Leeds have avoided defeat in seven of their last eight away Premier League games while Forest have failed to win 10 of their last 11 home league matches. The Whites have looked very strong in pre-season, while Forest have looked like a work in progress.

West Ham boast arguably the best attack in the Championship and they should have too much firepower for Charlton. However, the Addicks have themselves netted five goals across their opening two games and can breach a Hammers defence lacking in clean sheets.

Wimbledon have lost five of their last six home league games and it’s now six games since they last won at home in League One. Reading let a two-goal lead slip to lose 4-3 to Luton in their last League One game and a similar level of performance should be enough for three points at Wimbledon. With no team having more games in League One where BTTS was a winner than Reading last season, back the Royals to win and concede.

Swansea have lost just one of their last eight Championship games and have only been beaten twice at home since last November. The Swans should have too much for a Sheffield United team dealing with off-field issues.

Rotherham lost 2-1 at Cheltenham last weekend, but underlying numbers suggested they were unlucky to take all three points, as they generated 2.2 xG in that defeat. They host a York side that edged out Bristol Rovers 3-2, but the newly-promoted visitors now face a difficult trip to a side that played in the third tier last season.

Both teams scored in both league meetings between these sides last season and goals at both ends could be on the cards again. Bilbao conceded in their final six games last season and only failed to score in one of their last eight. They have also conceded four goals in total across their last two friendlies. Sevilla have just one clean sheet in their last 14 competitive games, but they have scored in their last five games including pre-season outings and they look sharp when beating Rayo last week.

Viking have won all seven of their home games this season, scoring 25 times, but they’ve kept only two clean sheets across those matches. Second-bottom Aalesund have seen BTTS land in 15 of 17 league games, including each of their last 10.

Como are reaping the benefits of their data-led approach and Cesc Fabregas’ impressive side can get the new campaign off to a winning start at Udinese.

Celta did the league double over Valencia last season and have a strong record against their hosts going back further, with four wins and just one defeat in the last seven meetings. The visitors were the third best travellers in La Liga last term, behind only Barcelona and Real Madrid, and they can raid the Mestalla against a Valencia side who haven’t particularly strengthened over the summer.

Der Klassiker games tend to be high-scoring affairs as over 3.5 goals has been a winning bet in 11 of the last 14 head-to-head meetings. Dortmund’s last two pre-season games have both produced at least four goals, as have Bayern’s, and we could be set for a high-scoring clash at the Westfalenstadion on Saturday.

Manchester United will hope to build on last season’s third-place finish in the Premier League, but the Red Devils conceded 50 goals in 38 top-flight matches last term and they may struggle to keep promoted Hull at bay.

Both teams have scored in five of Sunderland’s last six away Premier League games and four of Ipswich’s last five home league contests. Additionally, both teams have scored in the last two head-to-head meetings of the clubs.

Everton have enjoyed a settled summer, while also adding some depth and quality to their squad. The Toffees are fancied to see off a Crystal Palace side, who have plenty to prove with Oliver Glasner no longer in charge.

Leeds have avoided defeat in seven of their last eight away Premier League games while Forest have failed to win 10 of their last 11 home league matches. The Whites have looked very strong in pre-season, while Forest have looked like a work in progress.

Brentford drew five of their final seven home league games in 2025-26 while Tottenham failed to win eight of their final 10 away league games, drawing three. Five of the last six meetings of these clubs in west London have finished all square, while Spurs could need time to bed in all their new signings.

Birmingham beat Bristol City 2-1 at St. Andrew’s last season and they had the fourth best home form in the Championship, suffering just three defeats in 23 outings. The Robins have lost their opening two games of the season to nil and may take time under new management to find their groove.

Lincoln showed more than enough in a narrow defeat at Middlesbrough to suggest they can see off Portsmouth at Sincil Bank. The promoted Imps have already showed they can take down second-tier sides, winning 2-1 at Derby in the EFL Cup, while Pompey have opened the campaign with 3-1 defeats to West Ham and QPR.

Both teams have scored in eight of Norwich’s last nine competitive matches while the net has bulged at both ends in six of their last seven rivalries with Millwall. Both teams have the ability to create goalscoring chances freely and this should be entertaining.

