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Jack Wright returns for another installment of his weekly EFL duties here at bettingexpert with weekend tips and predictions covering the three best leagues in the world. Sunderland travels to Hull in the Championship, whilst Rotherham entertain Barnsley in what could be a high-scoring meeting. Further down the leagues, Bradford look poised to inflict further misery on a miserable MK Dons outfit in League Two.
- Sunderland vs Hull Prediction: Wilson Isidor AGS
- Rotherham vs Barnsley Prediction: Over 2.5 Goals
- Bradford vs MK Dons: Bradford Win
Sunderland vs Hull Prediction: Black Cats striker set to pounce and tame Tigers
England, Championship, Saturday, February 22nd, 12:30 (UK)
Our Sunderland vs Hull prediction is for Sunderland to win the match 2-0.
There were few ripples made by Sunderland as they took Wilson Isidor on loan from Zenit St Petersburg just after the start of the season. A few sat up to take notice as he scored in each of his first two starts for the club and in four of his first six.
Not the first time he had made an immediate impact as this was a player that in 2022 equalled a Russian league record by getting on the scoresheet in his first six games for Lokomotiv Moscow. However, he failed to add to his tally for the remainder of the season and after scoring a further nine goals across the next two campaigns he was loaned to Zenit.
Despite making that move permanent the 24-year-old failed to nail down a regular starting place for the Russian champions and after making only five substitute appearances this term agreed a switch to the Championship. Reunited with Regis Le Bris who he worked with at youth level at Rennes.
A seven-game goal drought in the lead up to Christmas hinted at another false dawn but after hitting the back of the net at Blackburn on Boxing Day, Isidor hasn’t looked back. With 12 Championship goals to his name he is firmly in the race for the Golden Boot.
The Black Cats took up the option to make the loan deal permanent in the January transfer window and recent performances would suggest the reported fee of around £3m is an absolute bargain. That goal at Ewood Park was a first of seven in his last 11 appearances with his strike in Monday night’s loss at Leeds showcasing why he is the hottest striker in the second tier right now.
Pace and willingness to run on to a ball over the top, strength to hold off a grappling Ethan Ampadu, determination to stay on his feet to get his attempt at goal away and lethal pinpoint precision as he crashed his shot in off the inside of the post. Back on home soil Isidor will look to close the three-goal gap at the top of the scoring charts against a Hull side only one point clear of the relegation zone.
The Tigers struggled to cope with the pace, movement and finishing power of Norwich’s Josh Sargent last weekend and there looks likely to be a repeat in one of the early kick-offs on Saturday. Isidor has scored in four of his last five appearances at the Stadium of Light and his odds to score here don’t represent the level he is currently performing at.
- Sunderland vs Hull Prediction: Wilson Isidor AGS (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 2.75
- Bookmaker: bet365
- Stakes: 10/10
Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O’Nien, Cirkin; Neil, Bellingham; Roberts, Rigg, Le Fee; Isidor
Hull possible starting lineup:
Pandur; Coyle, Egan, Jones, McLoughlin; Alzate, Slater; Kamara, Crooks, Barry, Gelhardt
Rotherham vs Barnsley Prediction: Good Evans! Derby day goals predicted and you can Tyke that to the bank.
England, League One, Saturday, February 22nd, 15:00 (UK)
Our Rotherham vs Barnsley prediction is for Rotherham to win the match 2-1.
When Steve Evans jumped ship from promotion chasing League One outfit Stevenage to rejoin Rotherham two weeks after their relegation from the Championship was confirmed at the back end of last season nothing other than a title bid was expected. A mid-table position with a points haul closer to the relegation zone than the play-offs was not on the agenda and to say it has been a disappointing campaign is an understatement.
The fact Millers legend and serial League One promotion securing manager Paul Warne is now out of work heaps further pressure on the Scot. He knows he needs a positive result in this Yorkshire derby or it could spell the end, but at least he has a relatively decent recent home record to give him some encouragement of achieving that.
Rotherham have won six of their last nine on home soil but it is the amount of goals scored and at both ends that catch the eye. Six of the last eight league games at Aesseal New York Stadium have clicked for over 2.5 goals bettors, including each of the last four where both teams have contributed.
