EFL Weekend Betting Tips
Portsmouth v Sheffield Wednesday – Half-time draw and Under 3.5 goals
Coventry v Luton Town – Haji Wright to score
Norwich v Middlesbrough – Norwich to win
- If you fancy putting these five picks into an acca, it pays out at 18/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
Portsmouth v Sheffield Wednesday – Half-time draw and Under 3.5 goals
Friday, 8pm – Championship match at Fratton Park
It has been a case of one step forward and two steps back for Portsmouth over the last week. They finally recorded a maiden league victory over QPR last weekend. However, they failed to back it up on Tuesday when they lost in Cardiff. Manager John Mousinho described it as a ‘very poor performance’.
They need to bounce back, and Sheffield Wednesday at home is a realistic opportunity. Conversely, the Owls will believe this is winnable for them, too, but we can’t say there is too much confidence in either camp.
Consistency has been a problem for Danny Röhl’s side recently, as evidenced by their previous nine league and cup results, including three wins, three draws, and three defeats.
They are hard to predict and have failed to score in two straight games. Their unpredictability stands out even more, considering their hectic schedule, meaning a rotation of the starting eleven is a strong possibility.
The style in which Sheff Wed play away often puts them under big pressure and relies on counterattacks to get forward. Therefore, they will sit back quite often. However, Portsmouth may be more focused on defensively securing themselves. A tactical game could play out here, meaning a half-time draw is a real contender.
One of Pompey’s previous seven games, the freak 6-1 setback at Stoke, contained four or more goals. Only one of Wednesday’s last eight in league and cup did so, too.
Coventry v Luton Town – Haji Wright to score
Saturday, 12:30pm – Championship match at Coventry Building Society Arena
On Tuesday night, Coventry slipped into the relegation zone after drawing with fellow strugglers Queens Park Rangers. Manager Mark Robins said it was a poor-quality game between two teams lacking rhythm. Things can all change pretty quickly, and Coventry have proved this in recent years.
Luton aren’t fairing much better, either. They hoped the 3-0 triumph over local rivals Watford last weekend was a turning point for them. However, they failed to back it up. In their defence, Sunderland are having the season of their lives at the top of the table, but The Hatters would’ve expected to be in and around that area as well.
It is hard to have any confidence in Luton retaining a clean sheet, regardless of what they did in the Watford match. That remains one of only two clean sheets they’ve had all season out of 12 games in all competitions.
Another problem in that department is the sheer number of injuries. Reece Burke has joined Teden Mengi, Amari’i Bell, Reuell Walters, Mads Andersen and Tom Lockyer on the sidelines. Mark McGuinness has also been struggling lately, so Edwards has minimal options in defensive areas.
Haji Wright, therefore, may be relishing the chance to come up against Luton this weekend. He scored in the Tuesday draw at QPR, becoming the club’s top scorer. The USA international tops the team xG chart and thrives on confidence. After recording two goals in his last four, he should be buzzing ahead of this fixture.
Norwich v Middlesbrough – Norwich to win
Sunday, 3pm – Championship match at Carrow Road
One team that had a significant turning point earlier this season is Norwich. In the first month or so of the campaign, the team weren’t quite getting to grips with what new manager Johannes Hoff Thorup wanted from them.
Beating Watford 4-1 in late September, when The Hornets were in top form then, looks to have transformed City significantly. They’re currently six unbeaten and are proving more than a match for anyone at this level.
Middlesbrough, therefore, will make the long trip and are undoubtedly wary of the threat their opponents can have. Boro should be on a high after beating Sheffield United on Wednesday, however with consistency being their problem this season, they know they can’t afford to be too high.
Boss Michael Carrick will prepare his outfit for a tough afternoon, so much so he’d probably take a point from this. His team have already been to West Brom and Leeds (in the cup) this season and won, but building an unbeaten run must be their priority. They’ve been unbeaten this season for over two games.
It will be interesting to see who dominates possession here, as their numbers are very similar in terms of the average amount of the ball. Norwich are a little more flexible, and being on the road could see Middlesbrough be somewhat more cautious.
The lack of consistency with Boro also concerns me greatly, putting me off a little. Norwich remain unbeaten at home despite facing top-six clubs such as Leeds, Sheffield United, and Blackburn.
EFL Weekend Betting Tips
Portsmouth v Sheffield Wednesday – Half-time draw and Under 3.5 goals
Coventry v Luton Town – Haji Wright to score
Norwich v Middlesbrough – Norwich to win
- If you fancy putting these five picks into an acca, it pays out at 18/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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