Gab Sutton's EFL Winners & Losers - March 3
There were plenty more ups and downs across the EFL this weekend, as the football league heads into the business part of the season with plenty at stake.
Our EFL pundit here at Free Bets, Gab Sutton, takes a look at another busy weekend of EFL action across the three leagues.
Winners
Jack Rudoni
After being Coventry’s star performer in 2024-25, Jack Rudoni has endured a more challenging individual 2025-26 campaign, through form and injury.
The attacking midfielder has been back to his brilliant best in the Sky Blues’ four-game winning streak though, and was the star of the show in their 2-1 victory over Stoke.
The former Wimbledon man produced a sumptuous performance, full of energy, tricks and flicks, capping it with a dramatic winner in injury-time that saw Frank Lampard’s side move eight points clear at the summit.
Dylan Lawlor
Dylan Lawlor is one of the most exciting young centre-backs in Britain.
In Saturday's 4-0 victory at Doncaster, the three-capped Welsh prospect scored a stunning solo goal, in which he carried the ball out of defence and ended up slotting it home one-on-one, in a moment that did the rounds on social media.
It’s one thing for a centre-back to be cultured on the ball, or have a nice ping, but the fact Lawlor also has the confidence to travel with the ball makes him a hugely enterprising international talent, and it’s no surprise that he’s been linked with some huge European names.
Almost as impressive as that goal, was the 20-year-old’s vision to pick out Alex Robertson for the opener. Some talent.
Nnamdi Ofoborh
Nnamdi Ofoborh delivered what Barnet boss Dean Brennan described as the best midfielder performance he’s seen during his tenure.
Not only did the athletic, aggressive ball-winner do the dirty work superbly in Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Chesterfield, his link-up play was good, including for the winner, which was an excellent strike from the edge of the box.
With more contributions like that, the Bees have a shot at breaking into the Play-Offs.
Losers
Harry Winks
It was somewhat inconsistent of Harry Winks to kiss his badge after scoring at Stoke last weekend.
It was a way of him being able to play the hero in a fun moment, and yet, whenever Leicester have needed Winks to be a real hero, in a less glamorous context, he’s been missing.
Winks contributed to two managerial sackings by causing division, he’s partially responsible for the situation City find themselves in and, in Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Norwich, he showed none of the resilience or positional awareness you’d ask for from a holding midfielder.
Yes, the former Tottenham man is a supremely gifted playmaker, but he’s not up for the fight – and that’s a big problem.
Stockport's top two hopes
With Cardiff and Lincoln showing few signs of slippage, Stockport would have had to be close to flawless at this stage of the season to have a chance of catching them.
Suffice to say, after a 3-0 no-show at Burton Albion in midweek, Dave Challinor’s side needed a response at Stevenage but, despite an improved performance, they fell to a 2-1 defeat that leaves them 15 points off the pace.
If County are to reach the Championship, it’ll have to be via the Play-Offs.
Notts County's missed opportunity
With promotion rivals Swindon dropping points against Bristol Rovers, and Cambridge and MK Dons doing likewise in playing one another, Notts County will reflect on their 1-0 home loss to Grimsby as a missed opportunity.
Off the back of an emphatic 5-0 thumping of Tranmere last weekend, victory would have put Martin Paterson’s side in the top three, but defeat leaves them a point outside with one win in their last four league games.
To make matters worse, in-form Lee Ndlovu was sent off and, in the continued absence of fellow target man and talisman Alassana Jatta, the Magpies could be without both for Saturday's crunch clash at Walsall.
EFL Betting at Free Bets
Gab Sutton provides weekly football tips for Free Bets, featuring a thoroughly researched longshot acca alongside sharp analysis of the key talking points and standout moments from the weekend's action at the start of each new week.
