Thursday's expert EFL predictions and free football betting tips

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Thursday's EFL matches.

When to bet

Kick-offs 7.45pm Thursday

Best bets

Derby or draw double chance
2pts 6-5 Coral

Bournemouth
2pts 4-6Betfred, BoyleSports, Coral

Stoke v Derby

Championship basement boys Derby continue to fight heroically in their unlikely quest for survival and they can edge a little closer to the teams above them by avoiding defeat against playoff-chasing Stoke at the bet365 Stadium.

The Rams have faced an uphill struggle since being deducted a total of 21 points but they are refusing to lie down and gave their fans some post-Christmas cheer with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at home to West Brom on Monday.

However, Wayne Rooney's side are 14 points away from safety and their January plans will remain up in the air unless administrators can complete a sale of the club.

Derby's off-field woes may scupper their slim hopes of staying up but they head to Stoke with a competitive squad bolstered by the return to full training of senior quartet Tom Lawrence, Kamil Jozwiak, Phil Jagielka and Graeme Shinnie.

Stoke should expect a tough game and their preparation has been far from ideal due to a pre-Christmas outbreak of COVID-19, which forced nine of their players into self-isolation.

The Potters had to postpone trips to Coventry and Barnsley and may some time to get back into the swing of things.

Michael O'Neill's team are just one point outside the playoffs, but they are unlikely to be anywhere near their best and may struggle to secure the victory.

Bournemouth v Cardiff

Promotion-chasing Bournemouth returned to the top of the Championship with a well-deserved 1-0 success at QPR on Monday and they can follow it up with a comfortable victory over Cardiff at the Vitality Stadium.

The Cherries went six games without a win before this week's trip to west London but they played on the front foot from the start and clinched the points with Dominic Solanke's 17th league goal of the season.

Scott Parker will be looking for his players to kick on in the second half of the season and should steer them to success over fifth-bottom Cardiff, who missed their recent home matches with Derby and Coventry due to Covid-19 outbreak.

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