Pat Nevin's Championship Take: Hackney To United, Coventry Fears &…

Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , Chelsea and Everton hero Pat Nevin has offered his perspective on the current Championship season and if the step up from their to the Premier League is feasible for Hayden Hackney who's been linked with a move to Old Trafford and if Coventry supporters should be worried by their recent form.

Nevin has also given his predictions for Chelsea's upcoming fixtures, whether Everton can defeat Leeds and some of the major games in the Scottish Premiership title race this weekend.

Hackney To Old Trafford?

There aren't that many players these days who make the big jump straight from the Championship and become one of the core players at the huge clubs. It can happen, but it actually works a bit better usually when you take a step up via a loan or something similar. Even Virgil van Dijk did it via Southampton . It gets a bit easier. You can get lost if you jump straight in. There are very few places where you can make that jump, walk straight into the team, play every week, and be the most important player.

It's just very rare. So I don't know, but Hayden Hackney fancies himself, you know. And also, there's something else going on there, which is a long shot, but you know he's Scottish and English. There's a lot of talk coming up, he might think, ‘Oh well, if I get into a top league, play well right from the start, I might get a sneak, a sniff for the World Cup .’ It's a push, a big push. I personally hope he stays with Middlesbrough until the end of the season. I think the Championship is brilliant at the moment. I think the race to the end is joyous.

I've been involved in that a few times. I've been in the play-offs, four play-offs. And then on top of that, I won that division very early on in my career when I first came down. I know how tough a division it is. I know how much you learn. So I would love it for him. I also know that later in my career, the reason why we didn't win it one year was because we sold a player to Middlesbrough in that January window, and we never fully 100% recovered from it. So I kind of hope he stays, but I wouldn't blame him if he moves.

Could Hayden Hackney Play For Manchester United?

Yes, he's a great player

No, he needs more experience

Coventry Concern?

I don't think it’s as bad as people think. Yes, it has been a wobble at Coventry City , but you have to look at each game on its own merits. Against Southampton, they were 1-0 up, and Jay Dasilva got sent off for quite an ugly tackle. And they still drew 1-1. The Birmingham game was 3-2, so that was very, very tight. The other two games that jump out at you in this little run are Ipswich , home and away; they lost both of them, but Ipswich are right up there.

You will not win all the games in that league. Having said that, there are 27 games in. They've lost four. I mean, come on, it's all right. It's okay. They're going to have a difficult time. I look at a number of things. There are lots of stats. We could spend a lot of time going through stats. One of the best stats to always look at is the one that people always forget. The simplest one. The goals they score. Have a look.

Will Lampard Finally Get Coventry Promoted?

Yes, he's the right man for the role

No, he will fall short again

Have a look at where we are in comparison to everybody else. I think they're on 59 or something like that. Nobody else is close. They can score. They're an attack-minded side. They've got a manager who knows the game, has learned it as a manager now as well, but also he's got that attitude of, we have to go and attack and win games. And it's not fearful. It just isn't fearful with Coventry .

The other thing you have to remember, Boro are a good side. Ipswich , who are a good side. Millwall aren't far away. There are a lot of teams there. They're going to knock each other out as well. I think there's a Millwall game coming up quite soon. Off the top of my head, for Boro , if they get that win, it almost would knock Millwall out of it. Coventry have got it in their own hands, and that's what you want. Are fans a wee bit concerned about form? Yes, but it’s not a spiral.

Prediction: Chelsea vs Pafos?

Got to win that, will win that, 3-0, very comfortable. Pafos are no mugs by the way, but Stamford Bridge will separate them, and Chelsea need the three points.

10/11

● LIVE ODDS Chelsea To Win To Nil

Prediction: Crystal Palace vs Chelsea?

It's a really tough one, but I think Chelsea can sneak it, but only by the odd goal. 1-2.

1/1

● LIVE ODDS Chelsea Match Betting

Prediction: Everton vs Leeds?

Leeds went under the radar at the start of this run; now people are going, ‘Yeah, Leeds are doing well.’ Wow, it's better than that! Everyone was talking about them getting relegated. Daniel Farke was on his way out, but now they are absolutely flying. When it comes to Everton and the job David Moyes has done, players coming back are making a difference.

AFCON is done, other players are back, I’ll lean towards a narrow Everton win because they are at home and Moyes has the Midas touch, 1-0.

13/10

● LIVE ODDS Everton Match Betting

Prediction: Celtic vs Hearts?

If Martin O’Neill wasn't through that door, I'd be saying Hearts right now. And Hearts won the last game. I think it's helped them out. I'll just be honest; I think it will be a draw. I really do. That's not sitting on the fence. I actually think there's not a lot between the two of them. And I think it could be a draw.

That's a great result for Hearts . If Hearts can get a draw, it'll still be parity here. I think they would take it right now and not turn them up. And I think they can get it. 1-1.

23/10

● LIVE ODDS Draw Match Betting

Prediction: Rangers vs Dundee?

I have a good belief in Rangers at the moment. I think they're a growing team, getting better all the time. Some of the players who looked as if they were completely lost, like Thelo Aasgaard, are actually coming through, and they've actually got strikers now who can score goals.

Bojan Miovski is scoring a little bit again, and he's the backup sometimes. So, yeah, I can't see past Rangers now. I’ll say 2-0.

10/11

● LIVE ODDS Rangers To Win To Nil