Championship Top 2 Finish Odds: Who can stop Ipswich and Southampton?

We are just days away from the new Championship season getting underway and we are at the stage where plenty of ante-post bets are going in. We offer several when it comes to the second tier at Betfred, and one of the popular markets among punters is 'Top 2 finish.'

There are a number of teams who will be vying for automatic promotion to the Premier League in 2025/26 and below I assess the top candidates to accomplish this feat using our Championship Top 2 Finish Odds.

Ipswich Town @ 15/8

Ipswich Town will be hoping to make an instant return to the Premier League this season and they currently look in the best position to do so. Of the three teams coming down from the top flight, they have the same manager as last season and Kieran McKenna was the man who took them to the Premier League from League 1 in two seasons.

The Tractor Boys have a squad with players who have delivered promotion from this league and the consistency in the style of play provided by McKenna gives them a huge advantage over both Southampton and Leicester City.

I'm expecting them to win the league, so a top-two finish to me feels inevitable.

Championship Odds

Southampton @ 5/2

Southampton will have the same aims but they have undergone change this summer, with Will Still coming in to manage the team. He has experience in France with Reims and Lens and at 32 years of age, he is one of the most exciting up-and-coming coaches on the scene.

The Saints will be a couple steps behind Ipswich as they get to terms with the new boss and his style of play, but they have a strong squad at their disposal and they possess two forwards who look set to be involved in the Golden Boot race - Adam Armstrong and Cameron Archer.

The former bagged 21 goals to help fire the Saints to the Premier League two years ago. Question marks remain over Mateus Fernandes and Tyler Dibling, but if Southampton keep hold of them, their top-two chances will be boosted massively.

Birmingham City @ 3/1

Currently listed as the third favourites to finish in the top two is newly-promoted Birmingham City. Following their relegation two seasons ago, the Blues set about building a squad in League 1 capable of making the step up to the Championship and now here they are with a record 111-point campaign behind them.

In Chris Davies they have a coach who has over 20 years of experience despite this being his first post. He has given them a clear identity on the pitch and it should be a force to be reckoned with in the Championship.

They've bolstered their squad with more talent to help with the transition, and the owners have not hidden their desire to accomplish back-to-back promotions this term. It is going to be a test because much of last season saw them have things their own way, which is not a luxury often given in the second tier.

Games will be much tougher for the Blues this time around but the squad they are assembling is looking promising. Coupled with the winning momentum from last season, you cannot write them off achieving what Ipswich did two seasons ago.

Football Odds

Sheffield United @ 10/3

It was play-off final heartache for Sheffield United in 2024/25 as they lost out to Sunderland at Wembley, further affirming the claims that the Blades are cursed in these end-of-season eliminators.

Chris Wilder lost his job as a result, which many deemed harsh as they registered 92 points - which in most seasons would seal an automatic promotion spot. They just happened to be up against two teams who managed to secure 100 points in Leeds United and Burnley.

Ruben Selles is the new man at the helm and the club will be wanting to avoid a repeat of last season so a top-two finish will be the aim. They have a good group of players who are ready for another shot but they will have to cope without influential midfielder Vini Souza, while Gustavo Hamer's future remains up in the air.

Today's Football Fixtures

Coventry City @ 6/1

Coventry City have been used to play-off heartache themselves in recent years but there is optimism that another big season awaits them. Frank Lampard dragged the Sky Blues from the lower end of the table to the top six last term, and further progress is expected in 2025/26.

He has added some experienced players to his ranks but there is the hope that they can keep hold of key personnel such as Milan van Ewijk, Jack Rudoni and Haji Wright. A pre-season should serve Lampard and his players well, too, something he didn't have in the previous campaign.

I think they will be a force again but pushing for automatic promotion may be a step too far for them given the level of competition they are up against.

Leicester City @ 6/1

Leicester City have many players who helped the Foxes claim the Championship title two seasons ago but their automatic promotion hopes have hit an obstacle, a PSR one to be exact.

They've been charged with breaching financial regulations and are set to receive a points deduction, with some reports suggesting it could be up to as many as 10. A deficit like that behind Ipswich and Southampton would feel almost impossible to overturn.

New boss Marti Cifuentes and his players will have to take it on the chin, though, and just focus on each game as it comes. They have the quality to be in the conversation but right now it doesn't seem realistic.

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