Before the Round – Trends on England Championship (19/04)

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Burnley may have wrapped up the Championship title, but there are still teams battling for the final playoff places.

With just a handful of games left on the fixture list, fifth-place Millwall is separated by a mere six points from 12th-place Watford.

Queens Park Rangers - Norwich City

Queens Park Rangers are desperate for the season to end. The Hoops showed so much promise at the start of the season, but since the World Cup break, they have been on a decline. Queens Park Rangers are 20th in the league and one point above the bottom three.

Norwich City are 10th in the standings and two points off sixth-place Blackburn Rovers. The Canaries took only six points from their last six matches. The team is coming off a 5-1 loss to Middlesbrough at the Riverside.

Queens Park Rangers are bottom of the form table. They took one point from the last six points on offer. Queens Park Rangers failed to win their last five games against Norwich City.

• QPR have failed to score a goal in each of their last 3 home all competitions games.
• Norwich City are unbeaten in 14 of their last 16 games against QPR in all competitions.
• The most recent games of QPR consist of 3 consecutive home defeats in Championship.
• Norwich City are unbeaten in 14 of their last 16 games against QPR in all competitions.
• Prediction: Norwich City

Swansea City - Preston North End

Preston North End claimed a 1-0 win earlier this season against Swansea City. The Lilywhites are unbeaten in four of their last six matches versus Swansea City.

The Swans are 13th in the standings and just outside the playoff race. The team went unbeaten in their last five Championship games. Swansea won their last two league games to nil.

Preston North End are in the playoff hunt. The team is eighth in the standings and one point off the final playoff place. North End took 12 points from the last 18 on offer.

• Swansea City have kept a clean sheet in their last 3 home matches in all competitions.
• In their last 12 games in all competitions, Preston North End have been undefeated on 10 occasions.
• Swansea City have seen under 2.5 goals in their last 3 home games in all competitions.
• Preston North End have won only 1 of their last 7 away encounters with Swansea City in all competitions.
• Prediction: Under 2.5 goals

Watford - Cardiff City

Watford are on a two-match winning streak versus Cardiff City in all competitions. Both matches ended in identical 2-1 wins for Watford.

The Hornets are still in the playoff mix, but they start the week four points off Blackburn Rovers. Watford took eight points from the last six matches, scoring 10 times and conceding eight goals.

Cardiff City are 21st in the league. The Bluebirds are level on points with 22nd-place Reading, but only outside the relegation zone thanks to goal difference. Cardiff are on a two-game losing streak in the Championship. They scored just one goal across the last 180 minutes of football.

• There are no losses for Watford in 8 of their most recent 9 home games (Championship).
• Cardiff City's performance has been disappointing of late, as they have won just 4 of their 24 most recent all competitions clashes.
• Watford are having a period of 3 straight all competitions matches in which they have scored 2 or more goals.
• On average, Cardiff City have conceded 1.62 goals in their last away matches in all competitions.
• Prediction: Watford

Middlesbrough - Hull City

Middlesbrough are coming off a 5-1 home win over playoff-chasing Norwich City. The Boro go into Wednesday’s match versus Hull City unbeaten in back-to-back league matches. Earlier this season, Middlesbrough won 3-1 against Hull City away from home.

The Tigers are 15th in the standings and 11 points above the bottom three. A win against Middlesbrough could seal their status in the Championship for next season. Hull took seven points from the last six matches.

Middlesbrough took only eight points from their last six matches in the league. They outscored the last six opponents 15-10. Middlesbrough are the Championship’s second-best home team, with a record of 12W-6D-3L and a +25-goal difference.

• Middlesbrough are unbeaten in 20 of their last 23 home matches in Championship.
• A run of 4 straight away Championship draws at half time/full time makes up Hull City's most recent games.
• The team of Middlesbrough managed to score at least one goal in all their last 13 home matches in all competitions.
• Hull City have recorded 7 consecutive draws at half time in their most recent away games in all competitions.
• Prediction: Over 2.5 goals