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. 

In the Championship West Brom will look to keep their play-offs hopes alive as a Watford side, not yet out of the race themselves, visit the Hawthorns. Two sides with outside hopes of survival and making the play-offs respectively, Crawley and Leyton Orient meet in League One, while in League Two Chesterfield vs Fleetwood could provide some end of season entertainment.  

• West Brom vs Watford Prediction: West Brom to win
• Crawley vs Leyton Orient Prediction: Over 2.5 goals
• Chesterfield vs Fleetwood Prediction: Over 2.5 goals

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West Brom vs Watford Prediction: Watford play-off hopes to meet a prickly end.

England, Championship, Saturday, April 12th, 15:00 (UK) 

Our West Brom vs Watford prediction is for West Brom to win the match 2-1.

West Brom need to shake themselves out of their end of season slump and quick. With just five games left of the regular season they could find themselves as many as five points adrift of the play-off places but a minimum of three come kick off here on Saturday.   

A run of three successive defeats and no win in five has come at the most crucial time yet here I am confidently putting them forward to claim all three points against Watford. The midweek reverse at Bristol City was a painful one, not only coming against a play off rival but being the second successive away game the goal that defeated them came in stoppage time. 

The Baggies still boast a respectable home record, only four clubs have lost fewer Championship games on home soil while a concession of just 13 goals can only be bettered by the top two, Leeds and the ridiculously miserly Burnley. Last time at the Hawthorns Tony Mowbray saw his side totally dominate fourth placed Sunderland, a side who this week had their play off berth confirmed. 

Hollywood-ish Cast List

Albion had 64% of the ball, fired in 21 shots to their opponents seven and amassed 1.71 expected goals compared to just the 0.23 by the Black Cats. They had the three best chances of the game yet ended empty handed after Joe Wildsmith’s mistake in letting Trai Hume’s first-half free-kick cross/shot sail into the top corner. 

However, look at the cast list the experienced Mowbray has at his disposal and you would expect things to click sooner rather than later. Adam Armstrong, John Swift, Karlan Grant, Tom Fellows and Daryl Dike all offer goals and/or creativity in the second tier – now is the time to perform.

Watford kept their slim hopes of gate crashing the play-offs alive with a battling 1-0 victory at home to Hull on Tuesday. The 10th placed Hornets are a point behind the hosts but really must win every remaining game to have a chance to extend their season.

That objective has been made much tougher with injuries to main creative forces Giorgi Chakvetadze and Kwadwo Baah which have ruled both out for the remainder of the campaign. Successive defeats to Bristol City and Oxford show their frailties on the road and West Brom can take advantage to keep promotion hopes alive while extinguishing those of their visitors. 

• West Brom vs Watford Prediction: West Brom -0.5 Asian Handicap (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.85
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stakes: 10/10

West Brom possible starting lineup:
Wildsmith; Furlong, Bartley, Holgate, Styles; Fellows, Mowatt, Diakite, Swift; Armstrong, Dike

Watford possible starting lineup:
Selvik; Ngakia, Sierralta, Pollock, Wiley; Louza, Dele-Bashiru; Sissoko, Kayembe, Vata; Doumbia

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Crawley vs Leyton Orient Prediction: A Devilishly good time for goals fans with more Ohh’s than 0’s expected 

England, League One, Saturday, April 12th, 15:00 (UK) 

Our Crawley vs Leyton Orient prediction is for Leyton Orient to win the match 2-3.

Crawley’s renaissance under returning manager Scott Lindsey appears to have been brief. The man who guided the relegation favourites to a shock promotion last season has been brought back to the club to attempt an equally miraculous mission in preventing an immediate drop back to the fourth tier. 

Two wins to nil in his first two games in charge more than hinted at the great escape being on, especially the nature of a 4-0 thrashing of Rotherham on their own turf then after taking a 12th minute lead at home to Peterborough it appeared business as usual. However, despite scoring twice more in the opening 50 minutes the Red Devils lost a dramatic contest by the odd goal in seven.

