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. We are in the home straight of another fantastic season but with nothing confirmed as yet there will be plenty of twists and turns to come at both ends of the table in all three leagues. 

A Coventry side desperate to make the Championship play-offs welcome Burnley who will be keen to avoid them in order to go up automatically. Charlton look to continue their incredible rise up the League One table as they host mid-table Lincoln, while in League Two the side in the last relegation place Morecambe travel to Grimsby, the team in the last playoff place.  

• Coventry vs Burnley Prediction: Both teams to score
• Charlton vs Lincoln Prediction: Charlton to win
• Grimsby vs Morecambe Prediction: Under 2.5 goals

Coventry vs Burnley Prediction: To be Frank, expect goals even if visitors Parker the bus. 

England, Championship, Saturday, April 5th, 12:30 (UK) 

Our Coventry vs Burnley prediction is for the match to be drawn 1-1.

Coventry’s incredible ascent up the Championship table hit a bump in the road last Friday as they were swept aside by table topping Sheffield United 3-1 at Bramall Lane. Frank Lampard had no arguments regarding the result conceding that sometimes you have to give credit to the opponent. What he did call for though was a good reaction to a rare defeat. 

Since the Sky Blues somehow snatched a 2-1 defeat from the jaws of victory after conceding two goals in added on time at Norwich in January they have won 10 of their 13 league games and only failed to score twice. That form has seen Lampard’s men climb to fifth in the table but as is the nature of the second tier they only hold a two point advantage to Bristol City in eighth. 

The former England international was right to call for immediate focus and a reaction as after falling to one of three clubs chasing the two automatic promotion golden tickets they now face another. Zian Flemming’s superb free-kick earned Burnley a 1-0 win at home to Bristol City and kept their bid for an immediate return to the Premier League on track as they drew level on points with second placed Leeds.

Watertight… Until now

The Clarets are now unbeaten in an incredible 26 Championship games and have only lost twice across the entire league campaign. That promotion tilt has been built on the foundations of a watertight defence that has only conceded a mind-blowing 11 times. 

Therefore it may come as a surprise to have seen the selection is for both teams to score here. 

Scott Parker’s side have struggled for goals on a consistent basis this term, something that didn’t look a likely problem as they put four past Luton on the opening weekend and followed that up with a five goal salvo at home to Cardiff. They have relied on Josh Brownhill who is on course to at least double his previous best tally of seven, only Joel Piroe and Borja Sainz can top his 12 goals. 

The January loan signing of Marcus Edwards from Sporting CP has added creativity. While the Turf Moor outfit will be hoping Flemming can continue the form which has seen him provide a direct goal involvement in each of his last four appearances.

It is possible any team from fifth down to Sheffield Wednesday in 12th could fill what looks like the remaining two play off spots. On that basis Coventry know they need to attack every remaining fixture. 

Clean sheets have become something of a rarity, keeping just one in their last seven games which means more need to fire at the other end. That requirement has been helped by the return to fitness of Haji Wright, who despite missing 21 games is still the club’s top scorer with 10 goals. The American’s confidence will be high having hit a superb hat-trick in his last outing at the CBS Arena in the 3-0 defeat of fourth placed Sunderland. 

• Coventry vs Burnley Prediction: Both teams to score (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 2.00
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stakes: 10/10

Coventry possible starting lineup:
Collins; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Binks, Bidwell; Grimes, Rudoni; Torp; Sakamoto, Wright, Mason-Clark

Burnley possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Roberts, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Pires; Edwards, Cullen, Laurent, Anthony; Brownhill, Flemming

Charlton vs Lincoln Prediction: Ty can sink Imps at the Valley

England, League One, Saturday, April 5th, 15:00 (UK) 

Our Charlton vs Lincoln prediction is for Charlton to win the match 2-0.

Charlton’s hopes of a remarkable late surge to claim an automatic promotion spot were given another boost in midweek. Not only did they collect three points with a hard fought 2-1 win at Mansfield, they saw both second placed Wrexham and Wycombe in third draw their respective games. 

The Addicks are fourth and already look certain of a play-off berth but the six-point gap to the Red Dragons looks increasingly possible to be bridged. The South-East Londoners have won 12 of their last 16 League One fixtures, with their recent home form even more impressive. 