The visitors are another side that have underperformed hopes and expectations. A run of four straight wins either side of the new year gave hope a promotion charge could still be on, but picking up one point from the next available 18 has extinguished that.
Despite losing their last three league road trips, Barnsley still have the fourth best away record in the division and therefore are actually likely to be happier this game is not at Oakwell. As a result we should see Darrell Clarke set his side up to attack the vulnerable hosts.
The Tykes have seen a league high 22 of their fixtures go over 2.5 goals this season including their last six away games. Also providing perfect symmetry for those liking that kind of thing a pair of 2-1 wins followed by a 3-1 victory before losing their last three 3-1, 2-1, 2-1.
- Rotherham vs Barnsley Prediction: Over 2.5 goals (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1.95
- Bookmaker: bet365
- Stakes: 10/10
Rotherham possible starting lineup:
Phillips; Rafferty, Odoffin, Jules, James; Mpanzu, Humphreys, Powell; Wilks; Clarke-Harris, Nombe
Barnsley possible starting lineup:
Gauci; de Gevigney, Pines, Earl; O’Keeffe, Russell, Lembikisa, Farrugia; Humphrys; Rodrigues, Keillor-Dunn.
Bradford vs MK Dons Prediction: No Roundabout way to say this – Bantams to win by fair means or fowl.
England, League Two, Saturday, February 22nd, 15:00 (UK)
Our Bradford vs MK Dons prediction is for Bradford to win the match 2-0.
Bradford have put a scintillating run of form together to burst into the automatic promotion hunt in League Two. They go into this weekend’s fixtures fifth in the table but just two points behind second placed AFC Wimbledon.
The Bantams sit atop the 10-game form table having collected 23 points and suffered only one defeat. As is the case with any promotion chasing side home form is crucial and they are certainly maximising their advantage when playing at Valley Parade.
Graham Alexander’s men are unbeaten in their last nine league games on home soil and are now on a run of eight consecutive wins there. An impressive sequence of results built on the most solid of foundations with the last four victories coming accompanied by a clean sheet. Including a 3-0 defeat of leaders Walsall.
Bradford have impressively coped with the loss of top-scorer and talisman Andy Cook with a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury. The squad has been padded nicely in January with some exciting young players coming in on loan from higher in the pyramid alongside experienced heads like the unattached Paul Huntington.
This has allowed Alexander to rotate his first eleven during a busy period of league games and also a run all the way to the semi-final of the EFL Trophy. That game took place on Tuesday evening in front of nearly 30,000 fans at Birmingham.
A gauge as to the level the Bantams are performing currently was firstly indicated by a very strong Birmingham lineup including £15m striker Jay Standfield, who scored the opening goal. But the visitors battled back to equalise and it took an 88th minute Lyndon Dykes header to clinch a hard fought 2-1 win for the expensively assembled Blues.
Several players were cup-tied for that fixture so it shouldn’t have too much of an impact on this clash with MK Dons. The visitors were expected to be challenging for promotion themselves but haven’t been able to recover from a disastrous start under Mike WIlliamson even with Scott Lindsey now in charge.
Only three clubs have won fewer points in that aforementioned 10-game form table and the Dons have lost nine of their last 14 League Two fixtures, winning just twice. They did end a run of four successive away defeats last weekend with a point at relegation threatened Tranmere, one of those three sides in worse form than MK.
Bradford have an exceptional head-to-head record in this fixture winning 10 of the last 13 meetings. That includes a 2-1 win in Milton Keynes on the opening weekend of the season and a 4-0 thumping when the two sides met here last term.
Bradford possible starting lineup:
Walker, Baldwin, Huntington, Crichlow-Noble; Halliday, Smallwood, Pattison, Wright; Leigh, Pointon; Kavanagh.
MK Dons possible starting lineup:
Trueman, Lemonheigh-Evans, Offord, Lawrence, Tomlinson; Kelly, Williams, Crowley; Gilbey; Hogan, Orsi-Dadomo
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