James Milton: Football predictions & free betting accumulator tips

Free football tips, bets and analysis for this weekend's FA Cup and European action.

Best bets

Brighton
2pts 13-10 Coral
Derby draw no bet
1pt 12-5 bet365
Over 2.5 goals in Alaves v Athletic Bilbao
2pts 6-4 bet365, Hills

Best FA Cup bets

West Brom v Brighton 3pm Saturday

West Brom are still unbeaten at home in the Championship this season, winning seven and drawing five of their 12 games under Valerien Ismael, but they could be vulnerable against Premier League visitors Brighton in the third round of the FA Cup.

The Baggies' solid form at The Hawthorns has kept them in the top six and they have conceded only six goals in 12 league matches on their own patch.

However, they also conceded six times in the first 69 minutes of August's home EFL Cup tie against Arsenal and their FA Cup run may also be brief.

Brighton can afford to take the cup seriously having moved into the top ten of the Premier League thanks to wins over Brentford and Everton either side of a 1-1 draw at Chelsea.

The Seagulls reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 2018-19 and last term they lost in the fifth round to an injury-time goal at Leicester, who went on to win the cup.

West Brom's promotion challenge is wobbling after just two wins in their last nine outings and Brighton are a tempting price to outclass a home side who have scored only six times in their last ten games.

Coventry v Derby 12.30pm Saturday

For all Derby's off-field problems, they continue to impress on the pitch, most recently when battling back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Reading on Monday thanks to goals in the 86th and 91st minutes.

That result followed December Championship wins over Blackpool, West Brom and Stoke, and the Rams appear value outsiders for their short trip to Coventry in the FA Cup.

Derby named an unchanged starting 11 at Reading so Wayne Rooney may shuffle his pack, although the Rams have a full week off before their next league assignment against Sheffield United.

The Rams are an appealing draw-no-bet selection as they have lost only four of their last 16 league games, a run that includes a 1-1 draw at Coventry and a goalless stalemate at free-scoring Fulham.

Coventry are winless in six league games, losing their last two at home to West Brom and Millwall, and the 1987 cup winners are worth opposing in this third-round Midlands derby.

Best European bet

Alaves v Athletic Bilbao
Premier Sports 2 & LaLigaTV, 5.30pm Sunday

Athletic Bilbao's first nine away matches in La Liga this season featured only eight goals, including 0-0 draws at struggling Getafe, Elche and Levante.

However, their final two home games of 2021 were a 3-2 win over Real Betis and a 2-1 defeat to leaders Real Madrid and they started the new year with a 3-1 victory at Osasuna.

Over 2.5 backers were celebrating inside 25 minutes of that fixture as a hat-trick from young midfielder Oihan Sancet helped Athletic roar back after conceding a tenth-minute opener.

Their underlying stats this season suggest the boys from Bilbao could have scored closer to 30 league goals rather than the 20 they have managed, and Sunday's hosts Alaves are also underachieving on xG.

After a rough start to the season, they have scored in ten of their last 11 matches and both teams have found the net in eight of their last nine.

That run includes draws with Barcelona and highflying Sevilla as well as a 5-2 defeat at Villarreal on December 21 and their clash with Athletic Bilbao could be more entertaining than the betting suggests.

Weekend accumulators

Banker
Ipswich
The Tractor Boys have taken five points from tough League One games against Wigan, Sunderland and Wycombe in their last three outings and should be able to kick on with a victory at struggling Gillingham.

Blowout
Burnley
The FA Cup is unlikely to be a priority for a small Clarets squad who are in the thick of the Premier League relegation battle and visitors Huddersfield are unbeaten in six Championship games.

Accumulator
Barnsley 4-11, Leicester 8-15, Ipswich 19-20, Arsenal 13-20. £1 accumulator returns £6.69 with Hills.

Both teams to score
Games at Mansfield 10-11, Alaves 21-20, Venezia 10-11. £1 treble returns £7.40 with bet365.

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