Tuesday's expert EFL predictions and football betting tips from Steve Davies

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Tuesday's League One games.

When to bet

Kick-offs 7.45pm Tuesday

Best bets

Sunderland
2pts 11-8 bet365, BoyleSports

Portsmouth
2pts 21-10 Coral

Preview

Nerves have well and truly kicked in at the top end of League One and front-runners Wigan and Rotherham could be in for another sticky evening with two of their toughest trips of the campaign.

Wigan, who could have clinched promotion to the Championship against Plymouth on Saturday but blew it with a 1-1 draw, are off to fast-finishers Portsmouth.

And Rotherham, clinging on to second spot despite winning just three of their last ten, head to Sunderland, arguably the best team in the section and themselves in with a squeak of going up automatically.

It's only a three-match card in League One but every game is of huge importance with relegation-threatened Fleetwood taking on playoff-chasing Sheffield Wednesday in the other fixture.

Sunderland have been galvanised under Alex Neil, who has finally got some work ethic and self-belief drummed into a pretty talented group of players. The Black Cats have lost just one of 13 under Neil and that was two months ago.

Callum Doyle slots into the back three in place of Carl Winchester, who was injured in the 5-1 drubbing of Cambridge, a match in which Ross Stewart was back among the goals, while the prolific Nathan Broadhead's purple patch continued.

Rotherham, out on their feet, continue to surprise, as they did against Oxford on Saturday. It's almost the bigger the stakes, the greater they battle.

But they are running out of steam and have failed to score on their last four League One road trips.

Wigan have stopped winning – it's no successes in four for Leam Richardson's men – which is hardly ideal preparation for the long trip south to fortress Fratton Park.

Portsmouth have been one of this season's bigger flops in tier three but they are finishing with a bang. They've won seven of their last nine at home, including wins over Oxford and Rotherham, as they have finally started to live up to their pre-season billing.

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