- Middlesbrough to bounce back at the Riverside
- Barnsley's goal-heavy games to continue
- A trio of goalscorers appeal on Saturday
Jimmy’s Punt 25/26: Staked 192.75pts | Returned 197.27pts | P/L +4.52pts | ROI 2%
Football betting tips: EFL
Middlesbrough vs Oxford (Saturday 15:00)
2pts Middlesbrough to win to nil at 5/4 (William Hill)
Huddersfield vs Barnsley (Saturday 15:00)
3pts Over 2.5 goals and both teams to score at 11/10 (General)
Anytime Goalscorer Trixie (Saturday 15:00)
1pt (Total Stake) Anis Ben Slimane, Jack Moylan & Jack Marriott anytime Trixie at 76/1 (bet365)
It was a case of the good, the bad and the unlucky last weekend.
I watched overs land at Oakwell (good), Peterborough were schooled at Valley Parade (bad) but it wasn’t until Sunday morning I realised Callum Paterson missed a penalty.
I was watching the EFL highlights show and saw him win a spot kick for MK Dons and even though I knew the outcome, I still fancied him to dispatch it.
Obviously he didn’t, it was a tame effort and with it the 2pt play went down with a whimper.
This weekend my focus is on the Riverside where Middlesbrough host Oxford in the Championship, I fancy goals in West Yorkshire in League One and there’s a trio of EFL goalscorers which are all big prices.
Middlesbrough vs Oxford
- Kick-off: Saturday, 15:00 GMT
- Live odds, form and stats
MIDDLESBROUGH only lasted one week at the top of the Championship. Coventry beat them 3-1 on Monday to retake top spot.
The Teesiders will be doubly keen to keep the title race alive and get back to winning ways on Saturday.
Oxford are the town and they are without a win in five (L4) and have failed to score in four of those fixtures.
The U’s have lost 16 times this season in the second tier and failed to score in 10 of those defeats. At 5/4, backing the hosts TO WIN TO NIL is the bet.
Boro have won their last three league games without conceding and have only conceded one goal at home across their last five.
Huddersfield vs Barnsley
- Kick-off: Saturday, 15:00 GMT
- Live odds, form and stats
“It is our way, we like to attack every game.” Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane said with a wry smile ahead of his sides trip to Huddersfield this weekend.
The Reds won 2-1 against Peterborough in midweek. They were good going forward but vulnerable in defence, as ever, and on another evening they might have lost that game if it wasn’t for some slack Posh finishing.
Luke Williams' side had seven shots on target and missed four ‘big chances’ (xG over 0.30).
It was the fifth Reds game on the spin where OVER 2.5 AND BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE clicked.
In fact, since Christmas, it is only the top two sides in League One who have kept clean sheets against Barnsley. Each of the other 10 games have seen both teams score and only one has failed to see this bet land.
Huddersfield haven’t been quite as consistent on the goals front but don’t let that deter you, Barnsley have conceded two or more goals in almost two thirds of Hourihane's reign.
Anytime Goalscorer Trixie
- Norwich vs Birmingham: Anis Ben Slimane at 5/1 (Saturday, 15:00)
- Mansfield vs Lincoln: Jack Moylan at 7/2 (Saturday, 15:00)
- Port Vale vs Reading: Jack Mattriott at 15/8 (Saturday, 15:00)
First stop for the goalscorer Trixie is NORWICH VS BIRMINGHAM where ANIS BEN SLIMANE is generously priced TO SCORE ANYTIME at 5/1.
Norwich’s number 10 made headlines for a sumptuous assist against West Brom in the FA Cup last weekend but it’s his goalscoring exploits which interest me here.
Slimane has netted four times across his last six league appearances and has hand a hand in nine goals across 11 appearances in all competitions this term.
Next up is MANSFIELD VS LINCOLN where JACK MOYLAN is generously priced at 7/2 TO SCORE ANYTIME with bet365.
He scored his seventh league goal of the season against Northampton on Tuesday and all bar one of those goals have come in his last six appearances.
Staggeringly, the Irishman has racked up 16 (yes s-i-x-t-e-e-n) shots in his last two appearances and averaged 4.5 shots a game over his purple patch.
Finally, to Vale Park where PORT VALE hosts READING.
This is a relatively straight forward pick with JACK MARRIOTT 15/8 TO SCORE ANYTIME.
League One’s top goalscorer has netted 16 times this season, 15 of which have come in 19 league starts.
He’ll fancy his chances of adding to that tally at the division's basement boys who have only kept one clean sheet in their last 13 league fixtures.
Odds correct at 14:30 GMT (19/02/26)
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