James Milton: Saturday EFL predictions & free betting accumulator tips

Free football tips, bets and analysis for this weekend's Premier League, EFL and European matches.

Best bets

Blackburn
2pts 15-8 Betfred, Coral

Port Vale
3pts 7-5 Coral, Ladbrokes

Preston draw no bet
1pt 11-8 BoyleSports

Rotherham United v Blackburn Rovers

3pm Saturday

It has been an underwhelming campaign for Blackburn in the Championship but they demonstrated their attacking talent in last week's 5-2 home win over Huddersfield and look a big price away to struggling Rotherham on Saturday.

Rovers scored five times in the first hour against the Terriers last time out, with the in-form Adam Armstrong claiming a hat-trick, and they should trouble the relegation-threatened Millers.

Blackburn finished 2019-20 strongly and started this term with a narrow 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth and impressive wins over Wycombe (5-0) and Derby (4-0).

However, Tony Mowbray's side have struggled for consistency since then and their playoff hopes were effectively ended by a run of one point from seven games in February and March.

Their subsequent form has not been spectacular, with 1-0 defeats away to lowly Wycombe and Sheffield Wednesday, but they drew at leaders Norwich and Cardiff before beating Derby 2-1 at home.

Forwards Ben Brereton and Sam Gallagher also scored against Huddersfield last weekend while Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott is pushing for a recall against a Rotherham side who have lost their last five games, four of them by a 1-0 margin.

The Millers, who have lost eight of their last nine home matches, are four points from safety with just three fixtures remaining. They must take the initiative but that could be dangerous against Blackburn, who had 12 shots on target to Huddersfield's one last weekend.

Grimsby Town v Port Vale

3pm Saturday

Grimsby's relegation from League Two was sealed by Tuesday's 3-2 defeat at Exeter and they are unlikely to bow out in style in their final home game of the season against in-form Port Vale.

The Mariners have shown some fight in recent weeks, losing only three of their last 13 matches and beating promotion contenders Bolton 2-1 earlier this month.

However, their last home game ended in a 3-0 defeat to Morecambe and they had to play the last half-hour at Exeter in midweek with ten men after Jay Matete was shown a red card.

Fleetwood loanee Matete, who has scored three goals in his last four appearances, is suspended while Stefan Payne and Filipe Morais have not been considered for selection since an on-field clash at Bradford on April 10 that led to Payne being sent off.

Mariners boss Paul Hurst may struggle to lift his squad's morale but Darrell Clarke's Valiants are full of vim and vigour after eight wins and a draw in their last nine matches.

Vale had kept five straight clean sheets before conceding an early goal against Bradford last weekend but it took them just 18 minutes to turn things around on their way to a 2-1 win and they are well worth backing to continue their hot streak at Blundell Park.

Preston North End v Barnsley

3pm Saturday

Opposing Barnsley has been a costly betting strategy since the arrival of manager Valerien Ismael in October but the Tykes look uneasy favourites away to Preston in the Championship.

Having been 50-1 for promotion to the Premier League when Ismael took charge, Barnsley have secured a playoff spot with two games to spare after a magnificent run of form.

However, it would be no surprise if their performance level dropped a little as thoughts turn to the playoff battle with Brentford, Bournemouth and Swansea and they may struggle to take three points at Deepdale.

Preston have picked up well under interim manager Frankie McAvoy, who took over following Alex Neil's departure in March.

In McAvoy's first game as boss, North End scored a 95th-minute equaliser against rampant Norwich and they followed up with a 1-0 win at Swansea.

A 5-0 home defeat to Brentford might have burst the new boss's bubble but Preston have kept clean sheets in their three subsequent games, beating Derby 3-0 and Coventry 1-0 in their last two outings.

Barnsley lost 2-0 at Cov before a couple of tense 1-0 wins over struggling Huddersfield and Rotherham and, with their playoff spot assured, they are worth taking on this weekend.

Weekend accumulators

Banker
Rennes
Bordeaux are down among the dregs of Ligue 1 after losing 11 of their last 13 matches and things are unlikely to improve against a Rennes side who have won five of their last six, scoring 15 goals.

Blowout
Bournemouth
The Cherries are guaranteed a Championship playoff spot while Wycombe are effectively down but the resurgent hosts are unlikely to roll over after winning three of their last five home games.

Accumulator
Chelsea 40-85, Lazio 2-5, Rennes 3-4, Real Betis 5-4. £1 accumulator returns £8.10 with Betfair.

Both teams to score
Games at Birmingham Evs, AFC Wimbledon 4-5, Newcastle 8-11. £1 treble returns £6.23 with Hills.

Thought for the week

Phil Foden lifted the seventh major trophy of his career after a dynamic display in last Sunday's EFL Cup final against Tottenham.

On Wednesday, the 20-year-old had three shots on target in Manchester City's win over Paris St-Germain – the same number as Neymar, Mbappe and Di Maria managed between them.

Yet it wasn't long ago that some pundits were claiming his progress was being hampered by a lack of game-time at City.

Foden's performances this season vindicate Pep Guardiola's patient nurturing of his young star, who turns 21 at the end of May but has made just 27 Premier League starts, plus 39 appearances off the bench.

Wayne Rooney was 20 years and six months old when he made his 100th league appearance while Raheem Sterling (20 years, nine months) and Marcus Rashford (21 years, three months) also reached the landmark at a tender age.

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, 15 months younger than Foden, has already started 46 Premier League games and, perhaps coincidentally, has suffered a number of injuries this season.

Foden's chances of a long and successful career will surely be enhanced by his gradual introduction to top-level football and the fact that City's squad depth means Pep does not need to run his star players into the ground. And the England youngster, undeniably, is now one of those star players.

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