James Milton: Football predictions & free betting accumulator tips

Best bets

Bournemouth draw no bet v Everton
3pm Saturday
2pts 9-5 BoyleSports

Sunderland to beat Middlesbrough
Sky Sports Football & Main Event, 12.30pm Saturday
3pts 7-5 Coral, Ladbrokes

Hoffenheim to beat Werder Bremen
Sky Sports Football, 5.30pm Saturday
1pt 7-5 Betfair

Best Premier League bet

Everton v Bournemouth
3pm Saturday

Everton beat Bournemouth 1-0 to secure their Premier League status on the final day of last season but the Toffees are worth opposing when the teams meet at Goodison Park this weekend.

Sean Dyche's side have lost all four of their home league games this season, going down 1-0 to Fulham, Wolves and Arsenal before last Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Luton.

The Hatters and bottom club Sheffield United are the only teams shorter than Everton and Bournemouth in the relegation betting so Saturday's fixture is an important game for both sides.

The Toffees have been creating chances but not taking them at home and the Cherries, still waiting for a first league win under Andoni Iraola, look a big price with the draw no bet.

They were thumped 4-0 by Arsenal last time out, having gifted the Gunners two first-half penalties with reckless challenges. Before that loss Bournemouth had competed well during a tough set of fixtures, taking points off West Ham, Brentford and Chelsea, and they could extend Everton's lean run at Goodison.

Best EFL bet

Sunderland v Middlesbrough
Sky Sports Football & Main Event, 12.30pm Saturday

Sunderland and Middlesbrough finished sixth and fourth in the Championship last season, both losing in the playoff semi-finals, but the progressive Black Cats have made a brighter start to the 2023-24 campaign than Boro.

Tony Mowbray's youngsters have won five of their last six league games, all by at least a two-goal margin, and the only recent blot on their record was a 1-0 home defeat to Cardiff, who scored in the 87th minute with one of only two shots on target.

Sunderland's other defeats this term were 2-1 losses to highflying Ipswich and Preston and they should continue their charge with a home win over Boro.

Last season Michael Carrick's side were reliant on the goals of Chuba Akpom, who joined Ajax in the summer, and the efforts of classy loanees Cameron Archer, Aaron Ramsey and Ryan Giles.

Without those players, they picked up just two points from their first seven games this term before beating Southampton, Watford and Cardiff but that winning streak may well end at the Stadium of Light.

Best European bet

Werder Bremen v Hoffenheim
Sky Sports Football, 5.30pm Saturday

Hoffenheim have won their first three away matches in the Bundesliga this season, already matching their tally of road victories in 2022-23.

One of their few successes on their travels last term was April's 2-1 win at Werder Bremen and they should be backed to repeat that feat on Saturday.

Before a 3-1 home defeat to Borussia Dortmund last time out, Hoffenheim had won four in a row, scoring 11 goals, while their hosts have lost four of their first six games including recent 4-2 defeats to promoted Heidenheim and Darmstadt.   

Weekend accumulators

Banker
Portsmouth
The League One leaders have won five of their last six games, coming from behind in four of them, but they can claim a more comfortable victory at home to Port Vale.

Blowout
Fulham
The Cottagers' only league wins this term were 1-0 victories over Everton and Luton and, having scored just five goals in seven matches, they look too short to beat bottom club Sheffield United.

Accumulator
Leicester 4-7, Portsmouth 13-20, Derby 8-15, Montpellier 3-4. £1 accumulator returns £6.94 with bet365.

Both teams to score
Games at Luton 7-10, Coventry 7-10, Oxford 8-11. £1 accumulator returns £5.00 with Hills.

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