Championship play-offs: Boro to see off shot-shy Sky Blues
Published:
Championship play-off odds and betting tips
All four clubs remain in with a chance of making it to the Championship play-off final after two close semi-finals at the weekend.
Sunderland fought back from a goal down to beat Luton 2-1 at a packed Stadium of Light on Saturday and 24 hours later Coventy and Middlesbrough played out a goalless draw in the West Midlands.
The Hatters are the 21/20 favourites in the Championship play-off odds to win Tuesday’s second leg as we start our preview at Kenilworth Road.
Luton v Sunderland (Tue, 20.00, Sky Sports)
Tony Mowbray insists Sunderland will not be playing for a draw in Bedfordshire in what is sure to be another close encounter.
Elijah Adebayo pounced on a loose ball to give Luton an 11th-minute lead only for on-loan Manchester United midfielder Amad Diallo to level with a sensational free-kick six minutes before the break.
📺 Tony Mowbray previews tomorrow’s second leg at Kenilworth Road.#SAFC | #TilTheEnd https://t.co/iZWnWBs1uQ
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) May 15, 2023
Makeshift centre-back Trai Hume turned the game on its head with a second-half header and Sunderland, without star striker Ross Stewart, are now 27/10 to secure a place in the final by winning again on Tuesday.
Mowbray said: “We won’t be protecting anything, we won’t be trying to slow the game down, we won’t be putting loads of men at the back. We’ll be playing our game and going to try to win.”
Only promoted Burnley and Sheffield United won more games on the road than Sunderland’s 11 during the regular season, but we’re going for a score draw at 10/3 in the Championship play-off odds as our first selection.
🗣 "We’ll go through what we need to go through and put right what we can for Tuesday”
Clark looks ahead to the second leg. ✊#SUNLUT | #COYH
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) May 14, 2023
Prior to Saturday’s game, these teams had shared four successive 1-1 draws which can be backed at 5/1.
Diallo was a constant threat throughout the 90 minutes and he is 16/5 to score against the Hatters for the third successive game as the next of our Luton v Sunderland betting tips.
Middlesbrough v Coventry (Wed, 20.00, BT Sport)
Coventry failed to muster a shot on target during Sunday’s cagey goalless draw with Middlesbrough, who are the 20/23 favourites to win the second leg and seal a place at Wembley on May 27.
Boro striker Chuba Akpom, the Championship’s top scorer with 28 goals, saw a 13th-minute effort deflect off City keeper Andrew Wilson onto the bar and he headed a Riley McGree cross narrowly wide after the break, but his influence waned as the game wore on.
Thoughts from the #Boro boss 🗣️📹 #UTB https://t.co/Y6Gxz3VgLP
— Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) May 14, 2023
Manager Michael Carrick said: “We know we’ve got good players at the top end of the pitch who are capable of scoring. Coventry defend very well and get good numbers behind the ball and close the space down very well, and they have done over two games now.”
All three games between the clubs this season have been low-scoring affairs and under 2.5 goals for a fourth successive time certainly appeals at 10/11.
However, with home advantage, we’re with Boro to win and under 3.5 goals at 8/5 as the next of our Middlesbrough v Coventry betting tips.
Mark Robins shares his thoughts on today's draw in the #EFLPlayOffs 💭
— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) May 14, 2023
Sky Blues striker Viktor Gyokeres barely had a sniff at the weekend and City failed to beat a much-changed Boro team six days before their play-off, so it seems unlikely they can cause an upset away from home.
Akpom to score in a home win at 15/8 has its merits, as does Boro to win 1-0 at 6/1.
All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication
