Before the Round – Trends on England Championship (15/03)

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Just four points separate second-place Sheffield United and third-place Middlesbrough in the Championship.

Can the Blades end their poor form this weekend against Sunderland? Six teams are separated from the final promotion playoff place by just seven points.

Blackburn Rovers – Reading

Blackburn Rovers are fifth in the Championship and three points ahead of seventh-place Norwich City. Rovers will welcome 16th-place Reading to Ewood Park, as the Royals look for an end to their three-game losing streak.

Reading are on a two-match win streak against Blackburn Rovers. However, the Royals took just six points from the last six matches in the Championship. Reading allowed the second-most goals in the league with 55. In addition, Reading have the second-worst away points total with 11.

Blackburn are the Championship’s second-best home team. They took 37 points from 17 matches and are on a three-game win streak at Ewood Park. Blackburn took 13 points from the last 18 points on offer.

• Blackburn Rovers haven't lost any of their last 6 home matches in all competitions.
• Reading have lost their last 6 away all competitions matches in a row.
• Blackburn Rovers have kept a clean sheet in all of their last 5 home league matches.
• In their last 25 away games in Championship, Reading have a poor record of just 4 wins.
• Prediction: Blackburn Rovers

Huddersfield Town - Norwich City

Norwich City are on a four-game win streak against Huddersfield Town. Earlier this season, the Canaries won 2-1 at home against the Terriers. Huddersfield Town had a man sent off.

The Terriers are 23rd in the league and six points adrift of safety. Four points were taken from the last 18 points on offer by Huddersfield Town.

Norwich are in the hunt for the promotion playoffs. They took 13 points from the last six games, scoring 11 goals and conceding five. The Canaries are unbeaten in back-to-back away matches.

• Huddersfield have achieved just 1 wins in their 13 most recent games in all competitions.
• Norwich City haven't lost in 5 of their last 6 games in all competitions.
• Huddersfield have conceded an average of 1.55 goals in their all competitions matches.
• Norwich City have scored 2 or more goals in 3 consecutive encounters with Huddersfield in all competitions.
• Prediction: Norwich City.

Hull City – Burnley

Three of the last six head-to-head meetings between Hull City and Burnley ended as draws. Indeed, the last three head-to-head matches finished as 1-1 stalemates.

Burnley tallied 80 points from their 36 matches in the Championship. The Clarets could tally over 100 points this season. The Clarets took 12 points from the last 18 points on offer.

Hull City are 15th in the standings and unbeaten in back-to-back games. The Tigers only picked up six points from the last 18 points on offer in the division. Hull are struggling for goals. They scored a mere four times in the last six matches.

• Hull City have a good record of 7 undefeated games of their last 8 home encounters in all competitions.
• Burnley are unbeaten in their last 17 all competitions games.
• Hull City have kept a clean sheet in their last 4 home all competitions games.
• Burnley's latest clashes with Hull City have been low-scoring with under 2.5 goals in each of their last 4 encounters in all competitions.
• Prediction: Burnley.

Sunderland - Sheffield United

Sunderland are five points behind sixth-place Millwall in the race for the final promotion playoff place. The Black Cats’ recent three-match losing streak damaged any hopes of making the top six. Sheffield United are fading in the race for automatic promotion.

The Blades lost three of their last six games and are only four points above Middlesbrough. Sheffield United play well on the road. They have a record of 9W-4D-5L this season and a goal difference of +6.

Sunderland took only seven points from the last six matches in the league. The Black Cats aren’t great at home, with six wins, five draws, and six defeats. They scored 22 times and conceded 22 goals in 17 matches at the Stadium of Light.

• There have been 20 consecutive all competitions clashes for Sunderland in which they managed to score at least one goal.
• Sheffield United have not been beaten in 10 of their 12 most recent away matches in all competitions.
• Sunderland are unbeaten in 11 of their last 18 home encounters.
• Sheffield United have seen over 2.5 goals in their last 3 meetings with Sunderland in Championship.
• Prediction: Sheffield United.