*All odds in copy correct at time of publication but are subject to change and they’re always bang on with our clever betting banners.
5.30pm: Hull v Portsmouth – Draw
One of the best home records in League One takes on one of the best away sides in a top of the table clash on Friday evening. 1st-placed Hull welcome Portsmouth to the KCOM Stadium and the hosts have the chance to move five points clear at the summit of the third tier – that’s until Saturday’s games finish at least.
Pompey head a pack of four teams all tied on 32 points in 2nd if they beat Hull it is likely they will be top of the league on Christmas Day because of their impressive goal difference. The league leaders have a game in hand over Portsmouth and can set a real marker down as we close in on the half-way point of the season.
5.30pm: Hull v Portsmouth
Sky Sports Football
Hull have 34 points from 17 games with just seven of those taking place on home turf. Portsmouth have two fewer from their 18 games and they’ve played eight away from Fratton Park, winning five, drawing two and losing just once. The Tigers’ seven home games have seen five wins and two losses.
Hull are without a victory in three games with two wins followed by a draw and most recently two defeats in their last five. Pompey have won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five. In short; this one is incredibly difficult to call.
Hull are averaging 2.14 points per game at home and Portsmouth 2.13 away. You cannot separate these two with a fag paper and with that raft of numbers, lines of form and everything weighed up, it’s impossible to reasonably predict anything other than these two cancelling each other out in entertaining fashion with a Draw.
8pm: Preston v Bristol City – Over 2.5 Goals
Preston’s home form has been shocking this season. They’ve won just twice, drawn once and lost six times on home soil. They have picked up 16 of their 23 points on the road this season, but recently their away form has deserted them with four losses and a win in their last five away from Deepdale.
Friday’s visitors to Lancashire, Bristol City, will be licking their lips at the prospect of improving their impressive away form and putting another dent in PNE’s home record. They have 16 points from their nine away days (that’s one away game fewer than Preston), with five wins a draw and three losses.
Now, the problem with all of that is what’s happened over the last few games. All of Preston’s points at Deepdale have come in their last four home games. Over that period they’ve won two, drawn one and lost one so are clearly improving on that front.
8pm: Preston v Bristol City
Sky Sports Football
City’s last three away games have returned one win and two losses so both of these side’s immediate form is not backing up the seasonal trends. Instead of tipping up a result it feels like the best value in this one comes in the Overs market.
Preston’s last five games have seen 18 goals, an average of 3.6 per game, while there have been nine goals at an average of 1.8 per game in The Robins’ last five outings. Those figures combined give us a total of 2.7 goals per game so, in what looks another tricky game to navigate, backing the Over 2.5 Goals looks to be the best option provided Bristol City have their shooting boots on.
Tips for Friday’s EFL action
5.30pm: Hull v Portsmouth – Draw
8pm: Preston v Bristol City – Over 2.5 Goals
*All odds in copy correct at time of publication but are subject to change and they’re always bang on with our clever betting banners.
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