Barnsley are the best bet to win away at Doncaster in Saturday’s South Yorkshire derby. Barnsley dominated possession in their 1-0 defeat to Bromley last weekend, having 66.8% of the ball, and will have been frustrated to lose. The home side look frail defensively. Doncaster have failed to keep a clean sheet in seven of their last eight League One games, and have gone six of their last eight matches without a shutout on home turf.

Bristol Rovers have won nine of their last ten League Two home games and lost just one in their last ten at home, while Newport have lost three of their last four away games.

Joe: Preston could be in for a long season in the Championship if their opener against Bolton is anything to go by. North End were comfortably seen off by the newly promoted side, leaking seven shots on target in a 2-1 defeat. Wolves may not have been at their most impressive in their 2-2 draw with Blackburn last time out but their sheer quality should see them get the better of Preston.

Gareth: Ceuta finished comfortably in mid-table last year after winning promotion, but last week’s 5-1 hammering at Andorra in the first round of fixtures suggests they could become victims of the dreaded second-season syndrome. The visitors won 4-0 when these sides met in a reverse fixture in March last season and can make it two wins in as many games for the campaign.

Henry: Middlesbrough hit 23 efforts on goal, had 40 touches in the opposition box and recorded 76 per cent possession in their 2-1 victory over Lincoln. While that excellent performance came at the Riverside, Blackburn do not rate as much of a step up from Lincoln.

James: Lyon were in Champions League action on Tuesday, drawing 1-1 against Fenerbahce in Istanbul, and the return leg of that qualifier on Wednesday takes precedence over this domestic opener. Toulouse completed the double over Lyon last season, winning both meetings 2-1, and the fact that all of the hosts’ focus will be on this clash suggests they may have the edge again.

Enda: Birmingham put in a solid shift at Bramall Lane in last weekend’s stalemate with Sheffield United and the Blues can collect three points on their first St Andrew’s outing of the term. The Blues were 2-1 winners when the sides met here in April and there are promising early season signs from winger Carlos Vicente and striker August Priske – both January signings – that they are ready to make a telling contribution this season.

Aaron: Viking have won all seven of their home games this season, scoring 25 times, but they’ve kept only two clean sheets across those matches. Second-bottom Aalesund have seen BTTS land in 15 of 17 league games, including each of their last 10.

Everton have enjoyed a settled summer, while also adding some depth and quality to their squad. The Toffees are fancied to see off a Crystal Palace side, who have plenty to prove with Oliver Glasner no longer in charge.

QPR built on an impressive batch of preseason results by winning 3-1 at Portsmouth last weekend, and they won seven of nine home meetings with sides that finished below them last term. Bolton struggled on the road in League One, and they should fall to a defeat here.

Stockport should be backed to get a home win over Blackpool on Saturday. Stockport secured a commanding 3-1 victory away at Plymouth in their last League One game. Stockport have won three of their last four League One matches and are aiming for a third straight success across all comps.

Rotherham lost 2-1 at Cheltenham last weekend, but underlying numbers suggested they were unlucky to take all three points, as they generated 2.2 xG in that defeat. They host a York side that edged out Bristol Rovers 3-2, but the newly-promoted visitors now face a difficult trip to a side that played in the third tier last season.

AZ Alkmaar have claimed two wins from two since beating PSV 4-0 in the Dutch Super Cup. They’ve built on some stellar preseason form to make a fast start, and they can continue that with three points at Fortuna Sittard, having won 15 of the previous 18 meetings between the pair.

Dundee won at Dundee United in January, and the hosts come into this contest following 4-0 defeats to each of Celtic and Hearts.

Como are reaping the benefits of their data-led approach and Cesc Fabregas’ impressive side can get the new campaign off to a winning start at Udinese.

Charleroi have claimed two wins from two in the league this season, and they can continue that fine record with three points against a winless Mechelen side, with the visitors conceding five times across their opening two matches.

Troyes will be full of momentum after winning Ligue 2 but the wind is likely to be taken out of their sails by big-spending Paris FC. The Parisians have added real quality to the squad and new manager Liam Rosenior enjoyed great success during his last Ligue 1 stint with Strasbourg.

Real Madrid have won six of their last seven games against Espanyol and should be able to get their La Liga season off to a perfect start under Jose Mourinho.

Everton have enjoyed a settled summer, while also adding some depth and quality to their squad. The Toffees are fancied to see off a Crystal Palace side, who have plenty to prove with Oliver Glasner no longer in charge.

