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football | Wednesday, October 25, 2023 10:49 AM (Revised at: Wednesday, October 25, 2023 10:50 AM)

Early Bird Tips for the EFL: Black Cats on the prowl as Railwaymen aim to get back on track

Early Bird Tips for the EFL: Black Cats on the prowl as Railwaymen aim to get back on track
Jack Wright
Jack Wright
1

We have had a full midweek round of fixtures in the EFL to digest ahead of picking out three Early Bird Tips from the weekend slate.

This week focus falls on the Black Cats eyeing some vulnerable looking Canaries in the Championship. In League One, play-off chasers are looking to bounce back after their winning streak went for a Burton. While a League Two outfit are looking to get back on track after a rare blank.

A clean sweep from our expert, Jack Wright, gives us odds of 10.84.

Acca odds: 10.25

Odds via bet365 as at 09:31, October 25th, 2023. Odds may now differ.


Sunderland vs Norwich: Black Cats to cage off colour Canaries

England, Championship, Saturday October 28th, 15:00 (UK)

Sunderland slipped to a third successive defeat on Tuesday following a 1-0 defeat at league leaders Leicester – arguably only having themselves to blame for leaving the King Power empty-handed after spurning glorious chances at both ends of the match and managing 13 attempts at goal to the hosts eight.

Tony Mowbray could hardly hand-pick better opponents to get back to winning ways than the free-falling Canaries. Their midweek defeat to Middlesbrough was a second at home in the space of four days and a sixth from their last eight competitive games.

David Wagner has called for supporters to blame him for a string of abject performances and admitted his side are affected confidence-wise in ball possession. The Canaries now have the joint worst defence in the second tier alongside relegation-threatened QPR.

Fans of the Norfolk side were left scuffling with each other after their last away performance at Coventry, with their five wins from the opening six games of the season nothing but a distant memory. Many supporters are now calling for change, having seen their side lose exactly half of the last 24 Championship matches under their German Head Coach, winning just six.

Before their current losing run, Sunderland had won five of the prior six games, scoring 16 goals in the process, including a 5-0 rout of Southampton at the Stadium of Light. With league-top goalscorer Jack Clarke in their ranks, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them post a similar scoreline again.

The 22-year-old has eight goals to his name so far this campaign and will be licking his lips at the chance to run at this fragile, error-prone Norwich backline.

  • Selection: Sunderland to Win (TRACKED BET)
  • Best Odds: 2.25
  • Bookmaker: Unibet
  • Stakes: 10/10

Burton vs Leyton Orient: Dino’s soar up the table halted but expect an express return to form against Orient

England, League One, Saturday October 28th, 15:00 (UK)

Burton saw their eight-game unbeaten run halted at Carlisle on Tuesday night after Joe Garner’s 88th-minute strike condemned them to a 2-1 defeat. That came after the Brewers looked set to record a fifth successive win after Mark Helm had given them the lead.

Although understandably disappointed, Dino Maamria had no complaints with either the result or the effort put in by his players. Stating after the Brunton Park clash his side would rest and recover before looking to get back to winning ways against the O’s on Saturday.

A return to the Pirelli Stadium will undoubtedly help, given the hosts have won their last three on home soil with their previous outing there, a 4-1 victory against Bristol Rovers, their most impressive. Leyton Orient also have 19 points, with the two sides occupying 11th and 12th in the table.

Richie Wellens’ men needed a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser from Shaq Forde to salvage a point at a Northampton side who were reduced to 10 players just before the hour mark. Despite making a solid start to life in the third tier, two tough away games in quick succession may be too much of a stretch for last season’s League Two winners.

I have been impressed by Albion’s recent performances with Joe Powell and on-loan Watford winger Kwadwo Baah, particularly catching the eye. With those two especially on top of their game, the Brewers can get back to winning ways and continue their climb up towards the play-off places.

  • Selection: Burton to Win
  • Best Odds: 2.50
  • Bookmaker: SkyBet
  • Stakes: 7/10

Harrogate vs Crewe: Railwaymen back on the goals train after hitting the buffers in midweek

England, League Two, Saturday October 28th, 15:00 (UK)

Crewe are not only the top scorers in League Two but in all of England’s top four divisions. Failing to hit the back of the net for only the second time this term and for the first time in ten games in a 2-0 defeat at home to leaders Stockport on Tuesday.

Prior to that and in their last away game, Alex celebrated Lee Bell’s 50th game in charge by twice coming from behind to beat Crawley 4-2 at the Broadfield Stadium on Saturday. Elliot Nevitt scored the last goal that day, a strike which was his side’s 17th on the road this season and the sixth time they had scored at least twice in seven fixtures away from their Mornflake Stadium.
Hosts Harrogate don’t tend to draw too many games. Only once this season so far, in fact, with all ten competitive fixtures played on home soil seeing one side or the other win, seven of which have come in the league.

This should lead to an open encounter, and with the Sulphites losing five of those League Two matchups, 5th placed Crewe will fancy their chances of getting back amongst both the goals and the points. Simon Weaver’s side have been beaten in each of their last three games at Wetherby Road, including on Tuesday night in a 4-1 thrashing to Mansfield. The side is directly above the visitors here, but only on goal difference.

Crewe can take advantage, but with only two league wins on the road to their name, it makes sense to focus on the visitors simply scoring twice with the result irrelevant.

  • Selection: Crewe Over 1.5 Goals (TRACKED BET)
  • Best Odds: 2.10
  • Bookmaker: William Hill
  • Stakes: 10/10

SAFER GAMBLING

At bettingexpert, we always take a safe approach to gambling. We’ll never bet more than we can afford or chase losses. For more advice, head to our Safer Gambling hub.

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