Steve Davies: Football predictions & free betting accumulator tips

Best bets

Southampton or draw double chance vs Brentford
3pm Saturday
4pts 6-5 BoyleSports

Both teams to score & over 2.5 goals in Burnley vs Blackburn
12.30pm Saturday
2pts 11-10 Coral, Ladbrokes

Over 3.5 goals in Holstein Kiel vs Wolfsburg
2.30pm Saturday
2pts 17-10 general 

Best Premier League bet

Brentford vs Southampton
3pm Saturday

You have to go back to November for the last time Brentford secured back-to-back home wins and there is every chance they will be frustrated again in their quest to turn the Gtech Community Stadium into a fortress.

The Bees kicked off this season with a largely forgettable 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, when the rust was evident all over the pitch.

Last Sunday at Anfield they lost 2-0 to Liverpool, and while they did trouble Arne Slot's men occasionally, they also conceded eight shots on target so the scoreline could have looked worse.

Brentford finished last season like a side who could easily fall prey to a relegation battle this term, and on the evidence of the first fortnight – and Wednesday's modest 1-0 win at Colchester in the EFL Cup – that remains the case.

Southampton were always expected to be in for a campaign of toil and a pair of 1-0 opening defeats – the first at ten-man Newcastle, the second at home to Nottingham Forest – have done nothing to amend that script.

What is the case is that Saints are continuing to play keep-ball – their 72 per cent average possession rate tops that statistic – and have fired off 12 shots per game, three more than Brentford. 

Wednesday's 5-3 win at Cardiff in the EFL Cup will have given everyone at St Mary's a lift even if the goal glut didn't come in the competition Russell Martin wanted it to.

Saints have more than enough about them to frustrate modest opponents of Brentford's stature and in a game that could well be close, take the visitors to stand firm.

Best EFL bet

Burnley vs Blackburn
12.30pm Saturday

It's been Blackburn Rovers at the wheel of the Championship fun bus during the first few weeks of term, so expect a flurry of goals up the road at Turf Moor.

Blackburn, supposedly less potent without the departed Sammie Szmodics, have scored 15 goals in five matches in all competitions to date this season. On the flip side, they have also shipped eight goals.

Both teams have scored in all of Blackburn's five outings and something similar should be anticipated at Burnley.

These sides are in the Championship's top ten for shots-per-game allowed and that level of defensive negligence should have only one outcome.

Best European bet

Holstein Kiel vs Wolfsburg
2.30pm Saturday

Promoted Holstein Kiel have played two competitive games since promotion, winning 3-2 at Alemannia in the German Cup and then losing 3-2 at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.

Only three clubs in the opening round of games fired off more shots than Kiel, who look like they will be an entertaining watch this season.

The Holstein Stadion will be rocking and Wolfsburg should play their part in an open contest.

They lost 3-2 at home to Bayern Munich last weekend and looked sharp in attack but vulnerable at the back.

Weekend accumulators

Banker
Juventus
Juve are quickly into their stride and will gladly take on a Roma side humbled at home by Empoli last time.

Blowout
Morecambe
The Shrimpers are bottom of League Two courtesy of a trio of 1-0 losses, so make no value at a short price at home to Newport.

Accumulator
Birmingham 9-20, Juventus 3-4, Celtic 3-5, Marseille 10-11. £1 accumulator returns £7.51 with bet365.

Both teams to score
Games at West Ham 4-6 Blackpool 4-5 Mansfield 4-7. £1 accumulator returns £3.71 with bet365

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