the visitors after a string of strong performances off the bench.
Match odds
Watford are priced at 8/5 to secure a home win, while a draw is available at 12/5 and a Charlton Athletic victory at 19/10.
Suggested bets
Both teams to score; 1-1 draw.
By Anuraj Tyagi
READ NEXT: EFL Championship: Vítor Matos says table-topping Swansea City’s style can drive promotion push
