It's been a difficult start to life in the Championship for Portsmouth but their problems have been easing by the week and now you'd have to search long and hard for somebody who doesn't expect them to climb the table following their 6-1 demolition of Leicester.

As such, Pompey look a fair price to account for Bristol City and former keeper David James at Fratton Park on Tuesday.

Ordinarily, we'd refrain from joining the throng of fair-weather punters who base their judgement on one live televised encounter and we accept the price is minus a premium for the margin of victory against the Foxes. 

But we've been waiting patiently for the cue to start supporting Steve Cotterill's men, so we'll gladly jump aboard the bandwagon now that everything appears to be falling into place from a circumstantial perspective.

By quoting them at 2.00, a couple of layers seem to be suggesting that Pompey are only marginally better than Bristol City but we believe the difference to be more of a gulf in terms of match-winning quality and the Hampshire club could soon find themselves punching their weight in the top half. 

It only helps their cause that they've had an extra day to prepare for this game with the Robins given a tough examination on the road at Burnley on Saturday.

We shouldn't overlook the fact that Keith Millen's men came away with a creditable point from Turf Moor and that counts in their favour but it must also be acknowledged the Clarets weren't at their best, by Brian Laws' own admission.

Besides, City rode their luck when the normally dependable Graham Alexander squandered a first-half penalty, while Jay Rodriguez and Wade Elliott also hit the woodwork. 

All in all, it was probably a good time to go to Burnley on the back of their passionate Carling Cup triumph over Owen Coyle's Bolton, just as it was also the perfect time to go to Glanford Park when the Robins bagged their only win in the midst of Nigel Adkins' protracted move to Southampton.

However, their timing probably couldn't be worse for this trip and Pompey should be too strong.

Meanwhile, there are similarities for Sheffield United ahead of their trip to Nottingham Forest. 

The Blades have just endured a tough local derby at Leeds and they'll have come away deflated by Bradley Johnson's late winner at Elland Road while the Reds were strolling to victory against Swansea.

After all the transfer politics that disrupted them in August, it seems Forest are back to doing what they do best, which is making the most of Billy Davies' immaculate attention to tactical detail and we should expect them to start racking up the wins between now and Christmas. 

The City Ground 'acquisitions committee' might not have delivered any of the manager's transfer targets last month but Davies isn't doing a bad job of freshening things up within what remains at his disposal.

Lewis McGugan has been handed more attacking responsibility and he's responded with four goals in his last three outings, while Luke Chambers is now getting in ahead of Kelvin Wilson at centre back, which serves a warning to keep others on their toes.

The Blades might now be pulling in the same direction under the popular Gary Speed but the Bramall Lane dressing room is in a state of decay ever since they were relegated three years ago and we'll back Davies to use all of his experience to outfox the Welshman.

PICKS:
Nottingham Forest to beat Sheffield United at 1.90 at Bet365.
Portsmouth to beat Bristol City at 2.00 at Bet365.