Football Betting Tips

Birmingham are unbeaten in eight games and haven’t lost a home match since October, while Leeds have only won twice away from home this season, with those victories coming against Derby and Wolves.

Grimsby have claimed one Premier League scalp this term following their penalty-shootout success over Manchester United in the EFL Cup, and the in-form Mariners could take a bite out of Wolves in this FA Cup clash. Wanderers are tailed off in the Premier League and this cup tie could be a welcome distraction from their relegation troubles. However, the Blundell Park crowd will be baying for blood and this could be a lively encounter with both sides getting on the scoresheet.

Oxford United are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the Championship but they look to losing the battle amid a poor run of form and they could get short shrift from Sunderland on Sunday. The Black Cats are nestled nicely in 11th spot in the Premier League and they can attack the FA Cup with vigour and that could spell trouble for their hapless hosts this weekend. United have failed to score in five of their last seven outings. 

Stoke and Fulham have hit a poor run of form but the Premier League side have little left to play for this term so can give the FA Cup their full attention. Stoke, despite being 14th in the Championship, are just four points off the playoff spots, so may have an eye on improving their league form. The goals have dried up for the Potters recently and they may find their top-flight rivals too hard to break down.

Arsenal are huge favourites against a Wigan side that were battered 6-1 at Peterborough last weekend. The Latics have drawn one and lost five of their last six matches and have lost to nil four times since the turn of the year, while Arsenal have won to nil in three of their last four games.

Grimsby have claimed one Premier League scalp this term following their penalty-shootout success over Manchester United in the EFL Cup, and the in-form Mariners could take a bite out of Wolves in this FA Cup clash. Wanderers are tailed off in the Premier League and this cup tie could be a welcome distraction from their relegation troubles. However, the Blundell Park crowd will be baying for blood and this could be a lively encounter with both sides getting on the scoresheet.

Kilmarnock games rarely lack drama and they come into this off a chaotic 4-3 win. They’ve seen goals at both ends in five of their last seven and 15 of 26 league matches overall. Celtic have scored at least twice in four of their last five and average over two goals per game against bottom-half sides. The visitors may be able to come away with a victory, but Killie can at least contribute.

Eibar are down in 14th place in La Liga 2 but their home form hasn’t been the problem. They have the second best home record in the division and have scored 20 goals in 13 games at this venue, so they should be able to get on the scoresheet against the league leaders. Racing Santander have seen goals at both ends in eight of their last 12 games and have scored themselves in 24 of their 25 league games so goals at both ends looks likely at the Municipal de Ipurua.

Rayo are scrapping for survival and they have a decent strike rate against neighbours Atletico, with both teams scoring in three of the last four meetings. Rayo scored in defeat to Real Madrid last time out and both teams have scored in five of their last seven games, while Atleti have had a quick turnaround after their huge win over Barcelona in the cup and could rotate a little for this La Liga assignments. The visitors have enough quality to score and win, but an Atleti clean sheet appears less likely.

Parma eased their relegation concerns with a win at Bologna last time out and they can follow it up by beating a Verona side who are in deep trouble. The visitors have just 15 points on the board, leaving them six adrift of safety, and have managed just one road win all season. Verona have scored just one goal across their last four games and that lack of cutting edge could prove costly again at Parma, back the hosts to claim the spoils.

Ceuta look backable underdogs ahead of their trip to Huesca. The visitors sit in mid-table and have won three of their last six, while they also won the reverse fixture 2-1. Huesca have picked up just four points from their last six games and have lost two of their last four at home in the league.

Lorient have been strong at home, winning five, drawing four and losing just once in Ligue 1, while going unbeaten in eight of their last ten on their own patch. Angers have struggled for goals on the road, scoring just six times in ten away matches, which tilts this clash in the hosts’ favour.

Goals at both ends could be on the cards in this huge game in the title battle. Both teams have scored in three of Rangers’ last five games and they have scored themselves in 17 of their last 18 across all comps, while Hearts have scored in 12 of their last 13.

Torino have struggled badly at home, losing five of their last seven Serie A matches at Stadio Filadelfia and winning just one of their last six overall. With no side conceding more than Torino’s 42 league goals this season and Bologna losing only one of the last eight meetings between the teams, the visitors look the stronger option.

Real Betis are flying high in La Liga and they can boost their Champions League qualification hopes with a comfortable win at Mallorca. The Green & Whites have a good recent record against the Islanders who are languishing down in 16th spot with just six wins this term. Betis won 1-0 at Atletico Madrid last time and they back up that impressive showing with a more routine win in the Balearics.

Ian: The battle for the Scottish Premiership title would be a four-way affair had Motherwell not been held to 11 league draws this term, but they should have few problems seeing off Aberdeen. The Dons have scored just one goal in their last six on the road.

