WILL CARDIFF GO UP? READ THE BOOKIES’ VERDICT
CARDIFF City remain among the favourites for promotion into the promised land of the Premier League this season, despite Friday’s second Championship defeat of the season against Birmingham.
The Bluebirds are currently second in the table, just two points below leaders Wolves, having collected 24 points from their opening 12 league matches.
And the stunning form shown by Neil Warnock’s side has seen bookies perform a dramatic U-turn when it comes to pricing up the Bluebirds’ chances of promotion.
Following the conclusion of the 2016-17 season, Cardiff were 33/1 – the same price as Bolton who are currently propping up the table – to win the Championship, while they were 9/1 to gain promotion.
But, as a result of their flying start, bookies have dramatically slashed those odds.
The Bluebirds are now 5/1 second favourites behind Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolves to lift the Championship title come the end of the season.
Championship winner: Wolves 5/4, Cardiff City 5/11, Fulham 11/1, Sheffield United 12/1, Preston 18/1, Leeds 20/1.
And Sky Bet are offering odds as low as 6/4 for the Bluebirds to gain promotion in any format this season, with Wolves again being the only side with shorter odds.
Warnock’s men are 2/5 to clinch a top six finish while they are 9/4 to secure a top two spot.
Promotion: Wolves 1/2, Cardiff City 6/4 , Fulham 5/2, Aston Villa 3/1, Sheffield United & Middlesbrough 100/30, Preston 9/2.
Top six finish: Wolves 1/9, Cardiff City 2/5, Fulham 4/5, Aston Villa 10/11, Sheffield United evens, Middlesbrough 11/10, Preston 6/4.
Top two finish: Wolves 4/6, Cardiff City 9/4, Fulham 9/2, Sheffield United 5/1, Aston Villa 11/2, Middlesbrough 13/2.
As far as goalscoring is concerned, four men currently sit joint-top of the Championship’s list of top scorers.
Wolves man Diogo Jota, Bristol City’s Bobby Reid, Sheffield Wednesday striker Gary Hooper and Hull’s Jarrod Bowen all have seven league goals to their name.
But Middlesbrough’s record signing Britt Assombalonga – who has scored six goals in the Championship so far this season – is the 7/1 favourite to be the division’s top scorer this season.
Cardiff’s star forward Kenneth Zohore is the seventh-favourite to take the accolade, with Sky Bet offering odds of 16/1 for the Dane to be the top goalscorer.
Top goalscorer: Britt Assombalonga (Middlesbrough) 7/1, Leo Bonatini (Wolves) 10/1, Gary Hooper (Sheffield Wednesday) 11/1, Diogo Jota (Wolves), Nelson Oliveira (Norwich) & Matej Vydra (Derby) 14/1, Kenneth Zohore (Cardiff City) 16/1 , Pierre-Michel Lasogga (Leeds) 18/1
As far as they playoffs are concerned, Cardiff are actually the 6/4 favourites to finish between third and sixth.
Table toppers Wolves are further back at 9/4, while Fulham, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Warnock’s former club Sheffield United are all among those expected to be in the mix for a playoff place in May next year.
To reach the playoffs: Cardiff City 6/4, Fulham & Aston Villa 13/8, Middlesbrough 7/4, Sheffield United 15/8, Preston & Wolves 9/4, Bristol City, Leeds & Norwich 5/2. (Odds courtesy of Sky Bet)