EFL Weekend Tips and Predictions: Best Bets Preview

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. The Steel City derby takes centre stage in the Championship, as Bolton hosts Stockport in a play-off six-pointer in League One. In League Two, Bradford will look to get back to winning ways against relegation-threatened Tranmere.

• Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United Prediction: Sheffield United to Win
• Bolton vs Stockport: John McAtee to score
• Bradford vs Tranmere: Bradford -0.75 Asian Handicap

Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United Prediction: Blades to steel derby day honours and Rohl over Owls. 

England, Championship, Sunday, March 16th, 12:30 (UK) 

Our Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United prediction is for Sheffield United to win the match 1-2.

One of the most eye-catching fixtures of the EFL season takes place this Sunday in Sheffield with Hillsborough the venue for the 120th league Steel City derby. As is the case with current placings in the Championship it is United who hold the overall advantage with 44 wins to Wednesday’s 36. 

On Tuesday the Blades were denied a massive three points by Bristol City with Mark Sykes hitting a deserved equaliser for the Robins in the 90th-minute. Chris Wilder was refreshingly honest in his post-match assessment of the game, also disagreeing with the notion that any one of four late penalty shouts should have gone the way of his side. As a lifelong fan there is nobody better placed to lift his players for the challenge that awaits. 

The late drama prevented what would have been a seventh win in eight matches for United but they make the short cross city journey still holding on to one of the precious automatic promotion places. Sitting two points behind leaders Leeds but with the same gap between themselves and Burnley in third.  

Wednesday were the poster campaign for “Jekyll and Hyde performance” in their comeback win at Norwich in midweek. An abject opening 45 minutes saw them go in at half time trailing 2-0, but the introduction during the interval of Michael Smith and Nathaniel Chalabah inspired a thrilling turnaround. 

Something which shouldn’t be too much of a surprise given only two sides have won more games on the road than the Owls. It is however, a different story at Hillsborough with only Hull having collected fewer than their 22 points on home soil. 

It is now no win in five home games for Wednesday, with successive defeats to Coventry and Sunderland a contributing factor to them losing touch with the play-off places. 

The local derby factor has possibly skewed the prices a little but there is no getting away from the fact the visitors represent good value. Especially when taking into account they are one of the two sides previously mentioned who have a better road record than Danny Rohl’s men. 

The Blades have tasted defeat on their travels just once in their last 12 outings, winning seven of their last eight such games including all of the last five.   

• Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United: Sheffield United to win (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 2.87
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stakes: 10/10

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Beadle; Valentin Sancho, Ihiekwe, Lowe, Johnson; Chalobah, Paterson; Gassama, Bannan, Gassama; Smith

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Holding, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Burrows; Choudhury, Peck; Rak-Sakyi, O’Hare, Brereton Diaz; Campbell

Bolton vs Stockport Prediction: Invitation to McAtee party could leave Hatters mad. 

England, League One, Saturday, March 15th, 12:30 (UK) 

Our Bolton vs Stockport prediction is for Burton to win the match 3-2.

Having lost his first game as Bolton manager after replacing Ian Evatt, Steven Schumacher saw his team collect 16 points from the next 18 on offer to catapult themselves back into the top six. A shock defeat by the odd goal in five at relegation threatened Bristol Rovers on Tuesday dampened the feelgood factor somewhat but the visit of a Stockport side one place above them ensures there can be no hangover.

The Hatters played out only their second goalless draw of the season last weekend with successive draws against Charlton and Northampton meaning they are now six points adrift of the automatic places having played a game more. The landscape of League One means this should be an entertaining clash with both sides going for the win. A draw serves neither well. 

Schumacher rued not making the most of a dominant first half at the Memorial Stadium, pointing to several missed chances as to the reason his side slipped to a late defeat. You can be sure he will give plenty of focus at the training ground to finishing drills in an effort to avoid similar frustrations on their return to the Toughsheet Community Stadium. 

