EFL Tips: Gab Sutton's Five EFL Bets November 8
Gab Sutton 
Leagues One and Two return this weekend after the first round of the FA Cup took precedence last week, which means all three tiers of the EFL are in action over the next couple of days,
The action gets going on Friday night as Watford host Bristol City before Middlesbrough vs Birmingham headlines Saturday's matches.
Free Bets' EFL pundit Gab Sutton picks out his best football tips for the weekend’s EFL action.
EFL Betting Tips
Here's Gab's five EFL tips this weekend, along with the best prices and latest odds from our selection of best betting sites.
Middlesbrough vs Birmingham
In the lead-up to Saturday’s game, speculation has emerged that Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards has been in contact with Wolverhampton Wanderers about the possibility of replacing Vitor Pereira at Molineux.
Edwards would not have wanted the reports to get out until things were as far as possible down the line towards an agreement, because if for whatever reason the move doesn’t go through, his relationships as Boro boss become harder to navigate.
For that reason, the timing of the fixture could be awkward from the home side’s point of view, and it would be preferable in some ways if Edwards wasn’t in the dugout.
Even if you move the politics to one side, however, the hosts are trending downwards: after a fantastic league start of 16 points from the first 18 available, the Teessiders have won just two of their last eight, while performances have been unconvincing – especially from a creative perspective.
Conversely, the timing of the fixture seems perfect for Birmingham, who travel to the north-east off the back of successive 4-0 home wins.
With Marvin Ducksch forging an excellent strike-pairing with Jay Stansfield, and Tommy Doyle proving a driving force in midfield, Blues could become something of an irresistible force.
Blackpool vs Cardiff
Ian Evatt has enjoyed the perfect start to his Blackpool return, with the 2009-10 promotion-winning player starting with successive victories – one in the league, at Peterborough, and one against Scunthorpe in the FA Cup.
Evatt seems to have reflected on a lot during his time out of work, and looks willing to compromise on his extreme possession-heavy approach on early evidence, which could be wise as he adapts to new personnel.
The Tangerines are starting to look like a nicely balanced team once again, and should have what it takes to steadily climb the table.
As such, visitors Cardiff may feel they’re travelling to Bloomfield Road at the wrong time, as Brian Barry-Murphy’s side have waned in consistency with three defeats in their last six league games, prior to a 1-0 FA Cup loss at Peterborough.
Bradford vs Burton
Burton fans could have been forgiven for fearing the worst after September’s 4-0 home trouncing by Plymouth Argyle, which left them bottom of League One with five points from their first eight games – but the response has been emphatic.
The Brewers subsequently won 1-0 at leaders Cardiff, initiating a return of 11 points from their last six games, which has seen Gary Bowyer’s side climb out of the relegation zone.
The East Staffordshire outfit are two or three players away from where they’d want to be squad-wise, due to missing out on key loans late in the summer window, but they have an excellent Sporting Director in Richard Dorman – while Bowyer has shown admirable resolve to mould what he has into an efficient unit.
With the form of the visitors in mind, the fact they’ve lost just one of their last six league games, there could be value in backing them to avoid defeat at odds-against quotes, even with newly promoted Bradford stunning everyone by sitting in the top two.
Graham Alexander is doing a wonderful job as he celebrates his first two years at Valley Parade – although four consecutive league draws suggests they may not be in the automatic spots for the remainder.
Barnet vs MK Dons
One of the biggest surprises about the weekend coupon is that MK Dons, so often recognised as a fancied favourite by the bookies, are as big as 5/2 for victory at neighbours Barnet.
Paul Warne’s side are the joint-top goalscorers in League Two, netting 27 collectively, and have won four of their last five league games, although they did lose 2-1 at Bromley in their previous league outing.
Long-serving midfielder Alex Gilbey, plus forwards Callum Paterson and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, have shown they can contribute the big numbers for the Buckinghamshire outfit, who are a solid and industrious team that waste little time in cutting opponents open.
Hosts Barnet are upwardly mobile: they’ve taken 21 points from 11, since losing their first three, and have improved since their team has started to more closely resemble last season’s 102-point National League title-winners.
Nonetheless, the price is the big shock.
Barrow vs Grimsby
Barrow’s climb up League Two may have a shelf life.
The Bluebirds have soared from 21st to 15th thanks to a six league game unbeaten run, in which they’ve shown the ability to grind out points even with 10-men.
Nonetheless, Andy Whing’s side have been very clinical in that period, they’ve depended on some unbelievable goalkeeping from Wyll Stanway, and aren’t necessarily playing that brilliantly as a collective – although wing-back Ben Whitfield has certainly been in creative mood.
Nonetheless, the technically-Cumbrian-spiritually-Lancastrian club could be due a reversal of fortunes, as they host one of the best teams in the league in Grimsby, who share the division’s top goalscorers status with MK Dons.
David Artell’s side have won three of their last five league games, and pose a multitude of threats.
They’ll be glad to have target man Danny Rose fit and firing for the trip to Holker Street, off the back of an FA Cup brace against Ebbsfleet last week following an injury-hit start to the campaign: they may need the experienced striker’s lofty spring, if the surface and atmosphere makes it difficult to keep things on the deck.
More Football Tips
Check out below for more tips and predictions on this week's football action, with Premier League as well as EFL betting tips.
