James Milton: Football predictions & free betting accumulator tips

Free football tips, bets and analysis for this weekend's Premier League, EFL and European action.

Best bets

Brighton or draw double chance
Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 2pm Sunday
2pts 7-5 Betfair, Paddy Power

Bradford to beat Barrow
3pm Saturday
1pt 29-20 Betfair, Paddy Power

Mainz to beat Bochum
2.30pm Saturday
1pt 13-10 general

Best Premier League bet

Manchester United v Brighton
Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 2pm Sunday

Erik ten Hag was officially appointed as Manchester United's manager on April 21 yet there is still a sense that the start of the 2022-23 season has taken the Red Devils by surprise.

Their pursuit of top transfer target Frenkie de Jong has dragged on for the whole summer while Cristiano Ronaldo's future at the club is still to be decided.

Even with Ronaldo leading the line, United were dismal for much of the 2021-22 campaign, finishing a distant sixth in the Premier League as Ralf Rangnick's interim reign ended with a 4-0 rout at Brighton and a 1-0 defeat away to Crystal Palace.

The Seagulls, who also caused problems for United in the first half of February's 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford, finished the season in fine form, winning away to Arsenal, Tottenham and Wolves in April.

Left-back Marc Cucurella, one of last season's star performers, looks likely to follow Yves Bissouma out of the club and Poland midfielder Jakub Moder is sidelined following knee surgery.

However, the Seagulls should continue to progress under the shrewd leadership of Graham Potter and they can avoid defeat against a disjointed United side who may struggle to hit the ground running under Ten Hag.

Best EFL bet

Barrow v Bradford 3pm Saturday

For the fourth season running, Bradford kicked off their League Two campaign with a goalless draw but Mark Hughes's men can follow up last weekend's dramatic stalemate against Doncaster with a win at Barrow.

Bradford had 80 per cent of possession and won the shot count 22-3 against a Donny side reduced to ten men just before half-time.

The home players were understandably affected by the broken leg suffered by Emmanuel Osadebe just seven minutes into his Valley Parade debut but the experienced Hughes should have them in the right frame of mind for their trip to Barrow.

The hosts claimed a coupon-busting 3-2 win at ante-post title favourites Stockport last Saturday, but they had to cling on at the end despite racing into a 3-0 lead inside 33 minutes.

Barrow were at the other end of the ante-post betting to Stockport and Bradford, having finished third from bottom of the EFL last term, and they may be brought back down to earth after their opening-weekend heroics.

Best European bet

Bochum v Mainz 2.30pm Saturday

Just four points separated eighth-placed Mainz from Bochum in 13th in last season's Bundesliga but that gap may well be wider in Mainz's favour this season.

They finished 2021-22 in style, beating champions Bayern Munich 3-1, winning 2-1 at Hertha Berlin and drawing 2-2 with Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt, and they will be aiming to improve their modest away record this term.

Saturday's fixture offers a decent opportunity of three points as Bochum have lost several key players this summer including centre-back Maxim Leitsch, who moved to Mainz.

Highly-rated defender Armel Bella-Kotchap has joined Southampton and striker Sebastian Polter, who scored ten of Bochum's 38 league goals last season, has made the switch to Schalke, leaving his former club as one of the favourites for relegation.

Weekend accumulators

Banker
Peterborough
Posh showed their attacking threat last weekend, coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Cheltenham, and they should be too sharp for League One relegation favourites Morecambe.

Blowout
Sheffield United
The Blades competed well in Monday's 1-0 Championship defeat at Watford but look vulnerable at odds-on against a Millwall side who did the double over them last term and made a winning start at home to Stoke.

Accumulator
Norwich 13-20, Peterborough 4-6, Coventry 4-5, Lens 1-2. £1 accumulator returns £7.44 with Hills.

Both teams to score
Games at Swansea 20-23, Exeter 20-23, Forest Green 20-23. £1 treble returns £6.54 with Betfair.

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