Expert EFL predictions and free football tips from Dan Childs

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Saturday's EFL matches.

When to bet

Kick-offs 3pm Saturday

Best bets

Bristol Rovers
3pts 11-8 bet365, Coral, Hills

Sunderland
2pts 13-8Betfair, Power

Derby
3pts 5-6 Hills

Gillingham
3pts 11-10Hills

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Accrington v Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers bowed out of the EFL Trophy on Tuesday with a 2-0 quarter-final loss at home to Plymouth, but they hope to mount a sustained League One playoff push and can further their cause by defeating struggling Accrington at the Wham Stadium.

Accrington had a more positive EFL Trophy experience in their last-eight fixture at Lincoln, drawing 2-2 in normal time before prevailing 3-1 on penalties.

John Coleman's side also have an FA Cup third round replay at home to Boreham Wood to look forward to next Tuesday, but there is a danger of their knockout success distracting them from the serious business of staying in League One.

Stanley have won one of their last 12 league fixtures and slipped into the bottom four after losses away to Morecambe (0-2) and Derby (0-4).

They may find it tough to cope with eighth-placed Rovers, who are the fourth-highest scorers in the division.

Joey Barton's side are a real threat going forward thanks to a potent strike partnership of Aaron Collins and Middlesbrough loanee Josh Coburn, who have scored 22 league goals between them this term.

Both started on the bench against Plymouth in midweek but they should play a major role against Stanley and could be central to the Gas claiming all three points.

Sunderland v Swansea

Sunderland are emerging as credible Championship promotion contenders and can extend their unbeaten sequence to five games with a home victory over Swansea at the Stadium of Light.

There is not too much pressure on the newly-promoted Black Cats, whose main priority was to re-establish themselves in the second tier, but they look increasingly likely to stay the course in the hunt for a top-six berth.

Mackems boss Tony Mowbray has some exciting attacking players at his disposal, with Manchester United loanee Amad Diallo scoring six goals in his last 11 appearances and Ross Stewart contributing nine goals in an injury-interrupted campaign.

The free-scoring Black Cats have scored in eight consecutive games and may have too much firepower for Swansea, who are struggling to turn possession into points.

Swansea average a league-high 64 per cent possession per game, but they have won one of their last 11 games and could struggle on Wearside.

Cheltenham v Derby

Derby are fifth in League One after an 11-game unbeaten run but they have their gaze fixed on the top two and can edge closer to the automatic promotion places with a win at Cheltenham.

The Rams have won their last two league games without conceding and can contain a Cheltenham side weakened by the departure of striker Dan Nlundulu, who was recalled by his parent club Southampton and then loaned back out to Bolton.

Gillingham v Hartlepool

League Two basement boys Gillingham have been busy upgrading their squad in a bid to boost their survival hopes and the Gills can claim a massive three points at home to second-bottom Hartlepool.

The arrivals of midfielder Timothee Dieng and strikers Tim Nichols and Ross Hawkins should substantially improve the Gills, who look solid favourites to overcome a Pools side perched five points above them.

Accumulator

Burnley 4-6, Bolton 21-20, Bradford 8-5, Doncaster 11-8
£1 accumulator returns £21.18 with bet365

First scorer

Ched Evans Preston v Norwich
at 15-2 bet365

Evans has scored six goals in his last seven games and looks a likely candidate to break the deadlock in Preston's Championship clash with out-of-sorts Norwich.

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