Jamie: Four straight defeats will have done nothing for Rayo’s deteriorating confidence and this match arrives a whole two weeks after their last, so expect rustiness to show as Atleti cruise to victory in this Madrid derby.

Alex: NEC Nijmenegen’s phenomenal season hit a stumbling block as they lost to Utrecht in midweek, but they head into the weekend round of fixtures third in the Eredivisie and can get back to winning ways against a Sparta Rotterdam side that have lost two of their last four home matches.

Aaron: Estoril have scored at least twice in all six of their visits to sides below them, scoring 19 goals across those matches. AVS have conceded 23 times in their 11 home matches, so back the visitors to score a couple of goals.

Jack: Lyon have won their last 12 matches in all competitions and can overcome a Nice side that has emerged from their pre-Christmas crisis. Lyon have also kept clean sheets in their last three in all competitions.

RB Leipzig have hit something of a sticky patch but they should get back on track against tame Wolfsburg. The Red Bulls have lost their last two Bundesliga home matches but their visitors this Sunday are in even worse shape having won just one of their last seven outings. Five of those were losses, including each of the last three, and with neither side trusted to keep a clean sheet, backing a home win in which both teams score looks a sound selection.

The Jambos won 2-1 when these two last met at Tynecastle just before Christmas but the Gers have improved steadily since then and could narrow the gap to the Edinburgh side who start the weekend seven points clear at the top. The Light Blues have lost just once in 13 outings since that December defeat and they can edge a lively encounter in Glasgow. Hearts have won both previous meetings with Rangers this season, however, and should be able to get on the scoresheet in defeat.

Peterborough thrashed Wigan last weekend and Arsenal beat Leeds 4-0 recently. There is a big gulf between the Premier League leaders and the League One strugglers and that could be reflected in a big win for the hosts. The Gunners put four past Portsmouth in the last round and can score heavily against the Latics.

Estoril have scored at least twice in all six of their visits to sides below them, scoring 19 goals across those matches. AVS have conceded 23 times in their 11 home matches, so back the visitors to score a couple of goals.

Castellon won 3-1 in the reverse fixture in December and should be good for at least two goals on Sunday. Castellon have scored two or more goals in six of their last seven home games, winning all of those, while Depor have found clean sheets hard to come by with just one in their last eight games.

Pavel Sulc has 10 goals in 19 Ligue 1 games this season, including two in his last three. With Endrick suspended, other members of the Lyon side will have to step up in attack and Sulc stands out as a candidate to help his side outgun Nice.

Former Manchester United man Antony has six goals and four assists in 18 La Liga games this season, including the winner against Atletico Madrid last time out. Antony has two goals in his last four games across all comps and looks a contender for an anytime effort at Mallorca.

With Luis Suarez suspended, Sporting need to look elsewhere for their goals and Pedro Goncalves stands out as a potential scorer. Goncalves has one goal in four starts since returning from injury and has 10 in total in 16 league games this season. He had a quiet game at Porto last time out but should be more effective when Famalicao visit Lisbon.

Lyon are one of the form sides in Europe and their Ligue 1 charge can continue with a comfortable home win over Nice. Les Gones have won each of their last 12 matches in all competitions, while even more impressively they have won 14 of their last 15 matches in all. Nice have won just one of their last four matches.

Three draws at the start of the year have seen Italian champions Napoli fall of the pace in the Serie A title race but they can keep up the pressure on the top two with a narrow victory over Roma. Meetings between these two have been close recently but Napoli will be wary of the threat posed by the visitors who could join them on 49 points with a victory at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Antonio Conte will look to keep things tight and the home side could nick a victory on Sunday.

Castellon won 3-1 in the reverse fixture in December and should be good for at least two goals on Sunday. Castellon have scored two or more goals in six of their last seven home games, winning all of those, while Depor have found clean sheets hard to come by with just one in their last eight games.

Real Betis are flying high in La Liga and they can boost their Champions League qualification hopes with a comfortable win at Mallorca. The Green & Whites have a good recent record against the Islanders who are languishing down in 16th spot with just six wins this term. Betis won 1-0 at Atletico Madrid last time and they back up that impressive showing with a more routine win in the Balearics.

Lyon are one of the form sides in Europe and their Ligue 1 charge can continue with a comfortable home win over Nice. Les Gones have won each of their last 12 matches in all competitions, while even more impressively they have won 14 of their last 15 matches in all. Nice have won just one of their last four matches, while Lyon have scored two or more goals in nine of their last 11 fixtures on home soil and they can extend that sequence this week with a 2-0 triumph.

