Sporting Life
AOB scott parker Burnley

Any Other Bets: EFL tips for Easter Monday

By Joe Townsend
Football
Mon April 21, 2025 · 8M ago

Football betting tips: Easter Monday

2pts Burnley to beat Sheffield United (17:30) at 19/20 (General)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair

Burnley vs Sheffield United

Thank you fixture computer. Victory over Sheffield United will send BURNLEY back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

If Leeds have avoided defeat against Stoke it will send them up too in all but name. If they've won, even the mathematical pedants won't be able to stop Whites fans celebrating.

It really is win or bust for the Blades, and given their opponents have lost only two Championship matches all season, are unbeaten in 30 league games, have conceded a staggering 14 goals and have won seven of their last nine, I'm very happy to side with bust and back a BURNLEY WIN at a generous 19/20.

This is set up perfectly for Scott Parker's side to stay in their defensive shape and ask Sheffield United to find a way through them, with the Blades having no choice but to push more and more as the match goes on, leaving themselves open to the counter attack.

In normal circumstances this looks a good price, but given the scenario it is far too good to pass up.

Already advised

2pts Stoke +2 handicap vs Leeds (15:00) at evens (General)

1pt Oxford to beat Cardiff (15:00) at 18/5 (Betfair)

1pt Crawley to beat Exeter (15:00) at 11/8 (Unibet)

1pt Carlisle to beat Accrington (15:00) at 23/10 (Coral, bet365)

Leeds vs Stoke

Leeds kept their promotion push on track with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Oxford on Good Friday, but it wasn't easy.

The U's made life difficult for Daniel Farke's side, a tactic in-form STOKE are very likely to mirror when they arrive at Elland Road.

It took a while but Mark Robins has finally turned the Potters' form around with a run of W4 D2 L1 likely enough for safety.

It's now two months since Stoke lost a match by more than one goal and during that same time period Leeds have only won by two or more goals on one occasion, which makes backing STOKE +2 HANDICAP a smart bet on Easter Monday.

Cardiff vs Oxford

Both Cardiff and Oxford were beaten by promotion-chasing clubs on Good Friday, but the relegation-battling duo find themselves in starkly contrasting circumstances.

The Bluebirds lost at Sheffield United and proceeded to sack manager Omer Riza with three games of the season remaining. That may look like a panic move on the surface, but judging by his final post-match interview - coming off the back of pre-match quotes where he described some Cardiff fans as “clueless” - his bosses were left with little option.

Placing current Wales captain Aaron Ramsey in charge is as Hail Mary as gets, so I have no issues backing OXFORD TO WIN at a standout 18/5.

Gary Rowett’s record of W8 D6 L8 since arriving is incredibly impressive, as was how difficult his team made things for Leeds on Friday. The U's simply should not be as big a price as they are to beat a team in total disarray who have won only one of their last 10 games.

Crawley vs Exeter

How CRAWLEY must wish they had re-appointed Scott Lindsey a few weeks earlier.

Seven points from six games may not sound remarkable, but only a stoppage-time penalty saw them lose a 4-3 humdinger to the division’s form team Peterborough and they’re fresh from a battling goalless draw at Birmingham that kept their very slim hopes of League One survival alive.

Now they simply must WIN against Exeter.

At 11/8 against a Grecians outfit who, while in decent form, have nothing to play for I’m prepared to back them to do so.

Accrington vs Carlisle

I hope Carlisle City Council have started secretly fundraising for a statute to be erected in the town square; shit is starting to get real.

League Two leaders Port Vale, were the latest team to get in the way of Great Escape artist Mark Hughes as they were overrun to fall 3-0 behind at Brunton Park on Friday. Vale had the temerity to fight back to 3-2 and win a stoppage-time penalty before Gabriel Breeze went full Jimmy Glass and saved the resultant spot-kick.

The Cumbrians are four points from safety with three games to play; a trip to the only side below them in the table is as must win as it gets.

Accrington’s surprise 2-1 victory at Salford, their first in seven matches, kept them in it for another round of fixtures but CARLISLE are the side with the momentum in this relegation battle, with that win over Vale a third in succession.

Under Hughes it's W5 D4 L6 but more impressive is that 13 of those 19 points have come across their last seven matches.

Odds correct at 1400 BST (20/04/25)

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