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Horse Racing Early Bird Best Bets: April 25th-29th - Early Picks for Five Matches this Week
Early Bird Best Bets: 25th-29th April
Staying in England, the Early Bird has another go at rubbing the crystal ball from League One up to the seismic Premier League clash at the very top of the pyramid.
In this article:
- Barnsley vs Ipswich Preview & Best Bet
- Manchester City vs Arsenal Preview & Best Bet
- Rotherham vs Cardiff Preview & Best Bet
- Ipswich vs Exeter Preview & Best Bet
- Forest Green vs Oxford United Preview & Best Bet
Barnsley vs Ipswich Preview
England, League One, Tuesday, April 25th, 19:45 (UK)
How this isn’t being televised on Tuesday night is nothing short of criminal. It’s 90 minutes should have everything – one of the season’s biggest games in terms of automatic promotion from the third tier. Barnsley have won 9 in a row at Oakwell and requires three points here to have any chance of automatics. Ipswich? They’ve won 11 of their last 12 in League One.
Something has to give, and you’d be brave to head into the 1X2 markets. Instead, it may be wise to back bookings from ref Ben Toner (3.23 cards per90 in L1). Like the Hartlepool official on Saturday, we’ll need him to outdo his averages tomorrow night for any joy.
There’s a precedent for both sides receiving cautions in the significant League One clashes over the last couple of months.
Ipswich* card splits:
- Posh – 1/3*
- Derby – 4/3*
- Bolton – *2/5
Barnsley* card splits:
- Sheff Weds – *5/3
- Argyle – *1/2
- Derby – *3/0
Barnsley vs Ipswich Best Bet
Both sides will get stuck in, as both do battle for a share of the spoils they’ve jostled all season for, whilst Plymouth Argyle has an opportunity to go even further ahead when Bristol Rovers travel to Home Park on Tuesday evening—expecting fireworks.
- Selection: O9.5 Booking Points Each Team & O39.5 Match Booking Points (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1.95 (William Hill)
- Stakes: 10/10
Manchester City vs Arsenal Preview
England, Premier League, Wednesday, April 26th, 20:00 (UK)
After recent wobbles and frailties hailing from North London, the only conclusion I can draw is that this experienced City eleven have more than enough to edge this occasion. The dominance and clinical nature at the Etihad will likely prevail; they’ve won 13/15 this season whilst averaging 3.3 goals per90 in front of familiar settings.
At the same time, it’s hard to envisage this being a 1-0 game, so to be able to get to 1.80 with the inclusion of multiple goals is appealing. Both defences look susceptible, whilst both attacks continue to prove as fruitful as ever, an intriguing recipe for goals at either end.
The proposed selection has paid out in the most recent 10/12 City outings, including the 1-3 trip to the Emirates, where William Saliba partnered with Gabriel at the back. This time out, it’ll be Rob Holding vs Erling Haaland. That could be a problem for Arsenal.
Manchester City vs Arsenal Best Bet
At this level, it’s the minor details that make all the difference. With Saliba and Gabriel unable to continue their impressive, flourishing central defensive partnership may be that chink in the armour that scuppers their chances of overthrowing Manchester City.
Liverpool have been there for years now, acclimatising to the harsh reality that nothing short of perfect will warrant a Premier League title win. I’ve got a feeling it’s Arsenal’s time for a taste of Pep’s cold medicine.
- Selection: Manchester City & Over 1.5 Goals (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1.80 (bet365)
- Stakes: 12.5/10
More Manchester City vs Arsenal Tips
Rotherham vs Cardiff Preview
England, Championship, Thursday, April 27th, 20:00 (UK)
Rotherham and Cardiff head into Thursday’s fixture level on points in 19th and 20th, respectively. Neither are safe, with Wigan and Blackpool picking up wins on the weekend and Noel Hunt’s Reading showing a pulse in recent contests. The latter, Reading, lay just three points behind Cardiff and the Millers in the final relegation spot in 22nd.
The lay of the land nearer the bottom end of the Championship table assumes that this will be a hard-fought battle, with the drop to League One perilously close. Add to the mix that the weather ensured this fixture was initially rescheduled with question marks hovering over the ground staff’s keenness for Cardiff’s then 0-1 lead to be wiped off for good, and we’ve got two teams meeting with a bit of needle between them.
Cardiff were the better team before the heavens opened. They deserved their 0-1 lead and will feel aggrieved that they didn’t have a chance to build on the fortunes they deservedly assembled. With those feelings still ringing true in the Cardiff dressing room and Lamouchi likely using it as encouragement to cross the white line and bring home a result, tempers may flare here.