Three draws at the start of the year have seen Italian champions Napoli fall of the pace in the Serie A title race but they can keep up the pressure on the top two with a narrow victory over Roma. Meetings between these two have been close recently but Napoli will be wary of the threat posed by the visitors who could join them on 49 points with a victory at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Antonio Conte will look to keep things tight and the home side could nick a victory on Sunday. Eight of the last ten meetings have featured no more than two goals while six of the last ten have seen one or both teams fail to score, so backing a 1-0 home win could pay off.

Utrecht Reserves have seen four goals scored in their last seven league matches, with each of their last three games finishing 2-2. Over 3.5 has landed in 69% of their home matches, while they host a Willem II side who have conceded 1.77 goals per away trip, shipping two goals in three of their last four on the road.

Real Sociedad B have only failed to score on two occasions at home this term, and they can trouble Malaga on Monday night. The visitors have pushed into the playoff picture after winning seven of their last eight matches, but they’ve conceded in 10 of their last 11 league trips.

Lecce have lost seven of 11 away trips this season, including each of their last three on the road. Cagliari have a strong record against the sides below them, which includes a 2-1 win at Lecce earlier this season.

League leaders Troyes have lost four games on the spin, and they’ve won only three of 10 away trips this season. Creating chances has been a massive problem for the visitors of late, so back Bastia to take something from this game.

Girona have scored in five of their last six league games, and they lost 2-1 at Barca earlier this term. The visitors have won 10 of their last 12 games despite Atletico thumping them 4-0 on Thursday, but Barca have conceded in nine of their 12 La Liga trips this season.

Cambuur have to bounce back from a 3-1 loss at PSV Reserves, but they should improve against the bottom side in the Dutch second tier. Ajax Reserves were beaten 4-0 in their last game, while they lost the reverse fixture 4-1 at second-placed Cambuur. The visitors have scored three goals in three of five visits to bottom-half teams, and they can impress once again.

Utrecht Reserves have seen four goals scored in their last seven league matches, with each of their last three games finishing 2-2. Over 3.5 has landed in 69% of their home matches, while they host a Willem II side who have conceded 1.77 goals per away trip, shipping two goals in three of their last four on the road.

Middlesbrough have scored 16 times across their six-game winning streak, and they’ve netted at least twice in their last three away games. Coventry face a huge number of shots on target, and they have won four of their last 13 games, including 2-0 and 3-0 defeats to third-placed Ipswich.

Brentford are expected to rotate at the back, which offers a chance for Macclesfield to follow up their heroics against Crystal Palace. The home atmosphere helped them to score in each-half in the biggest ever cup shock, so back both teams to score for the third Brentford game in a row. However, the Bees scored five against League Two Grimsby earlier this term, while the recorded 4.55 xG at Sheffield Wednesday in the last round.

Lecce have lost seven of 11 away trips this season, including each of their last three on the road. Cagliari have a strong record against the sides below them, and they meet a Lecce side who have failed to score in five of their last seven league games.

Middlesbrough have scored 16 times across their six-game winning streak, and they’ve netted at least twice in their last three away games. Coventry face a huge number of shots on target, and they have won four of their last 13 games, including 2-0 and 3-0 defeats to third-placed Ipswich.

Rio Ave have suffered five defeats to nil across their last six games, with all five of those defeats coming by at least two clear goals. Moreirense are firmly in midtable, and they’ve won seven of eight clashes with the bottom seven. Struggling Rio Ave have lost nine games this term, and eight of those have come by a two-goal margin or greater.

Brentford are expected to rotate at the back, which offers a chance for Macclesfield to follow up their heroics against Crystal Palace. The home atmosphere helped them to score in each-half in the biggest ever cup shock, so back both teams to score for the third Brentford game in a row.

Lecce have lost seven of 11 away trips this season, including each of their last three on the road. Cagliari have a strong record against the sides below them, which includes a 2-1 win at Lecce earlier this season.

Middlesbrough have scored 16 times across their six-game winning streak, and they’ve netted at least twice in their last three away games. Coventry face a huge number of shots on target, and they have won four of their last 13 games, including 2-0 and 3-0 defeats to third-placed Ipswich.

Rio Ave have suffered five defeats to nil across their last six games, with all five of those defeats coming by at least two clear goals. Moreirense are firmly in midtable, and they’ve won seven of eight clashes with the bottom seven. Struggling Rio Ave have lost five home games this term, and they look set for another defeat.

Brentford are expected to rotate at the back, which offers a chance for Macclesfield to follow up their heroics against Crystal Palace. The home atmosphere helped them to score in each-half in the biggest ever cup shock, so back both teams to score for the third Brentford game in a row.

Real Sociedad B have only failed to score on two occasions at home this term, and they can trouble Malaga on Monday night. The visitors have pushed into the playoff picture after a brilliant run of form, but they’ve conceded in 10 of their last 11 league trips.

