EFL Championship Matchday 45 Odds & Picks

• Round 45 is among us in the Championship, with just two matchdays remaining
• Leeds look to have the title wrapped up, meanwhile, West Brom and Brentford continue to battle it out for the second spot
• Get the odds, preview, and best bet for three of this weekend’s matches below

The fight for promotion to the Premier League remains exciting in the EFL Championship with just two fixtures remaining. Leeds have a five-point lead in first place over West Brom, but Brentford sits just one point behind the Baggies for the second promotion spot after Huddersfield defeated Slaven Bilic’s side on Friday. At the bottom, Charlton, Hull City, Luton Town, and Barnsley are in the relegation zone as the season winds down.

Leeds, Brentford, and Fulham will all look to continue their impressive form, going undefeated in their last five matches. Let’s look ahead to three of our top bets for the weekend’s slate of matches.

EFL Championship Round 45 Odds

All odds taken July 17

Pick 1: Hull City vs Luton Town

Both of these teams would currently be relegated as they sit in 22nd and 23rd, respectively. Depending on who comes out on top in this fixture on Saturday, it will also come down to what Charlton and Birmingham City do in their games as well. Hull and Luton Town each have 45 points, sitting just two points off the safe zone.

Hull City have been in dreadful form as of late, winning just once in their last five appearances. On Tuesday against Wigan, they were embarrassed, losing 8-0. Grant McCann’s men have also conceded a league-worst 83 goals this term. Based on their performance this season, they frankly deserve to be relegated, but there’s still an array hope if they can find results out of these next two matches.

Luton Town has also struggled this year but on a positive note, they have lost just once in their last five matches. James Collins has been productive in the final third for the Hatters, bagging 13 goals. Since the Restart, Luton town has lost just once.

In the reverse fixture back in late 2019, Hull beat Luton Town 3-0. But the hosts have gone on a downward spiral since January and considering their form, I believe Luton will win by two goals on Saturday.

Pick: Luton Town +166

Pick 2: Derby County vs Leeds United

For the first time in 16 years, Leeds are finally heading back to England’s top flight after West Brom’s defeat against Huddersfield Friday. There’s no question they will be excited to once again be in the Premier League, but the Peacocks will also be hungry to finish the season in a positive manner. Leeds currently has a five-point cushion over West Brom with just two games remaining, so it’s basically a foregone conclusion they will win the Championship. Marcelo Bielsa’s squad has lost just once since action resumed while conceding just four goals in that seven-match span.

It’s been an underwhelming year for Derby County after appearing in the league playoff last year. They currently sit in 11th place with meetings against Leeds and Birmingham City left. Even with the addition of Wayne Rooney in January, the Rams have looked distraught. They haven’t secured three points since Matchday 40, losing their last three games.

Given Leeds United’s utter dominance this term, I see them burying Derby on Sunday by two or three goals while keeping Wayne Rooney and co. off the scoresheet.

Pick: Leeds United -118

Pick 3: Fulham vs Sheffield Wednesday

After a rough year in the Premier League in 2018/19, Fulham has come back with a vengeance in the Championship, currently in the running for August’s playoff which could give them the opportunity to win the third berth back to England’s top flight. Alexsandar Mitrovic has been deadly on the attack for the Cottagers, scoring 24 goals this season. As a whole, they haven’t scored a whole lot though, netting just 58 times in 44 matches. However, they’ve been solid at the back, conceding an average of one goal per game.

Two positive results in a row will have Sheffield Wednesday heading into this fixture with the hope that three points could be secured. The Owls played to a 0-0 draw with Huddersfield on Tuesday, then previously beat Queens Park Rangers 3-0 just days before. Currently, in the 15th spot, just four points separate them and 12th place Blackburn. With two clashes left, the hope would be to finish as close to the middle of the pack as possible.

I think this will be a hard-fought match. Fulham’s chances at automatic promotion are slim, but a berth in the Championship playoff is already booked. With this in mind, this fixture doesn’t mean a whole lot to Scott Parker’s side. For Sheffield, they’ll be looking to finish the season a high note. I’m calling a one-goal victory for the home side on Saturday.

Pick: Fulham -109