EFL Championship Matchday 44 Odds & Picks

• The 2019-20 EFL Championship season is drawing to a close with everything to play for
• West Brom are under pressure from Brentford as they look to secure a return to the top flight
• Get the odds, betting discussion and picks for matchday 44 below

Automatic promotion, playoff spots and relegation are yet to be decided in the EFL Championship. Leeds are within touching distance of a Premier League return after Pablo Hernandez’s late goal at the weekend, but West Brom, who host fourth-placed Fulham on Tuesday, could see the second automatic spot slip through their fingers in Matchday 44 if Brentford picks up all three points.

All of the top half could yet sneak into the playoffs. Cardiff, after losing two on the bounce, are at threat of being overtaken with Swansea, Preston and Millwall all within two points of them.

At the other end of the table, good results for Luton and Barnsley have given them hope of survival. Birmingham, Middlesbrough, Huddersfield and Charlton could be pulled into the relegation zone – it’s going to go down to the wire, though Stoke look to have pulled themselves to safety with two wins in three matches.

The odds for Matchday 44 of the EFL Championship 2019-20 season can be found in the table below.

Championship Matchday 44 Odds

Odds taken July 13

West Brom vs Fulham

The first match to kick off in this round of fixtures, West Brom host Fulham on Tuesday. The Baggies had a blip at the weekend, failing to capitalize on good chances to draw with Blackburn. Fulham are on a good run, winning four in a row. The visitors are looking to keep up those high standards as they head towards the playoffs.

With Brentford on fire and likely to beat Preston, West Brom need to pick something up from this match to cling onto the second automatic promotion spot. It’s Huddersfield and QPR to close out the season – this is West Brom’s greatest test as they look to hold off Brentford.

Fulham have kept three consecutive clean sheets. There’s been under 2.5 in nine of West Brom’s last 11 and eight of Fulham’s last 10. The ‘Under’ is the obvious pick.

Pick: Under 2.5 (-114)

Nottingham Forest vs Swansea

Split by only a few points, Nottingham Forest and Swansea are potential playoff opponents, but they still have a lot to play for. Swansea are seventh before a ball is kicked on Matchday 44, chasing down their bitter rivals Cardiff for the final playoff berth. Forest are likely locked into fifth, but with three to play they are not guaranteed a playoff spot just yet. A win here would do that for them.

The profile of the two teams is similar. They’ve scored 55 each, Forest have conceded seven fewer. They’ve drawn 15 apiece, with Forest winning two more to earn their six-point lead. Both teams head into this match looking to bounce back – Forest have two points from the last nine available, while Swansea played well against Leeds at the weekend but suffered a gutting late defeat.

The general trend has been for low-scoring Forest games lately. There has been under 2.5 in each of their last four outings. The ‘Under’ here looks a decent bet, as does the draw between two well-matched teams.

Pick: Under 2, 2.5 (-106)

Leeds vs Barnsley

It’s been a long time coming, but Leeds are finally on the brink of promotion to the top flight. Victory over Barnsley, which would make it four wins in a row, would as good as confirm their place in the Premier League for 2020-21. Marcelo Bielsa’s team have had their slip ups, but they are six clear of third-placed Brentford ahead of Matchday 44.

🤩 The spirit in this team! pic.twitter.com/WkrJPu6M9i

— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 13, 2020

Barnsley have looked doomed for much of the season. Their 4-0 loss to Stoke earlier this month looked to have confirmed that. Three points off safety with three to play, they’re up against it, but a great escape isn’t impossible. The Tykes have only lost once since the season restarted.

For all their recent improvement, Barnsley failed to beat a 10-man Wigan and drew with Luton in their last two. Leeds are a class above the majority of the Championship – this top versus bottom clash is only going one way.

Pick: Leeds -1.5 (+103)