Middlesbrough have scored 16 times across their six-game winning streak, and they’ve netted at least twice in their last three away games. However, Boro have conceded in their last 10 away trips, while Coventry remain the league’s top scorers.

Girona have scored in five of their last six league games, and they lost 2-1 at Barca earlier this term. The visitors have won 10 of their last 12 games despite Atletico thumping them 4-0 on Thursday, but Barca have conceded in nine of their 12 La Liga trips this season.

Keane Lewis-Potter has scored against Sheffield Wednesday and Grimsby in cup action for Brentford. He’s set to play as a makeshift striker for the third time this season, having scored three times across his previous two games leading the line.

Conway has scored four goals across his last four games, including strikes in away wins at Stoke and Sheffield United.

Lewandowski was left out of the starting lineup in midweek, but the Polish striker can continue some fine form in his return to the fold. He’s found the net in four of his last five starts, including a strike against Mallorca in his last league outing.

Girona have scored in five of their last six league games, and they lost 2-1 at Barca earlier this term. The visitors have won 10 of their last 12 games despite Atletico thumping them 4-0 on Thursday, but Barca have conceded in nine of their 12 La Liga trips this season.

Middlesbrough’s impressive winning streak can continue against a Coventry side who have taken one point from the last nine available. Coventry have lost two of their last three games 2-1, while Boro have claimed four away wins by the same scoreline.

Barcelona have scored exactly three times in their last three league games, and the visitors should aim to lay down a marker following their heavy loss to Atletico Madrid.

Middlesbrough have scored 16 times across their six-game winning streak, and they’ve netted at least twice in their last three away games. Coventry face a huge number of shots on target, and they have won four of their last 13 games, including 2-0 and 3-0 defeats to third-placed Ipswich.

Stevenage claimed a key win over playoff rivals Huddersfield on Saturday, and they can follow that up with another three points against League One’s bottom side. The visitors have lost all but one of their visits to sides in the top half, and they’ve been beaten in eight of 14 away trips overall.

Mansfield are fresh from seeing off Premier League Burnley in the FA Cup and are unbeaten on their travels since November. Nigel Clough’s side will fancy their chances of winning at Blackpool, who have lost seven of their last nine.

Levante fell to their 13th defeat of the campaign on Sunday, and they meet third-placed Villarreal on Wednesday. The Yellow Submarine have won nine of their 10 meetings with sides in the bottom half.

Como have won only one of seven meetings with the top six, and they’ve already lost at home to Milan this term. The visitors have fallen short in visits to Inter and Roma, while the Rossoneri have put together a 10-game unbeaten run at home.

Inter Milan have won 11 of their last 13 games in all competitions, and Saturday’s 3-2 win over Juventus was their sixth victory on the spin. However, Bodo have scored in nine of their 10 Champions League games this term and they can find the back of the net again.

Dinamo Zagreb opened their Europa League campaign with two wins, but they barely made the knockouts after losing four of their final five matches. Genk have won their last four games, while they finished the League Phase with four wins from five.

Fiorentina won only two of seven away trips in last season’s Conference League campaign. This year, they lost half of their League Phase games. The hosts lost only one of their six games in the last round, and they could catch out a Fiorentina side who are also juggling a Serie A survival fight.

Raith have suffered five defeats in 12 home matches, which includes a 2-0 defeat to St Johnstone earlier this season. The visitors have won six of their seven visits to the league’s bottom five.

Borussia Dortmund have won six straight games in the Bundesliga, netting 18 times. RB Leipzig are winless against the top three, conceding 11 times across home and away defeats to Bayern. Leipzig have lost three of their last five home league games. 

Sunderland are winless at home to the league’s top six. However, outside of that, they’ve won seven of nine games at the Stadium of Light. With visitors Fulham losing four of their last five league games, along with all seven visits to sides above them in the table, side with the hosts. 

Liverpool look like the best value pick, with the Reds putting their struggles behind them with an eight-game unbeaten run. The Reds have the fourth-best Expected Goals record across the first six Champions League gameweeks, while they’ve recorded back-to-back 1-0 wins over Real Madrid and Inter Milan in Europe. Arne Slot’s side have a kind double-header in January, leaving them primed for a top-eight finish. With the Premier League coasting towards a fifth Champions League berth, the Reds should be in a good position to focus on European success in the spring.

Spain have some incredibly talented individuals, Lamine Yamal being the prime example, but are strong in all areas and don’t have any particular weaknesses. They won Euro 2024 with relative ease and they should be too good for their continental rivals at the World Cup. They also look a level above South American heavyweights Argentina and Brazil, suggesting they will be the team to beat at the World Cup this summer.