Rotherham vs Cardiff Best Bet
Oliver Langford is the official in the middle: 4.11 per90 from 19 Championship appearances. Langford holds a second-half yellow card average of 2.79, highlighting how he may be willing to dish out bookings in the game’s dying embers as points on the board threaten to become a reality.
- Selection: Over 4.0 Asian Match Cards (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1.80 (bet365)
- Stakes: 10/10
More Rotherham vs Cardiff Tips
Ipswich vs Exeter Preview
England, League One, Saturday, April 29th, 15:00 (UK)
They lost in the end, but a mismatched Exeter City squad with sidelined key players and a lack of punch in forward areas proved a tricky proposition for Sheffield Wednesday. In terms of starting eleven, we can anticipate more of the same, though Ipswich at home gunning for automatics is a world away from facing a semi-stuttering Wednesday.
As has been the case for months now, Ipswich Town simply have to keep churning out victories to keep up with Plymouth Argyle and The Owls. And they’ve duly obliged. After comfortably swatting away Peterborough on the weekend, Kieran Mckenna’s men face their biggest test of the season away at Oakwell on Tuesday evening, which could prove a banana skin match-up en route to automatic promotion.
No matter the score in Barnsley, Ipswich will have to refocus on Saturday and claim three points against Exeter City. Fail to do so and risk falling into playoff purgatory. At Portman Road this season, the Tractor Boys have scored 54 goals in 22 matches – a league-high for goals scored in front of home support. Not only that, but Saturday’s hosts have won each of their last seven outings at home, dating back to a 2-2 draw with, you guessed it, Sheffield Wednesday.
Ipswich mustered two or more goals scored in 100% of those seven games: 2, 6, 4, 2, 3, 4, & 4. No other side has recorded multiple strikes (12/22) in more home games than Ipswich this term. This is a team you can back home and feel reassured your money will work for you at Portman Road.
Ipswich vs Exeter Best Bet
Sticking with the thought process behind the proposed bet builder, here’s another Portman Road stat. Just ahead of Wednesday, Posh, and Barnsley, Ipswich lead the way (14/21) as the club that has scored the opening goal most frequently.
Failing the William Hill bet builder, Ipswich can be back at around 1.75 for a -1.25 Asian Handicap on bet365, a position which returns a half loss for a one-goal winning margin.
- Selection: Ipswich 1-5 Winning Margin, Ipswich Over 1.5 Goals & Ipswich Score First (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1.80 (William Hill)
- Stakes: 10/10
Forest Green vs Oxford United Preview
England, League One, Saturday, April 29th, 15:00 (UK)
It’s 17 games without a victory for Oxford United – unable to register on the scoresheet regularly (8 in 17) and often too limp to keep them out at the other end; that’s a concoction to guarantee a slide down any division. So is it bonkers to side with a travelling United side now scrapping for their lives in League One? Perhaps.
If it was anyone other than Forest Green Rovers in the home dressing room, that 1.85 win price would be one to get as far away from as possible. But in truth, this is a League Two standard rovers team, and despite their disappointing slide, Oxford United presents as the better outfit on the whole.
Considering there’s nothing but pride left to play for in League One for FGR, but a whole lot left to fight for in Oxford, it makes the away team a more attractive proposition than usual.
Forest Green vs Oxford United Best Bet
Two defensive errors in their match with local rivals Cheltenham saw Rovers fall to a 2-0 deficit just after the half-hour mark on Saturday. After goalkeeper Ross Doohan flapped at a cross before the half-time whistle, it was game over as the two sides walked into the dressing room at the interval.
More of the same from Forest Green against Oxford on the weekend, and I think, with some luck, the visitors will put them to the sword. If we lead with the thinking that goals are scarce in both Oxford yellow and Forest Green, that makes the Under 4.5 Goals a runner on the bet builder.
- Selection: Oxford United Win & U4.5 Goals
- Best Odds: 2.15 (bet365)
- Stakes: 5/10
Odds via bet365 and William Hill as at 07:00, April 25th, 2023. Odds may now differ.
More Forest Green vs Oxford United Tips
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Our best bets are posted by some of the best tipsters around. These are our tipsters best value bets. A best bet can be placed on any number of different markets. The most common of which are 1X2, the Asian handicap, BTTS, and the goals markets. Value can be found in matches from leagues across the world. Be sure to follow bettingexpert for the latest best bets.
