James Milton: Football predictions & free betting accumulator tips

Best bets

Over 3.5 goals in Crystal Palace vs West Ham
3pm Saturday
2pts 2-1 bet365

Dion Charles to be first goalscorer in Charlton vs Bolton
3pm Saturday
1pt 11-2 bet365

Hoffenheim to win & over 3.5 goals vs Holstein Kiel
2.30pm Saturday
2pts 5-2 Betfair, Paddy Power 

Best Premier League bet

Crystal Palace vs West Ham
3pm Saturday

Crystal Palace scored four times in the first 31 minutes of April's 5-2 Premier League home win over West Ham and another lively encounter is expected at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Both clubs suffered 2-1 defeats in their opening fixtures. Palace lost at Brentford, where they were frustrated by the decision to disallow an Eberechi Eze free-kick when the game was goalless, and West Ham were beaten by Aston Villa at the London Stadium.

Eze, who had seven shots against the Bees, played a central role in Palace's superb finish to the 2023-24 campaign. They won six of their last seven games and scored 16 goals in their final four home fixtures against the Hammers, Newcastle, Manchester United and Villa.

Oliver Glasner's chances of another top-half finish have been hampered by a tough transfer window and over 3.5 goals looks a good bet on Saturday.

It was a winner in West Ham's last five league games of last term and attack may be the best form of defence for the Hammers in the early weeks of Julen Lopetegui's reign.

Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen all started against Villa, while new signings Niclas Fullkrug and Crysencio Summerville came off the bench, so there should be plenty of attacking talent on display at Selhurst.

Best EFL bet

Charlton vs Bolton
3pm Saturday

Nathan Jones's Charlton have started the season with two 1-0 wins in League One and a 1-0 defeat to Birmingham in the EFL Cup.

Another tight contest is likely when the Addicks host promotion rivals Bolton, who were held to a goalless draw by Wrexham last time out.

Wanderers had eight shots on target in that stalemate, four of them from Northern Ireland striker Dion Charles, who is worth backing to break the deadlock at The Valley.

Charles scored in the eighth minute of Bolton's opening 2-1 home win over Leyton Orient, having found the net 16 times in 34 league starts last term.

Best European bet

Hoffenheim vs Holstein Kiel
2.30pm Saturday

Hoffenheim kick off their Bundesliga campaign at home to promoted Holstein Kiel and a high-scoring victory for the hosts is on the cards.

Young striker Maximilian Beier was snapped up by Borussia Dortmund after scoring 16 league goals for Hoffenheim in 2023-24, but Czech forward Adam Hlozek has arrived from champions Bayer Leverkusen.

Hoffenheim won four of their last seven matches by scorelines of 3-1, 4-3, 6-0 and 4-2 – against Bayern Munich on the final day – and 11 of their 13 league victories featured over 3.5 goals.

Holstein Kiel were promoted as runners-up to St Pauli, managed by new Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, but they lost 4-3 and 5-1 to the second-division champions and could be exposed defensively in the top flight.

Weekend accumulators

Banker
Chesterfield
The promoted Spireites thrashed Crewe, last season's League Two playoff finalists, 5-0 last weekend and visitors Salford have failed to score in four games this season

Blowout
Chelsea
Wolves did the double over the Blues last term and they can increase the pressure on Enzo Maresca after Chelsea's opening defeat to Manchester City

Accumulator
Arsenal 4-5, Watford 19-20, Chesterfield 6-10, Doncaster 1-2. £1 accumulator returns £8.42 with Hills.

Both teams to score
Games at Southampton 7-10, Crystal Palace 13-20, Bristol City 8-11. £1 accumulator returns £4.85 with Coral and Ladbrokes.

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