The Early Bird: Weekend football predictions & free betting accumulator tips from James Milton

The Early Bird best bets

Watford to beat Bristol City
TNT Sports 7, 5.45pm Saturday
1pt 11-5 bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes

Huddersfield to beat Stockport
Sky Sports+, 12.30pm Saturday
2pts 9-5 Coral, Ladbrokes

No goalscorer in Rayo Vallecano vs Mallorca
LaLigaTV, 1pm Sunday
1pt 6-1 general

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Best FA Cup bet

Bristol City vs Watford

TNT Sports 7, 5.45pm Saturday

Watford have won only one FA Cup tie since their 6-0 defeat to Manchester City in the 2019 final but the Hornets could rediscover their love for the competition this weekend.

Javi Gracia's men travel to Championship rivals Bristol City in the third round after a run of four straight victories in the league.

Watford drew 1-1 with City at Vicarage Road in November, shortly after Gracia – who led them to the 2019 cup final – had returned for his second spell in charge.

His side had ten shots on target in that frustrating stalemate and they look a big price to beat their inconsistent hosts at Ashton Gate.

Bristol City have won four and lost five of their last ten Championship games and they had to come from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 draw at home to Leicester in the other one.

Two of those victories came against lowly Portsmouth but Watford, up into the playoff places after losing only one of their last 13 matches, look far tougher opponents. 

Best EFL bet

Stockport vs Huddersfield

Sky Sports+, 12.30pm Saturday

League One playoff hopefuls Stockport and Huddersfield are level on 39 points going into Saturday's clash at Edgeley Park, where an away victory looks the best bet.

Huddersfield's only defeats since the start of November came at ante-post title favourites Luton and leaders Cardiff.

Their last road trip produced a battling 1-1 draw at in-form Lincoln and classy strikers Alfie May and Bojan Radulovic can help them take three points at Stockport.

The Hatters are in patchy form, starting the new year with a 0-0 draw at Northampton and a 1-0 defeat at Reading, where Lewis Wing scored an 89th-minute winner.

Dave Challinor's men managed only five shots against the Cobblers and have lost at home to promotion contenders Bradford, Luton, Stevenage and Lincoln this term. 

Best European bet

Rayo Vallecano vs Mallorca

LaLigaTV, 1pm Sunday

Rayo Vallecano season-ticket holders are not getting great value in terms of goals per euro this term.

Their club's first eight home fixtures in La Liga produced four 1-1 draws, a 1-0 win, a 1-0 defeat and two 0-0s, so Rayo's game against poor travellers Mallorca may not be a classic.

The hosts enjoyed creditable draws with Barcelona and Real Madrid but they have scored only twice in their last eight matches, including a goalless stalemate at bottom club Real Oviedo.

A fourth 0-0 draw in eight games could be on the cards for Rayo, who are managed by Andoni Iraola's former assistant Inigo Perez.

Mallorca also drew 0-0 at struggling Oviedo recently and they are heavily reliant on striker Vedat Muriqi, who has scored ten of their 20 league goals this season.

Bankers, longshots and acca tips

The Early Bird banker

Real Betis to beat Real Oviedo 10-11

Real Betis should bounce back from their 5-1 defeat to Real Madrid at La Liga's bottom club Oviedo, who have failed to score in nine of their last 11 games.  

Weekend longshot

Jayden Wareham to score first vs Manchester City 28-1

The Exeter striker could trouble an injury-hit City defence, having scored in five of his last ten League One appearances as well as the Grecians' first two FA Cup ties.

The Early Bird acca

Boreham Wood 23-20
Fulham 6-10
Real Betis 9-10
Villarreal 12-25

£1 accumulator returns £9.67 with bet365

Both Teams To Score Treble

Salford vs Swindon 6-10
Girona vs Osasuna 5-6
Valencia vs Elche 10-11

£1 accumulator returns £5.59 with Coral

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Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required.

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