Football tips, predictions and best bets: Premier League, Sky Bet Championship, League One, League Two 27/04/24
Football betting tips: Saturday best bets
3pts Over 3.5 goals in Wrexham vs Stockport at 2/1 (General)
2pts Both teams to score in Sheff Wed v West Brom at 20/23 (Betfair)
0.6pts 1-1 correct score in Colchester vs Crewe at 5/1 (General)
0.4pts No first goalscorer in Colchester vs Crewe at 8/1 (Sky Bet)
0.5pts Paul Mullin to score a hat-trick in Wrexham vs Stockport at 80/1 (Sky Bet)
Sheffield Wednesday vs West Brom
- Kick-off time: 15:00 BST, Saturday
- Home 2/1 | Draw 9/4 | Away 7/5
It’s crunch time at both ends of the Sky Bet Championship table.
Danny Rohl has engineered a remarkable turnaround at Sheffield Wednesday given the turmoil on and off the field the Owls went through in the first half of their first season back in the second tier.
Sunday’s win at Blackburn moved them out of the bottom three for the first time since the second weekend of the season. That’s more than eight months ago, folks.
But the job isn’t yet done, only a point clear with two games to go – and with the two sides immediately below them in the table, Huddersfield and Birmingham, facing each other on Saturday in a huge game for whoever, if either, wins.
Feeling the heat from teams below is something West Brom are familiar with. Back-to-back defeats and a run of one win in six have put what looked a surefire play-off place in jeopardy, and the sole win in that run was at home to bottom side Rotherham.
Really, both teams need to win this. A point would likely leave both needing a win in their last game to guarantee meeting their respective goals.
That season-state should mean BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE landing and I’m surprised to see such an eventuality at such generous odds as 20/23. As an added comfort, it’s landed in eight of Albion’s past 11 games and all of the Owls’ last three.
Colchester vs Crewe
- Kick-off time: 15:00 BST, Saturday
- Home 8/5 | Draw 6/4 | Away 23/10
A point suits both parties here.
It would secure Colchester’s Sky Bet League Two status for another campaign and guarantee Crewe a shot at promotion via the play-offs.
A point on Saturday gets Crewe into the play-offs.
— Tom Carnduff (@TomCarnduff) April 24, 2024
A point on Saturday sees Colchester stay up.
The draw is 12/5 🕵️♂️pic.twitter.com/3rbMc7o3oH
Although the context suits, the sides involved are also perfect.
Since the Cowley brothers took over in Essex, no side in the fourth tier has drawn more games than the U’s (9), all of which came in their first 13 games in charge.
Crewe are stuttering over the line only winning two of 11 games since the end of February.
With three defeats and as many draws across their last seven, Lee Bell will be desperate to secure a top-seven finish and re-group ahead of a play-off campaign.
Although the draw is the angle, the price is crumbling so I think splitting a point stake across NO FIRST GOALSCORER and the 1-1 CORRECT SCORE is the shrewd way in.
- CLICK HERE to back no first goalscorer with Sky Bet
- CLICK HERE to back 1-1 correct score with Sky Bet
Although it is a point shorter than the 0-0, taking no first goalscorer appeals because the bet is still paid out as a winner if the only goals of the game are own goals.
Dutching the stake 0.6pts for the 1-1 draw and 0.4pts on no first goalscorer guarantees 2.6pts profit, where-as a point on the draw would only secure 2pts profit.
Odds correct at 0900 BST (25/04/24)
Wrexham vs Stockport
- Kick-off time: 15:00 BST, Saturday
- Home 29/20 | Draw 12/5 | Away 13/8
Both of these sides' fate is sealed. The pair will be Sky Bet League One clubs next season, Stockport promoted as champions, regardless of any results on the final day.
En route to the securing top spot, County were understandably conservative.
They won the title at Notts County having gone unbeaten for 11 games. Over the period leading up to the trip to Meadow Lane under 2.5 goals clicked six times with a total of 25 goals scored and conceded. In the two games since, the Hatters have netted nine and conceded four and I am hoping for more of the same on Saturday.
Like this weekend's opponents, Wrexham secured promotion in style putting six past Forest Green. It extended their winning streak to four matches in which the Dragons have scored 15 times.
With the shackles off I am expecting a ding-dong affair at the Racecourse between the league's first and third best attacking sides.
Although over 2.5 goals is reasonably priced, I think it is worth being a little greedy here given the occasion and taking the 2/1 about OVER 3.5 GOALS.
Continuing on the goals thread, PAUL MULLINS price TO SCORE 3+ is also worth a punt.
The frontman has netted 24 times this season, 14 of which have come since Christmas.
What really interests me is the fact he is four off the League Two Golden Boot pace. No doubt Mullin will still fancy his chances of securing this personal accolade with a hatful of goals on Saturday, as unlikely as it seems.
Odds correct at 1500 BST (24/04/24)
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