There was more late drama and dropped points last weekend as after Bradley Ibrahim’s strike with 20 minutes to go looked to have earned a point at Stevenage, the hosts won with goals on 89 and 90+1. Those successive defeats leave Town six points from safety but still with hope given the team they are chasing, Bristol Rovers, have lost five on the spin. 

Only Wins Will Do

Only wins will do now though with only five games left to play and as a result we should see another open, attractive and attacking philosophy here. Especially as the visitors still have eyes on a late burst into the top six albeit with a five point gap to bridge. 

Leyton Orient were in midweek action coming from a goal down to edge a five-goal thriller at Mansfield and in Charlie Kelman have a prolific striker in his best form of the season. The American scored two against the Stags to take his tally in the league to 17 with six of those coming in his last six appearances. 

Richie Wellens described the second half on Tuesday night as “a game of basketball” and we should see a similar end-to-end style at Broadfield Stadium. Crawley’s last three games have seen 15 goals, with a minimum of three in each while on the road over 2.5 goals has clicked in Leyton Orient’s last three games on the road. 

• Crawley vs Leyton Orient Prediction: Over 2.5 goals (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.80
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stakes: 10/10

Crawley possible starting lineup:
Wollacott; Mullarkey, Conroy, Barker; Quitirna, Camara, Fraser, Ibrahim, Kelly; Doyle, Hepburn-Murphy

Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:
Keeley; Williams, Edmonds-Greene, Cooper, Currie; Clare, Brown; Markanday, Donley, Abdulai; Kelman.

Chesterfield vs Fleetwood Prediction: Scales tipping towards goals – Spireites and Fisherman set to Cook up Wild affair.   

England, League Two, Saturday, April 12th, 15:00 (UK) 

Our Chesterfield vs Fleetwood prediction is for Fleetwood to win the match 1-3.

In midweek Chesterfield cut the gap to the playoff places to six points but with only five games remaining the 1-1 draw with Gillingham could prove costly. Having won five of their last six fixtures prior to a 4-0 thrashing at struggling Tranmere on Saturday it was at least a return to something like their recent form. 

The Spireites promotion prospects are not helped by a fairly inconsistent home record which has seen four wins, three draws and two defeats from their last nine outings at the SMH Group Stadium, six of those games have seen a minimum of three goals. Paul Cook brought back familiar goal getters Paddy Madden and Will Grigg for the Gills fixture and with the latter netting the equaliser he at least should retain his place. But there is plenty of firepower at the disposal of the former Ipswich Town boss. 

Wildly Comfortable in Mid Table

Since becoming manager at the end of December, Pete Wild has taken his new side to the comfort of mid-table and will be looking for a strong finish to take into his first full campaign at Highbury. A win here would draw them level with the hosts, something not to be ruled out given the former Barrow boss seems to have discovered the winning formula away from home. 

Having won one and lost seven of their previous 10 League Two road trips, The Fishermen have claimed all three points in four of their last five away. The eye-catching feature of that being scoring four times in three of those victories, while they have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last seven on their travels. 

Town have seen over 2.5 goals click in a league high 13 of their 20 away games including each of the last six and it is eight of the last 10 across all venues. Given the freedom they are playing with to close the campaign and the desperation the hosts have for a win, this fixture looks primed to follow that pattern at generous odds. 

• Chesterfield vs Fleetwood Prediction: Over 2.5 goals 
• Best Odds: 1.91
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stakes: 10/10

Chesterfield possible starting lineup:
Boot; Mandeville, Palmer, McFadzean, Gordon; Metcalfe, Fleck; Olakigbe, Dobra, Colclough; Grigg

Fleetwood possible starting lineup:
Lynch; Bennett, Bolton, Sarpong-Wiredu; Rooney, Virtue-Thick, Neal, Helm, Patterson; Hunt, Devonport

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