It was a case of close but no cigar for this column last week, with three winners, a ‘push’ and one pesky losing pick.
We fancied Getafe quite strongly to overcome Levante, and more rather bemused when they lost 0-1 on home soil to the strugglers.
There’s no point dwelling on what might have been, so we’ll crack straight on with this week’s football accumulator tips.
- Huddersfield Town vs Crystal Palace: Palace/Draw Double Chance (9/20)
- Sunderland vs Preston: Preston +0.00 Asian Handicap (1/2)
- Wolves vs Burton Albion: Wolves -1 Handicap (8/11)
- Scunthorpe United vs Shrewsbury Town: Shrewsbury to Win (8/13)
- Cambridge United vs Swindon Town: Swindon +0.75 Asian Handicap (4/9)
- Acca Odds: 7.79/1
Huddersfield Town vs Crystal Palace: Palace/Draw Double Chance
Huddersfield have really struggled for goals this term – only West Brom have notched fewer in the Premier League. Never were their struggles more evident than in the tawdry 0-0 stalemate with Swansea at the weekend.
The Swans were reduced to ten men after just eleven minutes after Jordan Ayew got his marching orders, and yet Huddersfield huffed, puffed and got nowhere near finding their opponent’s net. Four shots on target in 80 minutes against ten men is a hapless return.
Crystal Palace have lost four on the spin now but their last three have come against Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham – all of which they lost by a solitary goal – so it would be foolish to write them off completely.
Wilfried Zaha and possibly even Ruben Loftus-Cheek will return for the Eagles, and they will be confident of doing a job in Yorkshire.
Sunderland vs Preston: Preston +0.00 Asian Handicap
It’s curious that Preston, who have lost just 3/18 on the road this term, are an odds-against price against a Sunderland side who have failed to hit the net in five of their last eight.
In these situations – the Black Cats are all but doomed to a second successive relegation – the atmosphere can be rather toxic when playing at home, and we really don’t expect Sunderland’s players to feel comfortable in front of the faithful at the Stadium of Light.
Preston continue to be undervalued by the bookmakers – this is a side that rarely loses away from home remember – and just four points off the play-off places they have plenty to play for.
Wolves vs Burton Albion: Wolves -1 Handicap
Burton have scored in just one of their last seven games, and it’s hard to imagine them finding much joy against Wolves’ hardened backline.
They have kept clean sheets in five of their last eight at Molineux, and so all of the stats point towards the ‘Burton 0’ part of the scoreline.
There’s no juice in backing Wolves to win at 4/9 of course, but there is method to the madness of taking them with a -1 handicap. They have scored two or more goals in 8/14, including seven in their last three, and the good news is that even if the Brewers do find the net our selection isn’t over in that the hosts are ore than capable of netting three times.
Scunthorpe United vs Shrewsbury Town: Shrewsbury to Win
Now seems as good a time as any to be backing Shrewsbury; and as good a time as ay to take on Scunthorpe.
The hosts here have won of their last eleven as their play-off dream looks set to evaporate unless they can find something….and fast. It will be interesting to see how that desperation plays out here.
Shrewsbury will continue ticking along nicely under the shrewd leadership of Paul Hurst, and with a Wembley date already in the bag courtesy of the Checkatrade Trophy, they can focus solely on the league.
There has been no hangover since booking their cup final date, crucially, with a pair of 2-0 wins over Charlton and Walsall forthcoming. We don’t expect any slackening from the Shrews, and Scunthorpe’s woes could make them chase the game somewhat here.
Cambridge United vs Swindon Town: Swindon +0.75 Asian Handicap
Swindon appointed Phil Brown as their new boss this week, and it’s easy to imagine him having a positive effect on his new players.
Brown did a decent enough job at Southend before being harshly sacked; surely mid-table in League 1 is about par for a club with their budget? Either way, he has a talented Swindon squad at his disposal that have gone slightly off the rails of late. But what should not be forgotten is that they have taken more points on the road than any other outfit in League 2 this term.
Cambridge’s season is all but over, and a lack of targets will surely see their campaign slowly peter out. After all, their ‘goals for’ tally is the lowest in the division outside of the bottom four.