Everton have enjoyed a settled summer, while also adding some depth and quality to their squad. The Toffees are fancied to see off a Crystal Palace side, who have plenty to prove with Oliver Glasner no longer in charge.

Leeds have avoided defeat in seven of their last eight away Premier League games while Forest have failed to win 10 of their last 11 home league matches. The Whites have looked very strong in pre-season, while Forest have looked like a work in progress.

QPR built on an impressive batch of preseason results by winning 3-1 at Portsmouth last weekend, and they won seven of nine home meetings with sides that finished below them last term. Bolton struggled on the road in League One, and they should fall to a defeat here.

Stockport should be backed to get a home win over Blackpool on Saturday. Stockport secured a commanding 3-1 victory away at Plymouth in their last League One game. Stockport have won three of their last four League One matches and are aiming for a third straight success across all comps.

Preston’s defensive record last season was poor, conceding 62 goals overall. Only seven teams let in more home goals, and they found themselves 2-0 down within 25 minutes last weekend at Bolton. Wolves have quality in the attacking third, and they can build on last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Blackburn.

The Racecourse Ground provided plenty of entertainment last season, with six of Wrexham’s final eight home matches of 2025-26 featuring at least three goals. Watford conceded 12 in their final three matches of last season, but they scored twice against Southampton in their league opener and can contribute to an entertaining game.

Blackburn won 2-1 at Burton in their EFL Cup clash before sharing the spoils in a 2-2 draw with Wolves in their Championship curtain-raiser and they can play their part in another high-scoring affair. Boro look promotion candidates but they were tested in a 2-1 win at home to newly-promoted Lincoln last Saturday.

Der Klassiker games tend to be high-scoring affairs as over 3.5 goals has been a winning bet in 11 of the last 14 head-to-head meetings. Dortmund’s last two pre-season games have both produced at least four goals, as have Bayern’s, and we could be set for a high-scoring clash at the Westfalenstadion on Saturday.

Both teams have scored in five of Sunderland’s last six away Premier League games and four of Ipswich’s last five home league contests. Additionally, both teams have scored in the last two head-to-head meetings of the clubs.

Derby have made a slow start to the season thanks to back-to-back 2-1 defeats, but the Rams managed to find the net in 22 of their 23 home matches last term. Cardiff followed a 3-2 win over Swindon with a 1-1 draw against Wrexham, and more goals should be on the cards here.

Back both teams to get on the scoresheet in Saturday’s League One clash between Wycombe and Plymouth at Adams Park. Both teams have been struggling defensively. Wycombe have failed to keep a clean sheet in five of their last seven League One home games, while Plymouth have gone three games without a shutout on the road.

Both teams scored in both league meetings between these sides last season and goals at both ends could be on the cards again. Bilbao conceded in their final six games last season and only failed to score in one of their last eight. They have also conceded four goals in total across their last two friendlies. Sevilla have just one clean sheet in their last 14 competitive games, but they have scored in their last five games including pre-season outings and they look sharp when beating Rayo last week.

West Ham boast arguably the best attack in the Championship and they should have too much firepower for Charlton. However, the Addicks have themselves netted five goals across their opening two games and can breach a Hammers defence lacking in clean sheets.

Viking have won all seven of their home games this season, scoring 25 times, but they’ve kept only two clean sheets across those matches. Second-bottom Aalesund have seen BTTS land in 15 of 17 league games, including each of their last 10.

Sporting have conceded twice in each of their two league matches this term. They were 4-1 winners when these two sides met in March, and Alverca scored twice in a draw with Estrela in their last game. Back them to get on the scoresheet in defeat in the capital.

Brian Brobbey has been back to his menacing best in pre-season, scoring in the Black Cats’ 2-1 win over Rennes last weekend. The Dutchman scored in four of his final eight away league games for Sunderland last season and looks the visitors’ most likely threat here.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has looked sharp in pre-season, scoring twice against Liverpool and once against RB Leipzig. He scored and hit the crossbar from crosses against Forest in February and is now an added threat from Ethan Ampadu’s long throws and long kicks from goalkeeper James Trafford.

Igor Thiago scored 22 goals in 38 Premier League appearances last season. He bagged a brace against Eintracht Frankfurt in a recent friendly and looks a better bet to score than Richarlison.

Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy finished with 17 goals in the Bundesliga last season and was on target against Roma at the weekend in a friendly, he stands out as a contender for an anytime effort.

Brentford drew five of their final seven home league games in 2025-26 while Tottenham failed to win eight of their final 10 away league games, drawing three. Five of the last six meetings of these clubs in west London have finished all square. Both teams look capable of scoring but Tottenham have tightened up defensively, so a 1-1 draw appeals.

Dortmund haven’t beaten Bayern at home since 2019 but Saturday’s Supercup offers a chance to end that streak. Key Bayern trio Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano have only just returned after extended post-World Cup breaks and BVB look a little further ahead in their prep work. Bayern have scored at least twice in their last five friendly games, however, so BVB may need to hit three to win and a 3-2 win for Dortmund has a chance here.

Der Klassiker games tend to be high-scoring affairs as over 3.5 goals has been a winning bet in 11 of the last 14 head-to-head meetings. Dortmund’s last two pre-season games have both produced at least four goals, as have Bayern’s, and we could be set for a high-scoring clash at the Westfalenstadion on Saturday.

Cagliari could progress from last season, while Parma may be heading in the opposite direction. The Islanders are unbeaten in their last 12 games against the Crusaders and they look capable of winning on their travels.

Troyes will be full of momentum after winning Ligue 2 but the wind is likely to be taken out of their sails by big-spending Paris FC. The Parisians have added real quality to the squad and new manager Liam Rosenior enjoyed great success during his last Ligue 1 stint with Strasbourg.

Sporting have conceded twice in each of their first two league matches, beating Guimaraes 3-2 and drawing 2-2 with Estrela. Alverca also played out a 2-2 draw with Estrela last weekend, while Sporting had a high-scoring preseason run which saw them put four goals past Nottingham Forest and seven by Strasbourg.

Barcelona have won back-to-back La Liga titles and netted 95 times last season, and the return of Jose Mourinho to Real Madrid is unlikely to stop the Catalans from clinching a third successive title.

Mourinho has not won a league title since 2015 and there is almost certain to be friction among the big egos at the Bernabeu, especially with the Special One at the helm.

Arsenal landed a long-awaited Premier League title last season and have improved with the additions of Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis over the summer.

The main reason for their favouritism, however, is what is going on at their rivals.

Manchester City begin life without Pep Guardiola and both Chelsea and Liverpool have new managers to bed in, while Manchester United are still relatively unproven under Michael Carrick.

The Scudetto has not been successfully defended since 2020, but Inter can break that streak despite an upheaval at the back.

John Stones and Manuel Akanji arrive to compensate for the losses of Denzel Dumfries, Stefan de Vrij and Stefan de Vrij and, while the Nerazzurri may look weaker overall, many of their rivals have also taken a step backwards.

Napoli have an ageing squad and will have to do without Antonio Conte, while AC Milan have given Ruben Amorim a chance in the dugout and Juventus are still playing catch-up after a terrible period of recruitment.

Like Bayern Munich, PSG look almost untouchable at the top of Ligue 1 and, while Lens were last season’s surprise package, a host of departures bring the other Ligue 1 teams into play.

While other teams have suffered summer losses, sixth-place finishers Rennes have taken strides forward after cashing in on Jeremy Jacquet and boast last season’s top scorer in Esteban Lepaul.

It is hard to see anybody topping a rampant Bayern Munich, but Borussia Dortmund are the best chance of challenging the Bavarians after finishing second last season.

They have kept the majority of their squad together and added a host of exciting youngsters to their books, while last season’s third-place finishers, RB Leipzig, have lost Yan Diomande.

Bayer Leverkusen are unproven after the appointment of their third manager in the past year, while Stuttgart are unlikely to be able to bridge last season’s 11-point gap to Dortmund.

Dunkerque have scored seven and conceded five across just two games so far and another clash with goals at both ends is expected when they host Montpellier. The visitors are on an 11-game scoring streak including pre-season and have conceded in eight of those.

Both teams have scored in both of Maastricht’s games this season, while Volendam have scored five and conceded three across their two games.

Both teams have scored in all four games involving one of these sides this season and there have been goals at both ends in each of the last three meetings.

