As next season's Championship fixtures are released on Thursday (June 21), the bookies have priced relegated sides Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton to bounce back and return to the Premier League at the first attempt. The Foxes, who have recently appointed Man City coach Enzo Maresca, are priced as the favourites to win the title with Leeds and the Saints breathing down their necks.
Bookies Betway have the former Premier League champions priced at 6/1 to lift the trophy with their fellow relegated rivals at 7/1 and 8/1 respectively. They will still have plenty of tough challenges along the 46-match season with Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough expected to maintain their fine form next season despite heartbreak in last season's play-offs.
In the play-off race, the bookies are expecting another close encounter with relegation contenders Huddersfield Town priced only at 7/1 to achieve a top 6 finish. The Terries, however, have been priced as likely relegation contenders at 11/4 along with the newly-promoted Plymouth Argyle as the favourites for the drop at 7/4.
