Steve Davies: 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 to nil v Brighton
3pm Saturday
2pts Evs Paddy Power

Bradford draw no bet v Grimsby
3pm Saturday
2pts 6-5 Betfred

Clermont to beat Brest
2pm Sunday
2pts 7-5 Betfair

Best Premier League bet

Manchester City v Brighton 3pm Saturday

Manchester City were spared the rigours of another midweek outing this week and can benefit from that chance to reset by seeing off Brighton at the Etihad with something to spare.

Albion looked out on their feet on Tuesday night after toiling in vain to break down a stubborn Nottingham Forest side in a largely event-free 0-0 draw.

It was Brighton of old; knocking the ball around nicely enough in areas where they couldn't hurt Forest, and floundering whenever they got sight of goal.

Pep Guardiola always had plenty of time for the Brighton style under Graham Potter but the Seagulls are now without a win in four, without a goal in three and City can win this to nil.

City's last four home showdowns with Brighton have ended 2-0, 4-0, 1-0 and, last April, 3-0, and chastened by Sunday's luckless loss at Liverpool expect them to bounce back.

City have scored 31 goals in seven home matches this season, winning the lot and accompanying four of them with clean sheets.

Back Erling Haaland to end a goal drought which is considerably shorter than Danny Welbeck's, and take City to bounce back.

Best EFL bet

Grimsby v Bradford 3pm Saturday

Former Grimsby frontman Andy Cook returns to Blundell Park on Saturday where he can guide Bradford to victory.

Cook goes back to a club he played for in their National League days in the hottest of form, having bagged his 13th of the season in last weekend's 1-0 win at Salford.

His reward was sitting out Tuesday night's Football League Trophy drubbing by Burton and a chance to recharge for this far more important showdown.

And it isn't just Cook who is clicking for Mark Hughes' Bantams, who are in the thick of the promotion hunt and are on a four-match away winning streak in the league.

Grimsby have won back-to-back games against Crawley and Stockport, although the success over Crawley was their only home win in six attempts in the league.

Best European bet

Clermont v Brest 2pm Sunday

If interim Brest boss Bruno Grougi didn't know the size of the task facing him on succeeding Michel Der Zakarian, it didn't take long to get clued up.

Grougi's first match in charge was at a poor Nantes side, who don't win games and don't score goals. It ended 4-1 to Nantes – and the scoreline flattered Brest if anything.

That's now two points from their last eight matches, they can't get skipper Steve Mounie fit, ex-Leicester frontman Islam Slimani is impressing nobody, and the only way looks down for the West Bretons.

Certainly they have little to commend them at Clermont, who look a really nice price to take care of the basement boys in front of their own fans.

Eight-placed Clermont have won three of their last four at home, are unbeaten in three and recorded a deserved 1-1 draw at Monaco last time out.

Weekend accumulators

Banker
Swindon
Shipping six at home to Everton's kids in the Football League Trophy won't define Hartlepool's season, but they look in pieces in League Two as well and it's hard to see any solace at Swindon.

Blowout
Exeter
Exeter have lost three in a row – shipped four in all of them – which gives them few obvious grounds to warrant an odds-on quote at home to a Fleetwood side who rarely lose.

Accumulator
QPR 20-21, Barnsley 20-21, Swindon 4-6, Udinese Evs. £1 accumulator returns £12.70 with Coral & Ladbrokes.

Both teams to score
Games at Augsburg 4-6, Leverkusen 6-10, Salford 17-20. £1 treble returns £4.94 with Hills.

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