Dan Childs: free football tips & predictions for Saturday's FA Cup & EFL matches

Free football tips, best bets and predictions for Saturday's FA Cup fourth round and EFL matches.

When to bet

Kick-offs from 1pm Saturday

Best bets

Fleetwood
3pts 21-20 Coral, Hills, Ladbrokes
Nottingham Forest draw no bet
1pt 7-5Betfair, Paddy Power
Gillingham
2pts 11-10Betfred, Coral, Ladbrokes
Port Vale draw no bet
1pt 10-11Betfred, BoyleSports, Hills

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Wigan v Fleetwood

Mid-table Fleetwood will have to put a strong run together to reach the League One playoffs but they can take the first step by brushing aside third-bottom Wigan at the DW Stadium.

Fleetwood are seven points adrift of the top six and need a lift after recent defeats at home to Portsmouth (1-0) and away to MK Dons (3-1).

However, interim manager Simon Wiles was pleased with his team's much-improved second-half showing at Milton Keynes – they had trailed 3-0 at the break – and there is every chance of a better outcome against Wigan, who look in deep relegation trouble.

Wigan have competed reasonably well despite the handicap of a small, inexperienced squad and they could jump out of the bottom four if results were to go their way this weekend.

But a tough job is getting even more difficult for Latics manager, Leam Richardson, who is having to adjust to the loss of several key players.

Since the start of the year, Wigan have had to absorb the departures of loanees Matt Palmer, Tom James, Curtis Tilt and Darnell Johnson and the exit of utility man Kal Naismith, who has joined Luton.

Right-back Tendayi Darikwa has been snapped up on a free transfer from Nottingham Forest but Richardson is leaning heavily on younger players to plug the gaps and their inexperience showed in last Saturday's 3-3 draw at Rochdale where they were twice pegged back by a team reduced to ten men.

Fleetwood should pose a tougher test and Richardson's strugglers may fall short.

Swansea v Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest had put together a seven-match unbeaten run before losing 2-1 at home to Middlesbrough on Wednesday and they can bounce back when tackling Swansea in the FA Cup fourth round.

The markets favour the Swans, who are second in the Championship and unbeaten in their last nine matches at the Liberty Stadium.

But the Welsh club were far from their best when winning 2-0 at fourth tier strugglers Stevenage in the third round and might be a little disjointed this weekend because manager Steve Cooper could rest some of his key players.

Cooper's side have worked hard to get into automatic promotion contention and their overwhelming focus will be on next Wednesday's crucial encounter at home to Brentford.

Swansea have a strong first-choice side but their squad is not the deepest and Cooper might not be overly concerned if his team's FA Cup run comes to a swift conclusion.

Gillingham v Rochdale

Gillingham manager Steve Evans described his team's 1-0 win at Accrington last Saturday as their best performance of the season and it could be followed up by a routine home success over Rochdale at the Priestfield Stadium.

Loan signings Olly Lee (from Hearts) and Callum Slattery (Southampton) made their Gills debuts at Accrington and were hugely impressive. Their influence could be key against Dale, who have conceded 15 goals in their last five matches.

Port Vale v Walsall

Injury-hit Walsall have not won in five League Two games and their poor run could continue at Port Vale.

The Saddlers have slipped four points adrift of the playoffs and are only three points superior to mid-table Vale, who performed well in last Saturday's 1-1 draw at highflying Forest Green.

Accumulator

Sheffield Utd (4-9), Oxford (8-11), Sunderland (3-4), Mansfield (10-11)
£1 acca returns 8.33 with Betfred

First scorer

Conor McAleny Oldham v Newport
11-2 general

Oldham striker McAleny is on course for his best season as a professional after scoring ten goals in 18 League Two games and he can score first against Newport, who are winless in seven.

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