Expert Championship and FA Cup first-round predictions and free football tips from Dan Childs

When to bet

Kick-offs from 1.30pm

Best bets

Watford
2pts 27-20 Coral, Ladbrokes

Hull or draw double chance
1pt 4-5 BoyleSports

Wigan draw no bet
2pts 11-10 Betfair, Hills, Power

Forest Green
1pt 19-20 Coral, Ladbrokes

Dan Childs's EFL predictions

Huddersfield v Watford

The shelf life of Watford managers has been notoriously short under the ownership of the Pozzo family, but the Hornets are showing signs of progression under current boss Valerien Ismael.

Ismael became the Hornets' 11th permanent manager in four years in May and has already survived for longer than several of his predecessors.

Three of the previous five Watford managers failed to last more than 14 matches, but Ismael reached the 15-game mark with a 2-2 draw at home to Millwall last Saturday, Watford's fourth game without defeat.

Watford are lacking the individual quality of recent seasons but they look a hungrier, more organised side under Ismael and should view Saturday's trip to ailing Huddersfield as a big opportunity to claim three points.

Huddersfield changed managers in September, replacing Neil Warnock with Darren Moore, but haven't done enough to refresh their playing squad.

The Terriers made just two permanent and two loan signings in the summer and have won only three of their first 14 league matches.

Back-to-back heavy defeats at home to Cardiff and at Leeds have dragged Town into the relegation mix, and they take on Watford with a understrength midfield due to Jack Rudoni's foot injury and Jonathan Hogg's one-game ban.

Moore's side have a five-point cushion to the bottom three but they could be looking more nervously over their shoulders after the visit of Ismael's Hornets.

West Brom v Hull

Hull are heading in the right direction under their impressive manager Liam Rosenior.

The Tigers are positioned just off the playoffs places in seventh with 23 points and head to fifth-placed West Brom on Saturday in search of a third successive victory.

Hull have already faced all of the top four and achieved some notable results, drawing 0-0 at home to Leeds and winning 1-0 away to runaway leaders Leicester.

Roseior's side have shown that they can compete with any team in the division and should not be too fearful of West Brom, who have scored just three goals in their last four home games.

Albion, who have amassed the same number of points as Hull, will be feeling confident after back-to-back wins 2-0 wins at home to QPR and away to Coventry, but they have not beaten any side among the top eight and could be troubled by the Tigers.

Exeter v Wigan

Exeter exited the EFL Cup on Tuesday with a 3-2 loss at home to Middlesbrough and their FA Cup quest could end at the first hurdle with a defeat at home to League One rivals Wigan.

The Grecians have endured a tough couple of months, losing ten of their last 13 matches, and a Latics side targeting a fourth win in five games could add to their troubles.

Scarborough Athletic v Forest Green

Forest Green have been finding life tough in League Two, but they can put their battle for EFL survival to one side for the weekend by defeating sixth-tier Scarborough Athletic in the FA Cup first round.

David Horseman's Rovers climbed out of the fourth-tier drop zone after last Saturday's 2-1 success at home to Crawley and they should have too much quality for Athletic, who are 16th in the National League North.

Accumulator

Watford 27-20, Stoke 6-5, Forest Green 19-20, Stevenage 4-7
£1 acca returns £15.83 with Ladbrokes

First goalscorer

Max Dean Reading v MK Dons
at 9-1 Paddy Power

The livewire MK Dons striker has netted four goals in his last four appearances and looks overpriced to open the scoring in his team's FA Cup first-round tie at Reading.

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