Saturday’s 4-0 demolition of a Huddersfield side that were at the time also in the top-six was an eighth in succession at the Valley and their 10th from their last 11 appearances on home soil. They have only conceded twice in those last nine games in front of their own fans but are now combining a potent attack to supplement that resolute defence. 

Fans of the EFL will be all too aware of Matty Godden who has now plundered 17 goals for Charlton since his summer arrival from Coventry. With four of those coming in his last four appearances he could be running hot at just the right time. 

A less familiar name is his strike partner Tyreece Campbell, with the 21-year-old enjoying his most productive season in front of goal. Half of the academy product’s six goals have come in the last seven days as he followed up his Huddersfield brace with the winner against the Stags.

Will Charlton complete the set? 

Nathan Jones took the opportunity to remind us post match that he (briefly) managed in the Premier League when declaring the ever-improving Campbell was “as good as I’ve seen”. That cocktail of confidence, momentum, steely defence and attacking firepower should be too much for the mid-table Imps. 

Lincoln also recorded a win over Huddersfield – but by the far less impressive scoreline of 1-0 on Tuesday evening. That win could have taken a fair amount out of them given they only had 36% of the ball and registered five attempts at goal. 

Michael Skubala was pleased with his side’s defensive resolve but has seen them fall to defeat in their last three road trips. The last two came by the same 1-0 scoreline and were at the hands of leaders Birmingham and third placed Wycombe. 

An interesting pattern given the Imps also lost by the only goal of the game when they travelled to Wrexham. As the only remaining member of the top four, Charlton can complete the set on Saturday. 

• Charlton vs Lincoln Prediction: Charlton to win (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.80
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stakes: 10/10

Charlton possible starting lineup:
Mannion; Ramsay, McIntyre, Gillesphey, Edwards; Coventry, Docherty; Small, Berry, Campbell; Godden

Lincoln possible starting lineup:
Wickens; Darikwa, Hamer, Jackson, Roughan; Hamilton, Bayliss; Makama, Hackett-Fairchild, Gardner; Collins.

Grimsby vs Morecambe Prediction: Empty Mariners nets could make for Grim viewing  

England, League Two, Saturday, April 5th, 15:00 (UK) 

Our Grimsby vs Morecambe prediction is for Morecambe to win the match 0-1.

Grimsby have enjoyed something of an all or nothing campaign but sitting in seventh place still have it all to play for going into the weekend fixtures. Defeat to Crewe on Tuesday was a 16th of the season and meant the Railwaymen closed the gap to that final playoff position to just a point.

Only the bottom nine have lost more times than the Mariners while only the top two, Walsall and Bradford can top their win tally. Much of the problem is due to their poor record at Blundell Park where they have been beaten eight times, a statistic that is only better than the two sides currently in the relegation zone. 

One of which, Morecambe, are the next visitors to Cleethorpes and with the wiley Derek Adams in charge you can rest assured they will have a plan in place to frustrate the hosts before looking to leave with a third successive victory. Things looked bleak for the Shrimps who had slipped to the foot of the table with non-league football beckoning. However back-to-back wins at home to Swindon and Cheltenham have closed the gap to safety to just four points. 

Therefore this has the makings of a nervy end of season encounter with so much at stake. Especially with the struggling visitors looking to keep things tight in order to end a run of nine successive away defeats.

Despite having an understandably poor record on their travels, Morecambe have been competitive against the top teams in League Two. Six of their visits to the top eight have seen under 2.5 goals click, with five 1-0 defeats and a 2-0 loss to Notts County, only the game at AFC Wimbledon is the anomaly with the hosts winning 3-0. In total eight of their last 10 away games have gone under 2.5 goals. 

That sequence could be extended at a nervy Blundell Park where the last four contests have all seen no more than two goals. In fact six of Grimsby’s last eight league games at home have landed for under 2.5 goals bettors.  

• Grimsby vs Morecambe Prediction: Under 2.5 goals 
• Best Odds: 1.85
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stakes: 10/10

Grimsby possible starting lineup:
Wright; Rodgers, Tharme, Warren; McEachran; Svanthorsson, Green, Khouri, Hume; Luker, Barrington

Morecambe possible starting lineup:
Burgoyne; Lewis, Stott, Williams, Tutonda; Jones, Lewis, White; Dallas, Angol, Hope

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