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You can also check out our Championship outrights articles on promotion odds, relegation and top scorer.
The Championship is set to be a fascinating follow this season for so many reasons, but also in monitoring how Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton respond after their respective spells in the Premier League. There are a lot of different angles to consider in looking into the Championship top 6 odds, but it is fair to say that the deeper pockets of the newly relegated trio will play some part. Sunderland bucked the trend to finish in the top six in their first season since promotion from League One last term and Ipswich Town will be hoping to do the same.
Having said that, Luton Town and Coventry City demonstrated what is possible to achieve on a shoe-string last season and it will be interesting to see if any new contenders in that ilk emerge. With a long way still to go in the transfer window it is important to think hard about your Championship outrights and how they could change in the short and longer term. We have landed on five selections in the Championship top 6 odds.
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Maresca to Leicester could finish with promotion fiesta
Over the last decade, Leicester City have won the Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield, reached the semi-finals of the League Cup and UEFA Europa Conference League and the quarter-finals of the Champions League. And now, they are in the Championship after a disastrous campaign and are quite rightly favourites to win it.
The Leicester squad is choc-full of Premier League level performers, even with James Maddison now at Tottenham Hotspur and Harvey Barnes and Timothy Castagne likely to follow. James Justin, Conor Coady, Harry Winks and Jamie Vardy have all played for England while Wout Faes, Kelechi Iheanacho, Ricardo Pereira and Jannik Vestergaard remain.
The one unknown is the appointment of Enzo Maresca, the 43-year-old whose only spell in management was a short one at Parma in 2021. However, he is clearly highly rated by Pep Guardiola, the greatest manager on the planet, has experienced the second tier from his days at West Bromwich Albion and won a promotion in Italy with Palermo as a player. Also, Vincent Kompany and Michael Carrick went from the top level to be very comfortable at this level. There are plenty of reasons to anticipate Maresca turning Leicester into champions and you can back them for a top 6 finish at 1/2.
Championship Top 6 Odds
4th August
kick off 20:00 Leicester CityFarke expected to Leeds United back to the promised land
Another relegated club and one that will be aiming for an immediate return given the level of investment over recent years. It hasn’t been the easiest summer at Leeds with a delay in appointing a new manager amid a takeover and the departure of Victor Orta. However, those issues are resolved now with the takeover confirmed, Daniel Farke the new man in the dugout and new blood about to enter the building.
The nature of Leeds’ relegation was tough to take but it’s worth remembering just how talented this group is as far as the Championship is concerned. Illan Meslier was linked with Manchester United not too long ago, Patrick Bamford has a superb record, Jack Harrison, Tyler Adams and Daniel James remain and they have a youth set-up to be envied. With Ethan Ampadu expected to be followed by Nat Phillips and Glen Kamara through the door.
And manager Daniel Farke is more than proven at this level, twice taking Norwich City into the Premier League as champions with a high-intensity style and plenty of goals. His appointment is the primary reason to be positive about Leeds and you can back them for a top 6 finish at 8/11.
Championship Top 6 Odds
4th August kick off 20:00 Leeds UnitedSaints holy convinced Martin will oversee a return to the top
The third of the relegated sides in this list and another outfit that are expecting to be in the promotion conversation come the end of the campaign. You can bet on Southampton finishing in the Championship top 6 odds at evens.
The Saints have the benefit of a strong parachute payment package following their relegation after years of Premier League service, and they come down with a squad that should be well-placed to perform with so many exciting young talents now more likely to find their feet while dominating and winning football matches more regularly.
Like their fellow relegated outfits, the Saints have a new manager, hiring Swansea City’s Russell Martin. He is yet to succeed, but his playing philosophy and identity are as clear as they come. He has better resources and a higher quality footballer at his disposal now, including two strikers that have scored 20+ goals in the Championship in the past.
Championship Top 6 Odds
4th August kick off 20:00 SouthamptonCarrick looking to build on promising debut campaign at Middlesbrough
The first of the clubs not relegated from the Premier League is the club that finished highest of those left in the Championship.
Michael Carrick stepped away from Manchester United, then took a job in the second tier that could not have started any better, helping Middlesbrough storm from 21st at the end of October to fourth, securing almost two points and scoring over two goals per game.
Kieran Scott was in the firing line under Chris Wilder but his recruitment was proven to be excellent by Carrick’s management, and the permanent signings of Seny Dieng and Morgan Rogers have only whet the appetite ahead of the new season, not to mention the potential loan signings they may attract – Aston Villa duo Aaron Ramsey and Cameron Archer had an immense impact last year.
After the last two-thirds of 2023/24, the expectation is that Boro are best placed of the remaining second tier clubs to go again and the Championship top 6 odds have them at 5/4 to repeat the feat.
Championship Top 6 Odds
4th August kick off 20:00 MiddlesbroughMcKenna’s Ipswich looking for back-to-back promotions
The step up to the Championship from League One has been an almighty jump for most in recent years but Ipswich Town look more than ready to defy recent trends and challenge towards the top of the division.
Promotion was secured in style, scoring over 100 goals and almost making it to 100 points. The decision to appoint former Man United coach Kieran McKenna has proven an excellent decision, not only because of the results but the improved style of play and general good feeling around the club. He has shown an ability to coach to a clear style and pattern of play and get results doing so.
What helps further is the resources available to him. A US investment group completed a takeover of the club in 2021 and appointed Mark Ashton as CEO. Ashton has been responsible for overseeing huge change on and off the pitch and the increased investment has allowed Ipswich to spend money on players they otherwise couldn’t afford to do so previously.
They have further improved their squad this summer with the signings of Jack Taylor and George Hirst in multi-million-pound transfers as well as Omari Hutchinson, who comes very highly rated from Chelsea. It’s not common for League One clubs to step up and be involved in the race for promotion but everybody at Ipswich is singing from the same hymn sheet and they are more than ready to go again. You can back them at 6/4 to follow in Sunderland’s footsteps in the Championship top 6 odds.
Championship Top 6 Odds
4th August kick off 20:00 Ipswich Town
