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

Manchester City to win & over 3.5 goals
2pts 9-5 bet365
Wigan to win & both teams to score
1pt 3-1 general
Over 2.5 goals in Mallorca v Valencia
2pts 5-4 Hills

Best Premier League bet

Everton v Manchester City
Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 5.30pm Saturday

Frank Lampard has won his first two home matches as Everton manager, beating Brentford 4-1 in the FA Cup and Leeds 3-0 in the Premier League, but the Toffees face a significant step up in class against Manchester City on Saturday.

City's title rivals Liverpool turned on the style with a 6-0 rout of Leeds on Wednesday so the champions cannot afford any complacency on their trip to Goodison Park.

Clearly, Lampard has not suddenly transformed Everton into world-beaters – they lost their first two away games under their new boss at Newcastle and Southampton while Rodrigo of Leeds was twice denied by the crossbar in the Toffees' last match at Goodison.

They are playing with plenty of verve, with Manchester United loanee Donny van de Beek pulling the strings in midfield and fit-again Dominic Calvert-Lewin up front with Richarlison, so an entertaining contest is expected.

City have swept aside Norwich 4-0 and Sporting 5-0 in their last two away fixtures and, stung by last weekend's 3-2 loss to Tottenham, they should rack up another high-scoring win.

Best EFL bet

Wigan v Sunderland 3pm Saturday

Alex Neil's tenure as Sunderland manager has started with 1-1 draws against AFC Wimbledon and Burton either side of a 2-1 home defeat to MK Dons and the Black Cats are in danger of slipping out of the playoff places this weekend.

Wycombe and Sheffield Wednesday are just a point behind sixth-placed Sunderland, who have the toughest fixture of the three, away to second-placed Wigan.

Sunderland have conceded almost two goals per game on the road this season, with their only clean sheets coming at bottom-three clubs Doncaster and Crewe.

Highflying Wigan do not shut out many opponents but their attacking firepower makes them a tempting bet at 3-1 to win a game in which both teams score.

There have been goals at both ends in eight of Sunderland's last ten matches and striker Ross Stewart is the leading scorer in the division. However, their defence is hard to trust and Wigan, who have conceded in nine of their last ten league victories, can take another step towards promotion.

Best European bet

Mallorca v Valencia LaLigaTV, 1pm Saturday

The games at Everton and Wigan should provide plenty of goals and there may also be fireworks when Mallorca host Valencia in La Liga.

At the start of this round of fixtures, only bottom club Levante have a worse defensive record than mid-table Valencia but Los Che have also scored as many goals, 37, as second-placed Sevilla.

They played their part in a lively 4-1 defeat to Barcelona last weekend, having two goals chalked off by VAR, and both teams have scored in ten of their 12 away matches in the league.

Nine of those games have featured over 2.5 goals and that looks a good bet given that Mallorca are in good heart after beating Cadiz 2-1 and a usually miserly Athletic Bilbao side 3-2 in their last two home matches.

Weekend accumulators

Banker
Sheffield Wednesday
The Owls have won five of their last six League One matches, with the only blip an away defeat to leaders Rotherham, and they should inflict a fifth straight loss on struggling Charlton.

Blowout
RB Leipzig
Leipzig are in fine form but they have a tough Europa League trip to Real Sociedad on Thursday and look too short against Bochum, who have lost only twice at home this season and beat Bayern Munich 4-2 earlier this month.

Accumulator
Cheltenham 4-5, Sheffield Wednesday 17-20, Verona 4-7, Real Madrid 7-10. £1 accumulator returns £8.89 with Coral.

Both teams to score
Games at Mallorca 10-11, Blackpool 8-11, MK Dons 3-4. £1 treble returns £5.72 with bet365.

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