Free betting tips: Preview for the Sky Bet EFL fixtures on March 9
We have more action in the Sky Bet EFL weekend as we enter the final ten games. Tom Carnduff picks out his best bets.
Recommended bets
1pt Millwall to beat Bolton at 21/20
1pt Tyler Roberts to score anytime in Bristol City v Leeds at 3/1
1pt Blackpool to beat Southend at 11/10
For advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
Bolton v Millwall
Once again, the conversations surrounding Bolton Wanderers Football Club are about matters off-the-field.
That said, it hasn't been much better on it with the club battling the drop down to Sky Bet League One. It's a battle that they will likely lose.
Millwall aren't safe from trouble either. They are just one point above the relegation zone and have lost their last three. This is a cliche 'six-pointer' at the bottom end of the division.
In any normal situation, you'd fancy a home victory in games such as this. However, this isn't a normal situation, this is a game which was a potential doubt for going ahead until it was confirmed on Wednesday.
Late payments to staff are the main eye-catching headline that come with Wanderers at the moment, that's alongside a potential takeover of the club which is disruptive enough by itself.
Training was disrupted with the national papers reporting that the training ground was closed due to a lack of supplies on Monday. They were also hit with an £8k fine for a touchline brawl away at Leeds, Phil Parkinson also seeing a two-match suspension.
Parkinson has performed near-miracles to get this side as competitive as they are currently. In theory, a team dealing with the situations they have throughout the season should not have even hit double figures on points.
Millwall will be confident of victory given the problems for their opponents. Neil Harris' men also picked up a surprise away win at promotion-chasing Derby too, while points have come in recent trips to Middlesbrough and Ipswich.
A best price of 21/20 is available on the away side picking up all three points on offer, which looks great value here.
Best bet: Millwall to win at 21/20
Opta facts
- Bolton are winless in three league matches against Millwall (W0 D2 L1), having won four in a row against the Lions prior to this run.
- Millwall have never won consecutive away league matches against Bolton, with this their 20th visit in the Football League.
- Bolton have taken just four points their last 30 available in the Championship (W1 D1 L8), losing each of the last three in a row.
- Millwall are looking to avoid a fourth consecutive league defeat in this game – they’ve never previously lost four in a row in the Championship under Neil Harris.
- Bolton have scored just 22 goals in the Championship this season; the fewest by a team after 35 games of a second tier campaign since Birmingham in 1988-89 (20 goals).
- Millwall midfielder Jed Wallace (5) is just one goal shy of equalling his best ever goal return in a single Championship campaign (six in 2017-18).
Bristol City v Leeds
Congratulations to Leeds United, who are now mathematically safe from relegation, despite it only being the start of March!
Marcelo Biesa's men are eyeing up the title though and will be hopeful of a Norwich slip-up on Friday night so that a win here could take them back to the top.
Leeds found themselves with both senior goalkeepers injured when the Robins visited Elland Road in November. They also had a bit of a defensive issue with only one available senior centre-back.
Will Huffer went in goal and Aapo Halme made his senior debut. Leeds not only won the game, but they also kept a clean sheet.
We're shown what a bizarre league the Sky Bet Championship is by the fact that Bristol City now find themselves with both of their senior goalkeepers injured for the visit of Leeds.
Niki Maenpaa and Frank Fielding are both likely to be unavailable here and Lee Johnson has acted by signing free agent Stefan Marinovic, after the New Zealand international found himself without a club following his release from Vancouver Whitecaps last year.
Johnson could stick with youngster Max O'Leary who put in decent performances against Hull and Brentford when required earlier in the season.
Regardless, Leeds will be going there with the objective to win. When questions were asked of their promotion credentials, they acted by putting four past West Brom last Friday.
A stand-out performer in that game was Tyler Roberts, who put in his best performance since signing for Leeds last January. He's been playing in an attacking midfield role under Bielsa and will start again here.
The only thing that was missing from that performance against the Baggies was a goal. He has shown that he is someone who can find the net, scoring during his spell as a striker when injury required earlier in the season.
At 3/1, it's worth a small stake on Roberts to hit the net here. He can hopefully utilise the confidence gained from the performance last time out, which may put him in a good position here.
Best bet: Tyler Roberts to score anytime at 3/1
Opta facts
- Bristol City have won just of their 13 Championship meetings against Leeds since 2010-11 (D2 L10), a 1-0 win in September 2016.
- Leeds have won four of their last six league visits to Ashton Gate against Bristol City (D1 L1).
- Since August 2010, Bristol City have lost more league matches against Leeds than any other opponent (10).
- Leeds have dropped fewer points from winning positions than any other team in the Championship this season (3), while they’ve won the most points from trailing positions when playing away from home (13).
- Since the start of last season, Famara Diedhiou has scored 24 goals in the Championship – no other current Bristol City player has reached double figures for goals in this period.
- Mateusz Klich has scored more away league goals than any other Leeds player this season, with six of his seven strikes in 2018-19 coming on the road.
Blackpool v Southend
A tip to win last week that didn't quite go to plan, but I'm willing to put my faith in Blackpool to pick up the three points here.
They bounced back from that uncharacteristic defeat to Bristol Rovers with an away win at Accrington in midweek, setting it up nicely for a confident performance in front of a packed crowd.
The Bloomfield Road faithful can begin to enjoy football once again following a change in ownership, with the club sinking from the Premier League to League Two in just a matter of years.
They're on their way back though and find themselves in the mix for a potential play-off finish. They are just four points off the top-six, and will be hoping for favours from AFC Wimbledon and Bradford as they play the two teams above them.
What we have seen from this Blackpool team is that, on the whole, they do have low-scoring games. They have scored the least goals of any side in the top 14 of the division. However, they boast the fourth best defensive record.
As of Friday morning, there were only 600 tickets available in the home end, meaning we're likely to see a sell out for the first time in a number of seasons.
It signals the feel-good factor that has returned to the club. That has been championed by Blackpool with the social media campaign of #WeAreMightyAgain.
In their first game in a new chapter in the history of Blackpool Football Club, they will be wanting three points to signal that the good teams are indeed back, alongside their quest for a potential promotion under Terry McPhillips.
Best bet: Blackpool to win at 11/10
Opta facts
- Blackpool, 2-1 winners in the reverse meeting between these two sides in November 2018, are looking to complete a league double over Southend for the first time since the 1984-85 fourth tier campaign.
- Southend have only won one of their last nine away league games against Blackpool (D3 L5), a 2-1 victory in January 2006.
- Blackpool have failed to score in five of their last seven home matches in all competitions – they had failed to find the net in just five of their previous 52 games at Bloomfield Road.
- Southend have taken just three points from their last seven League One matches (W0 D3 L4) since a 4-0 win at Bradford City in January.
- Southend’s last eight league goals have been scored by either Simon Cox (four) or Stephen Humphrys (four).
Odds correct at 0930 GMT (08/03/18)
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