Expert EFL predictions and free football tips from Dan Childs

When to bet

Kick-offs from 7pm Friday

Best bets

Bristol City draw no bet
3pts 20-23 BoyleSports

Burton
2pts 5-4 bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes

Derby
2pts 29-20 Coral

Blackpool
2pts 11-10 Betfair, Coral, Ladbrokes

Dan Childs's EFL predictions

Birmingham v Bristol City

Bristol City are one of 11 Championship clubs to have changed their manager this season, but the Robins are making excellent progress under Liam Manning and can rack up a fourth straight win at Birmingham on Friday.

Manning has swiftly won over the City fans by overseeing an improvement in results and a transition to a more possession-based, attacking brand of football.

The 38-year-old will soon get the chance to tinker when the January transfer window opens but he has already done some sterling work by improving the output of the players already at his disposal.

City are up to eighth in the table and their 4-1 Boxing Day success at Watford was their best performance of the season.

While the Robins have benefited from a change of leadership, Birmingham appear to be going backwards under Wayne Rooney.

The Blues were sixth when John Eustace was controversially sacked in October but have slipped to 19th after taking just nine points from 13 matches under Rooney's watch.

Birmingham were frequently booed during Tuesday's 3-1 loss at home to Stoke and they could be heading for further disappointment against a Bristol City side taking aim at the playoff places.

Burton v Shrewsbury

Burton snapped an eight-game winless run with a 1-0 home victory over Blackpool and the Brewers can claim another three points at the expense of injury-hit Shrewsbury.

Albion are responding well to caretaker manager Gary Mills and appear to have turned the corner after following up Saturday's 1-1 draw at Charlton with their win over Blackpool.

Staying up is Burton's priority and they will look at the visit of Shrewsbury as a fantastic opportunity to put further distance between themselves and the bottom four.

Shrewsbury are three points better off in the third-tier standings but they have lost three on the spin and are being hit hard by injuries.

Matt Taylor's squad was already looking threadbare even before Taylor Perry and Dan Udoh hobbled off during Tuesday's 2-0 loss at Cheltenham, and the Shrews may struggle to cope with the final two matches of the hectic festive schedule.

Oxford v Derby

Derby are on the march in League One, winning seven of their last eight matches, and they look a decent bet to defeat promotion rivals Oxford at the Kassam Stadium.

The relentless Rams rose to fourth - their highest position of the season - following Tuesday's 1-0 win at Wigan and they have their sights trained on the top two.

Derby are targeting a maximum haul over the festive period and should be too strong for Oxford, who have won just two of their last seven league fixtures.

Port Vale v Blackpool

League One strugglers Port Vale are showing signs of flagging towards the end of a hectic December and Blackpool may seize on any fatigue in the Vale camp.

There was Boxing Day disappointment for Blackpool, who were below par in a 1-0 loss at Burton.

However, the Seasiders can bounce back against their injury-hit hosts, who are preparing for their ninth match of the month.

Accumulator

Burton 5-4, Derby 7-5, Mansfield 4-11, MK Dons 4-6
£1 acca returns £12.26 with bet365

First goalscorer

Will Evans Newport v Crewe
at 5-1 bet365

Will Evans has been a shining light for Newport this season, scoring 14 of the club's 36 goals in League Two, and he looks a strong candidate to open the scoring against Crewe.

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