Five matches to consider for your Saturday acca
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After the thrills and spills of the FA Cup third round last week, it’s back to business as usual this weekend with domestic league duties taking centre-stage.
We’ve taken a run through this weekend’s fixtures across the Premier League and Football League, and picked out five fixtures to consider sticking on your Saturday afternoon acca.
Leeds v Brighton (Sat, 15:00)
After their humbling by League Two Crawley in the FA Cup last week, Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds will fancy themselves to bounce back at home to Brighton.
The Whites’ swashbuckling style has drawn fans and critics, but it’s points which count, and after winning three of their last five league games, Leeds are ticking along quite nicely in the Premier League.
They’re 21/20 to down Brighton at Elland Road, with Graham Potters’ Seagulls still struggling to build promising performances into hard results.
Brighton have won just two of their last 16 league games, and have failed to score in three of their last four away matches.
West Ham v Burnley (Sat, 15:00)
Like Leeds, West Ham are going along quite well this season, and particularly so in recent weeks. David Moyes’ men have only lost three of their last 15 Premier League games, and those losses came to Liverpool, Man United and Chelsea.
If anything, the Hammers have been slightly more effective away from the London Stadium, but nevertheless, they’ll feel they have enough in hand to see off Burnley at 4/5.
Sean Dyche’s Clarets have eased their relegation woes with a run of points in the last few weeks, but with just nine goals scored they remain the second-lowest scorers in the division.
What’s more, the Lancashire side have netted just once in their last six games away from Turf Moor – and that was a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang own goal at the Emirates.
Blackburn v Stoke (Sat, 15:00)
Moving into the Championship with two sides whose play-off hopes have taken a knock thanks to a downturn in form.
Blackburn, who have won just two of their last nine in all competitions, host a Stoke side who have won just once in the same timeframe.
But dive a little deeper and it’s not all as bad as it seems for Tony Mowbray’s Rovers. They’ve lost only one of their last seven league games at Ewood Park, and that was a narrow-loss to promotion hotshots Norwich.
Combine that with Stoke scoring just twice in their last six league games, plus failing to score in four of their last five away fixtures, and Rovers – joint top scorers in the league – might like their chances of taking all three points at 11/10.
Cardiff v Norwich (Sat, 15:00)
Speaking of Norwich, the latest stop on the Canaries’ promotion push takes them to the Welsh capital.
Daniel Farke’s men are 11/10 favourites for the win, having defeated the Bluebirds 2-0 at Carrow Road less than a month ago.
That defeat for Cardiff was followed by losses to Brentford and Wycombe in the league, before being dumped out of the FA Cup last week by Nottingham Forest.
The Welsh side have really struggled for results on their home patch, failing to win seven of their 11 home league games this term.
Cardiff have also conceded at least twice in each of their last three home league games, which may further swing things in Norwich’s favour, with only three sides scoring more than the Norfolk side this season.
Accrington v Gillingham (Sat, 15:00)
And in League One, Accrington will be chomping at the bit to get a run out at home to Gillingham. Stanley have been flying this season, and in theory, would be top of the table if they were to win their games in hand.
John Coleman’s side have played just one league game in the last four weeks due to Covid-19 postponements, but the signs look good for Saturday’s game at home to Gillingham.
Stanley are 4/5 for the win, having eased past the Gills 2-0 just a month ago. The Lancashire outfit are a real force at the Wham Stadium too, putting up a six-game unbeaten run on home soil, conceding just twice in that time.
Conversely, Gillingham are in a real slump, losing six of their last seven games in all competitions.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication.