Wanderers have won all three home games under their new manager including an impressive 3-1 defeat of champions elect Birmingham. John McAtee scored the equaliser against Blues and after being a substitute in Schumacher’s first game in charge has started every game since. 

The 25-year-old has scored five goals in the subsequent seven fixtures including a goal in each of his last two home appearances as well as hitting his side’s second goal at Rovers on Tuesday. The summer signing from Luton now has 11 league goals this campaign, just one less than his final tally while on loan at Barnsley last season and is currently Bolton’s top scorer. 

To see seven players listed at shorter odds is something of a surprise with McAtee in such good form and the main goal threat for his side. A side that has scored nine goals in the three home games since the arrival of their manager who has been here and done it at this level with Plymouth. 

• Bolton vs Stockport Prediction: John McAtee to score (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 4.50
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stakes: 10/10

Bolton possible starting lineup:
Southwood; Toal, Forrester, Murphy; Jones, Morley, Sheehan, Thomason; Schon; Collins, McAtee

Stockport possible starting lineup:
Addai; Knoyle, Hills, Pye, Rydel; Norwood, Collar, Bate; Olaofe, Camps; Wootton.

Bradford vs Tranmere Prediction: No Tranmere-cy as hosts aim to ensure Rovers Return to losing ways.

England, League Two, Saturday, March 15th, 15:00 (UK) 

Our Bradford vs Tranmere prediction is for Bradford to win the match 2-0.

Bradford’s seemingly serene progress to a long-awaited promotion from League Two suffered what they hope will be just a small bump in the road last weekend. A 1-0 defeat at Gillingham was only a second reverse in 16 league games, a run which saw them collect 38 points from a possible 48 and rocket to second in the table.

That slip up hasn’t proved too costly with just one of the top seven winning on Saturday and Notts County the only one of four promotion chasing sides in action on Tuesday to claim a victory. All of which means the Bantams hold a five-point cushion in the automatic promotion places as they enter the final 10-game stretch. 

Graham Alexander’s side have had what could be a crucial, rare week off from competitive action but according to the experienced manager his players asked to keep training rather than take days off. 

There will be no better place to bounce back from that defeat at the Gills than Valley Parade on Saturday. Bradford are currently on an incredible run of 10 consecutive league wins at home with the last six all accompanied by a clean sheet. 

Tranmere Rovers are the opponents with the relegation haunted side this week confirming Andy Crosby would be interim manager for the remainder of the season. The Rotherham born 52-year-old has picked up a win and two draws from his three games in charge to edge four points clear of the drop zone. 

Four of those points came on home soil and it is the shocking road record that has the Merseysiders in so much peril of losing their EFL status. The recent draw at Grimsby ended a run of 10 straight away defeats in the league and was only a ninth point collected from a possible 51 on their travels. 

Bradford boast the best home record in the fourth tier, winning 14 of their 18 fixtures at Valley Parade suffering only one defeat and conceding a league low 10 goals. A daunting task for the struggling visitors who have scored a paltry 27 goals across their 36 fixtures with only 11 of those coming away from home. 

The hosts are justifiable favourites and are priced as low as 1.53, however, we can get them onside by taking the -0.75 Asian Handicap. This means half our stake is on Bradford -0.5 with the other half on -1. Therefore, any kind of home win will return profit, with the other half refunded if their success is by a solitary goal. A Bradford victory by two or more goals leads to a full win on the bet. 

• Bradford vs Tranmere Prediction: Bradford -0.75 Asian Handicap 
• Best Odds: 1.875
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stakes: 10/10

Bradford possible starting lineup:
S Walker; Baldwin, Huntingdon, Shepherd; Halliday; Smallwood, Khela, Adaramola; J Walker, Mellon, Lapslie

Tranmere possible starting lineup:
McGee; Norman, Turnbull, O’Connor; Hawkes, Finley, Wood, Patrick; Hendry, Morris, Dennis

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