Lively Latics can spring a surprise at Carrow Road

EFL
3pm Saturday

Norwich v Wigan

The race for promotion from the Sky Bet Championship looks extremely tight and it includes new boys Wigan, who are overpriced to beat Norwich at Carrow Road.

It was always going to be interesting to see how Wigan would handle the step up from Sky Bet League One.

There have been ups and downs but the Latics were fifth after nine games and have shown they can compete against some of the division's biggest clubs.

They have put in two good away performances, narrowly losing 3-2 to Aston Villa and winning 3-0 at Stoke, showing a positive mindset which can serve them well in front of a big crowd this weekend.

Norwich expect to compete towards the top and their fans will be happier after a sequence of three league wins which have lifted the Canaries into the top half.

Daniel Farke's side made it four wins in four by winning 4-3 at Wycombe in the EFL Cup third round on Tuesday but they have not quite won over the markets and are tenth-best in the second-tier promotion betting at 9-1.

Ongoing concerns over Norwich's defence were highlighted by the Wycombe game and they are without key injured attacker Onel Hernandez, who is not expected to return until after the international break.

Finnish striker Teemu Pukki is on a hot streak, scoring three goals in his last three league games, but Wigan, who have kept three clean sheets in six, will not be easy to break down.

The Latics conceded just three shots on target during last Friday's 1-0 victory over Bristol City and they had the most effective player on the pitch in goalscorer Nick Powell.

Powell looks one of the top talents in the Championship and he could be the match-winner.

Recommendation
Wigan draw no bet
2pts 13-10 BoyleSports

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Bradford v Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers had a rocky start to the season but they sprang to life with a 3-1 victory at home to Coventry last Saturday and can follow it up by beating third-bottom Bradford at Valley Parade.

Every summer Rovers seem to lose a key player and this year was no different with striker Ellis Harrison joining Ipswich.

Harrison's departure had an impact with Rovers lacking a focal point to their attacks but they are slowly coming up with the answers.

Long-serving manager Darrell Clarke has kept his cool and his players responded by racing into a three-goal lead inside 23 minutes against Coventry.

Confidence will have risen and Rovers will look at the Bradford game as another winnable fixture.

Bradford have tried to go in a different direction this season by moving on experienced players and replacing them with young, hungry recruits, but the move seems to have backfired and the situation is being made worse by a massive injury list.

Ten senior players were absent as the Bantams lost 2-1 at Doncaster last Saturday and with only right-back Kelvin Mellor set to return to face Rovers, it is going to be difficult for the home side to arrest their slide.

Recommendation
Bristol Rovers
2pts 17-10 Betway

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Swindon v Oldham

Swindon are starting to punch their weight in Sky Bet League Two and can follow up last Saturday's 3-0 win at Yeovil by beating promotion rivals Oldham at the County Ground.

Phil Brown's side had defensive problems earlier in the campaign but those have been addressed with centre-backs Luke Woolfenden and Sid Nelson joining on loan from Ipswich and Millwall.

The pair were key to shutting out Yeovil, who had won 6-0 at Newport the previous weekend, and they can play a key role in containing Oldham.

Both clubs would expect to challenge strongly for promotion but Swindon should be on a high after producing such an excellent performance at Yeovil and may just edge it.

Recommendation
Swindon
2pts 13-8 Betway

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Macclesfield v Forest Green

Macclesfield's season seems to lurch from one crisis to the next and, after losing 8-0 at West Ham in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, they are unlikely to put up much resistance against highflying Forest Green.

The match pits Sky Bet League Two's basement boys against the division's only unbeaten side.

Six of Forest Green's nine league games have finished all-square but Rovers have taken eight points from a possible 12 on their travels and look worthy odds-on favourites to bank another three.

Recommendation
Forest Green
2pts 19-20 Sky Bet

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Read every day for no-nonsense previews and expert sports betting tips

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport