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EFL Championship Matchday 9 Odds & Picks: Leaders Reading in Mood to Punish Coventry

John Dillon

by John Dillon in Soccer News

Updated Mar 4, 2021 · 9:01 AM PST

Emiliano Marcondes falls
Brentford's Emiliano Marcondes, top, and Newcastle's Dwight Gayle challenge for the ball during the EFL Cup soccer match between Brentford and Newcastle United at Brentford Community Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (Adam Davy/Pool via AP)
  • One fixture at 3:45 pm ET on Friday with 11 more to follow on Saturday
  • Bristol City hope for a lift vs Norwich while Millwall look too strong for Huddersfield
  • See all odds and best bets for England’s EFL Championship Matchday 9 below

England’s busy EFL Championship heads into Matchday 9 this weekend with Reading on top and leading by six points from second-placed Bournemouth.

Swansea City, Millwall, Watford and Bristol City then make up the four teams currently occupying the four promotion playoff places at this early stage of the season.

EFL Championship Matchday 9 Odds

Matchup Home Draw Away
Coventry City vs Reading +225 +225 +120
Bristol City vs Norwich City +235 +230 +116
QPR vs Cardiff City +210 +205 +140
Bournemouth vs Derby County -162 +265 +475
Barnsley vs Watford +230 +205 +130
Luton Town vs Brentford +380 +260 -137
Middlesbrough vs Nottingham Forest +145 +188 +225
Millwall vs Huddersfield Town +100 +220 +300
Preston North End vs Birmingham City +112 -225 +250
Stoke City vs Rotherham United -130 +265 +350
Swansea City vs Blackburn Rovers +130 +225 +210
Wycombe Wanderers vs Sheffield Wednesday +290 +225 +100

Odds taken Oct 30 at DraftKings

Pick 1: Coventry City vs Reading

Unbeaten Reading are the surprise early leaders of the Championship and travel on Friday to face a struggling Coventry City side with just one win all season.

That makes the offer at Draftkings of +120 for a Reading win a surprisingly good value option.

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New Reading coach Velko Paunovic is credited with transforming the team which finished 14th last season.

The Serbian spent 2014 until 2019 as coach of Chicago Fire in the MLS.

Under his command, Reading have won seven times and drawn once to give them a six-point lead over second-placed Bournemouth heading into the Coventry fixture which kicks off at 3:45 pm ET.

They have scored 15 times while conceding just three goals.

After first establishing defensive solidity, Paunovic has now begun to add some more attacking power to his side with their most recent result a 4-2 win away at Blackburn Rovers in midweek.

Coventry were promoted last season when they were awarded the truncated League One championship.

The performances have been helped by the goalscoring of Portuguese forward Lucas Joao who has hit the net in each of the last three straight wins.

Coventry were promoted last season when they were awarded the truncated League One championship.

But the transition has been difficult and they have not won in six games  – losing four times and drawing twice in that run to sit in 22nd place.

They have managed just six goals while conceding 16.

Furthermore, they have failed to beat Reading in the teams’ last 10 meetings with Coventry losing 2-0 the last time these sides collided in February 2012.

Pick Reading +120

Pick 2: Bristol City vs Norwich City

Bristol City have stuttered after winning their opening four games although they were still as high as sixth place heading into the weekend.

Now winless in the following four games, they will look to claim at least a point from the visit of an in-form Norwich City side at 8:30 am ET on Saturday with the Draftkings price of +230 looking good value.

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These two teams have identical records so far with four wins, two draws and two defeats from their opening eight games.

They are separated in the table by goal difference with Bristol City’s standing at plus four and Norwich’s at plus two.

Seventh-placed Norwich have improved in October after an average start to the campaign following relegation from the Premier League.

They now have three wins and a draw in their most recent four fixtures.

Dean Holden’s Bristol City side have drawn twice and lost twice in their last four games.

The last of these was a 1-1 draw away at last season’s beaten playoff finalists Brentford on Tuesday.

Dean Holden’s Bristol City side have drawn twice and lost twice in their last four games with their last outing resulting in a 1-0 defeat at high-flying Bournemouth on Wednesday.

Norwich have yet to win a game by more than one goal, however. With their hosts desperate to improve, this again points towards a tight battle and a potential draw.

Bristol City have not defeated Norwich in eight meetings since February 2009. The last game was a 3-2 win at home for Norwich in February 2019, preceded by a 2-2 draw in Bristol in December 2018.

Pick: Draw +230

Pick 3 Millwall vs Huddersfield Town

Millwall have hit form with three wins and one draw in the last four matches even though manager Gary Rowett has been forced to stay away from the last two fixtures after a positive Covid-19 test.

They look good value at +100 for a home win against Huddersfield Town, who have lost in their last two outings.

The kickoff is at 11:00 am ET on Saturday.

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The slight drawback here may be that Millwall have won only once all season at their south London HQ.

Against that, they are unbeaten in the league at The Den with three draws and one win.

They have grown in confidence throughout October with a 2-0 win at Preston North End on Wednesday hoisting them into fourth place.

Huddersfield were 2-1 losers away at Birmingham City on Wednesday and prior to that, were beaten 2-1 at home by Preston last weekend.

Yorkshire-based Huddersfield have won once on the road with one draw and two defeats.

Their form has dipped in the last two games after an impressive run of three wins and a draw between late September and mid-October.

Millwall were 4-1 winners at home against Huddersfield in July.

Pick: Millwall +100

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