Dan Childs: Free football tips for Saturday's EFL matches

Free football tips, best bets and expert accumulator advice for Saturday's EFL matches.

When to bet

Kick-offs from 12.30pm

Best bets

Sunderland
3pm
2pts 11-8 Betfred

Walsall draw no bet
3pm
2pts 6-5bet365, Betfred, Hills

Swindon draw no bet
3pm
2pts Evs general

Bristol Rovers or draw double chance
3pm
2pts 8-11Betfred, BoyleSports, Hills

Charlton v Sunderland

Sunderland have suffered some poor results since the turn of the year but they were back to their best when winning 3-0 at Wigan last Saturday and are likely to follow up by defeating struggling Charlton at the Valley.

The Black Cats won just one of their opening ten games in 2022 and seem to be out of the running for automatic promotion.

However, they remain hopeful of clinching a playoff berth and must have taken huge confidence from last weekend's success at Wigan, their first triumph in four attempts under new manager Alex Neil.

After all the recent noise surrounding the club's reported pursuit of Roy Keane, the appointment of Neil looks a sensible move.

At the age of 40 Neil is a young, ambitious manager who has won promotions during spells at Hamilton and Norwich.

Crucially, he has inherited a talented group of players, who should be capable of finishing inside the top six.

Sunderland will feel more confident after winning at Wigan and their rising belief contrasts with the mood at Charlton, who have suffered five successive defeats.

The Addicks have an eight-point gap to the drop zone but are going through their longest losing run of the season and matters are unlikely to improve this weekend.

Barrow v Walsall

Walsall are looking a much more assured team less than three weeks after the arrival of new manager Mike Flynn and they can climb further away from the League Two relegation battle by beating Barrow at Holker Street.

The Saddlers have take seven points from four games under Flynn, and two of those were against the top two teams in the division.

They have opened a seven-point gap to the drop zone and are in a far more comfortable place than third-bottom Barrow, who are just one point above the bottom two.

Barrow's winless run extended to five with a 1-0 loss at Bristol Rovers on Tuesday and they face a tough game against Walsall without suspended centre-back Niall Canavan.

Bradford v Swindon

Swindon have the second best away record in League Two and can chalk up a tenth road success of the season when tackling struggling Bradford at Valley Parade.

Ben Garner's slick side have won three of their last four league matches and look the likelier winners against the Bantams, who are on a four-game losing run.

Newport v Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers are emerging as serious League Two promotion contenders and look a solid bet to avoid defeat against fellow highflyers Newport at Rodney Parade.

Joey Barton's ninth-placed side have collected 13 points from the last 15 available and are just three points below Newport, who have recorded only one victory from their last six fixtures.

Accumulator

Middlesbrough 10-11, QPR 6-5, Ipswich Evs, Plymouth 7-10
£1 acca returns £14.29 with Betfred

First scorer

Jack Diamond Harrogate v Hartlepool
12.30pm
at 9-1 bet365

Sunderland attacker Jack Diamond has sparkled across two loan spells for Harrogate, scoring nine league goals, and he offers the main threat to Hartlepool at Wetherby Road.

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