Last week’s attempt at a Christmassy acca win left a lot to be desired, although in fairness it was hard to legislate for the results that didn’t go our way. Second placed Notts County going 0-3 down at home to Cambridge, who are in fourteenth?
In truth, this time of year can be particularly cruel for punters, with ‘odd’ results mingling naughtily alongside the usual suspects winning on home soil – the trick is to avoid those potential banana-skins and instead opt for a ‘back to basics’ style approach.
So forgive us as we back the favourites almost incessantly with this week’s football accumulator betting tips!
- Bournemouth vs Everton: Everton +0.25 Asian Handicap (8/11)
- Huddersfield Town vs Burnley: Under 2.5 Goals (1/2)
- Birmingham City vs Leeds United: Leeds Draw No Bet (4/6)
- Doncaster Rovers vs Rochdale: Doncaster Draw No Bet (1/2)
- Crotone vs Napoli: Napoli to Win (2/9)
- Five-Fold Accumulator Pays at 6.18/1
Bournemouth vs Everton: Everton +0.25 Asian Handicap
Even Bournemouth boss Eddie How admitted his side ‘got away with one’ after Callum Wilson’s controversial injury time equaliser in the pulsating 3-3 draw with West Ham on Boxing Day.
Referee Bobby Madley chose to ignore his assistant’s offside flag and instead grant Wilson’s 93rd minute goal; subsequent replays showed he had made the wrong decision.
So that was a get out of jail free card for the Cherries, who are struggling with injuries at the moment. Messrs Defoe, Daniels, Federici, Smith, Arter, Stanislas and Mings all look set to miss out here, with Andrew Surman also doubtful with a knock.
Three games in a week will hardly help on that front as Howe tries manfully to rotate his squad, and ten goals conceded in their last three games tells its own story.
No such problems for Sam Allardyce, who as predicted has gone back-to-basics with Everton to turn them into a tough side to beat. Unbeaten in six under the new manager with four clean sheets, the Toffees are a side reborn.
Huddersfield Town vs Burnley: Under 2.5 Goals
There’s a tasty Yorkshire vs Lancashire narrative to this festive encounter, and that should lead to a low-scoring, feisty affair.
Neither of these sides can boast goal-scoring prowess in abundance. Four of Huddersfield’s last six outings have gone under this 2.5 goal line, and the two that didn’t have plenty of anomaly value. They beat Watford 4-1 when the Hornets were so short of players that the kit man and a ball boy had to sit on the bench for them, while the 1-3 defeat to Chelsea was a simple case of being outclassed by a better side.
Burnley’s last two games have gone over the 2.5 line but both were against top six sides in Tottenham and Manchester United. Otherwise, seven of their last eleven outings have finished either 1-0 or 0-0!
Birmingham City vs Leeds United: Leeds Draw No Bet
After winning his first game in charge of Birmingham City, it’s fair to say that Steve Cotterill has since struggled to maintain those standards.
The Blues’ formline since reads W1 D3 L8, and it’s no wonder they sit bottom of the Championship table.
Leeds have clicked into gear once again, and they find themselves on a six-match unbeaten run (W5 D1 L0). That’s the kind of form that gets you past a hapless Birmingham outfit.
Doncaster Rovers vs Rochdale: Doncaster Draw No Bet
Donny Rovers have won four of their last six at home, with just one defeat, as they assert their authority on their own patch.
It’s been a decent yuletide period for the Yorkshire outfit, with wins over Bristol Rovers and Northampton coming without a single goal being conceded. A home tie here suggests they can make it three in a row.
Rochdale, remarkably, are yet to win on the road in the 2017/18 campaign, and they have lost their last four on their travels while conceding an eyebrow-raising eleven goals. One goal scored in 270 minutes of football also does little to inspire confidence.
Crotone vs Napoli: Napoli to Win
Napoli, who were the early pacesetters in Serie A remember, had gone off the boil in November/December but seem to have found their mojo again of late. They’ve beaten decent enough sides in Torino and Sampdoria 3-1 and 3-2, and so the goals are flowing once again.
They won’t even need to be at their best to defeat this hapless Crotone side, but the fact that the Naples outfit are better away from home than in front of their own supporters (25 points earned on the road compared to 20 at home) is a further bonus.
The hosts here are a mediocre bunch. They’ve lost five of their last six and scored just seven goals at home this term; two of those coming against basement dwellers Benevento.