Expert EFL predictions and free football tips from Aaron Ashley

When to bet

By 3pm Saturday

Best bets

Oxford
2pts 11-10 general

Northampton
1pt Evs general

Barrow
2pts 7-10 general

Harrogate or draw double chance
2pts 19-20 Coral, Ladbrokes

Aaron Ashley's EFL predictions

Burton v Oxford

We are into the final stretch of the EFL season and the stakes are high for both Burton and Oxford in League One.

With five games to go, Burton are only one point clear of the relegation zone and are looking anxiously over their shoulders whereas only goal difference is keeping Oxford out of the playoff places.

The league table can sometimes lie but the pair's meeting at the Pirelli Stadium should go to form with Oxford, who had 21 shots in a 4-0 rout of Fleetwood last weekend, expected to heap the pressure on the Brewers.

Burton supporters may be feeling pretty anxious about things given their recent form, which has seen them collect only two points from their last nine league outings.

Martin Paterson’s side have suffered six straight league defeats at home, a sequence of results which features reverses to relegation rivals Port Vale and Carlisle.

Oxford can blow hot and cold but they have been pretty reliable against League One's lesser lights, winning eight of their 11 meetings with bottom-six sides.

Northampton v Carlisle

Having suffered defeat in 13 of their last 16 League One fixtures, Carlisle are staring down the barrel of relegation and further misery may await them at Northampton.

The Cobblers have enjoyed an excellent campaign after promotion and, despite a recent wobble, find themselves 11th in the standings.

Jon Brady’s side have won back-to-back home league games against Derby and Port Vale, meaning they have lost only three of their last 16 matches at Sixfields.

Basement boys Carlisle, meanwhile, have picked up only 12 points from their last 20 games and their desperation for points means Northampton are a bigger price than would perhaps normally be the case.

Barrow v Swindon

Barrow are unlikely to bridge the six-point gap they need to achieve automatic promotion from League Two but they look nailed on for a playoff place and should be too strong for Swindon.

The Cumbrians have defied expectations throughout the campaign and would be extremely deserving of a top-seven finish having lost only nine of their 40 league outings.

Barrow have lost just two of 20 league matches at their Holker Street home, where they’ve dropped only two points in their last five assignments and kept four clean sheets during that period.

Swindon, on the other hand, have endured a season of struggle and while they shouldn’t be sucked into the relegation reckoning, this looks to be their toughest remaining fixture.

The Robins have lost four of their last five matches and Monday’s 3-1 defeat at third-bottom Sutton means they’ve picked up only two points from their last nine games on the road.

Notts County v Harrogate

Notts County’s season has not panned out as expected. 

Having once been considered promotion contenders, the Magpies are now 16th and have won only twice in 16 league outings in 2024.

County have gone seven home league games without a win and they look vulnerable favourites against Harrogate, who are finishing the season with a rattle.

The Yorkshire visitors are to within four points of the playoff places following a five-match unbeaten run and they were emphatic 5-1 winners at home to Gillingham last time out.

Despite sitting 12th, Harrogate boast the third-best away form in the division, losing only five times on the road in the league, which includes positive results against five of the current top six.

Accumulator

Leicester 1-3, Bolton 4-6, Oxford 11-10, Barrow 7-10.
£1 acca returns £7.93 returns with Coral.

First goalscorer

Paul Mullin Colchester v Wrexham
at 19-4 Coral, Ladbrokes

The Wrexham hotshot is finding his scoring boots when it matters most. Mullin has scored in five of his last eight appearances and has netted eight of the Red Dragons’ last 13 goals.

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