EFL predictions: betting preview and free football tips

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

When to bet

Kick-offs 3pm Saturday

Best bets

Norwich
3pts 5-6 Coral
Nottingham Forest draw no bet
2pts 21-20BoyleSports
Tranmere
2pts 6-4 Coral, Ladbrokes
Carlisle
1pt 7-5Betfair, Betfred, Coral

Norwich v Barnsley

Norwich have spent the last six weeks at the top of the Championship and look trustworthy odds-on favourites to defeat Barnsley at Carrow Road.

Canaries manager Daniel Farke will have plenty of respect for the Tykes, who have climbed from fourth-bottom to the fringes of the playoffs after ten wins in their last 15 games.

But Farke's side are unbeaten in nine home matches and were unlucky to draw 1-1 at home to QPR on Tuesday after winning the shot count 23 to 12.

Norwich average exactly two points per game which is an impressive feat bearing in mind the bad luck they have endured on the injury front.

However, the squad has looked healthier in recent weeks with key trio Kieran Dowell, Kenny McLean and Todd Cantwell returning to the first-team fold and Norwich look primed to kick on in the early part of 2021.

The Canaries have got used to facing packed defences and will probably welcome a different type of challenge against Barnsley, who favour a positive, high-energy approach.

The Tykes tend to either win or lose (they haven't drawn since October) but all four of their away victories have come against teams in the bottom seven and they may struggle to cope against the leaders.

Preston v Nottingham Forest

The Nottingham Forest job has probably been a lot harder than Chris Hughton expected but the 62-year-old gaffer is keeping his composure and can lead his team to a vital victory over Preston at Deepdale.

There have been positive signs for Forest, who have won one and drawn three of their last four games.

And they were frustrated to come away with a 1-1 draw from Tuesday's clash at promotion-chasing Stoke after winning the shot count 14 to six.

A lack of goals has been an issue but key Forest striker Lewis Grabban has started the last three games after recovering from a seven-week layoff and will be looking to get back to the form he showed when he scored16 league goals in 2018-19 and 20 in 2019-20.

Preston approach the game on a three-match winning sequence but talk of a playoff push may be premature.

They were on the back foot for large parts of Tuesday's 2-0 victory at home to Coventry and may have to face Forest without seven-goal top-scorer Scott Sinclair, who is nursing a hamstring strain.

Colchester v Tranmere

Tranmere ended 2020 in good spirits, amassing 19 points from their last ten League Two fixtures, and they can start the new year on a high by defeating Colchester in Essex.

Keith Hill's side registered a decent 1-1 draw at improving Barrow on Tuesday and could go one better against United, who are on a five-match winless sequence.

Walsall v Carlisle

Carlisle had a wasted journey to Harrogate on Tuesday, when a frozen pitch forced the abandonment of the game after just ten minutes, but they should have plenty of energy in the tank for this weekend's clash with Walsall at the Bescot Stadium.

The third-placed Cumbrians are having an outstanding season and look overpriced to topple the mid-table Saddlers, who are smarting from back-to-back defeats at Salford and at home to Scunthorpe.

Accumulator

Brentford (13-20), Bournemouth (23-20), Forest Green (5-6), Newport (11-20) £1 acca returns 10.06 with Hills

First scorer

Tom Nichols Bolton v Crawley
7-1 bet365

Tom Nichols has spent much of the season playing second fiddle to Max Watters in the Crawley attack but he took centre stage with two goals in Tuesday's 2-1 success at Forest Green and can follow up with the opening goal against Bolton.

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