Girona dropped down from La Liga last season and were held to a 1-1 draw by Leganes at home in their season opener last weekend. The Catalan club were unlucky to be denied a win but can get their first three points at Cordoba as they bid to bounce back at the first attempt. The hosts finished in mid-table last season and should struggle against a side who are likely to challenge for promotion.

Betis finished 14 points ahead of Real Sociedad last season and were generally strong at home. La Real struggled on their travels, winning just three of their 19 trips, and ended the campaign with a seven-game winless run after lifting the Copa del Rey. Betis have enjoyed a productive pre-season and look well placed to begin the new La Liga campaign with a victory. Both teams scored in both meetings between these two sides last season and in nine of Betis’ last 10 games. Sociedad scored on average over a goal per game on the road in the league last season. 

Only Lens and Paris Saint-Germain picked up more points at home in Ligue 1 last season than Marseille. Strasbourg have struggled to adapt to Hugo Oliveira’s methods so far since he took charge and they failed to score in four of their seven friendlies, so L’OM can pick up a win and a clean sheet. 

Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield and look capable of seeing off Coventry with plenty of room to spare. The Gunners are a settled unit who have made minor improvements over the summer, while this is a new-look Coventry side who could need a few weeks to gel. The Sky Blues should be competitive in the top flight but this may be the wrong time for them to take on the league champions away and Arsenal can lay down an early marker by covering a -2 handicap.

Over 3.5 goals has landed in both of Standard Liege’s games this season and that pattern could continue against RAAL La Louviere, who suffered a pair of 2-1 defeats so far. The visitors have conceded more than once in five of their last six games stretching back to last season, and these sides could serve up an entertaining clash and combine for at least four goals.

Over 3.5 goals has landed in both of Standard Liege’s games this season and that pattern could continue against RAAL La Louviere, who suffered a pair of 2-1 defeats so far. The visitors have conceded more than once in five of their last six games stretching back to last season, and these sides could serve up an entertaining clash and combine for at least four goals.

Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield and look capable of scoring multiple goals against Coventry. After beating City 3-0 in the Community Shield, Arsenal can at least match that three goal haul against the Sky Blues.

Bohs’ games average 2.7 goals per game and Derry’s figure in that statistic is slightly higher at 2.8. Both teams have scored in four of the last five meetings and both of these teams can contribute for a game with over 2.5 goals.

Betis finished 14 points ahead of Real Sociedad last season and were generally strong at home. La Real struggled on their travels, winning just three of their 19 trips, and ended the campaign with a seven-game winless run after lifting the Copa del Rey. Betis have enjoyed a productive pre-season and look well placed to begin the new La Liga campaign with a victory.

Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield and look capable of seeing off Coventry with plenty of room to spare. The Gunners are a settled unit who have made minor improvements over the summer, while this is a new-look Coventry side who could need a few weeks to gel. The Sky Blues should be competitive in the top flight but this may be the wrong time for them to take on the league champions away and Arsenal can lay down an early marker by covering a -2 handicap.

Waterford have put together an impressive run to move out of the drop zone and they can boost their survival chances further with a win at rock bottom Sligo. Waterford have four wins and two draws in their last six league games, while the hosts are winless in nine in the league – losing six of those games.

Only Lens and Paris Saint-Germain picked up more points at home in Ligue 1 last season than Marseille and they should be able to outclass a Strasbourg side that have struggled in pre-season.

Girona dropped down from La Liga last season and were held to a 1-1 draw by Leganes at home in their season opener last weekend. The Catalan club were unlucky to be denied a win but can get their first three points at Cordoba as they bid to bounce back at the first attempt. The hosts finished in mid-table last season and should struggle against a side who are likely to challenge for promotion, but Cordoba did strike twice in defeat last week and have scored in six successive competitive home games so they can deny Girona a clean sheet.

Betis finished 14 points ahead of Real Sociedad last season and were generally strong at home. La Real struggled on their travels, winning just three of their 19 trips, and ended the campaign with a seven-game winless run after lifting the Copa del Rey. Betis have enjoyed a productive pre-season and look well placed to begin the new La Liga campaign with a victory. Both teams scored in both meetings between these two sides last season and in nine of Betis’ last 10 games. Sociedad scored on average over a goal per game on the road in the league last season. 

Pablo Fornals had nine goals and six assists in La Liga last season. The midfielder scored in the Heliopolitanos’ final two home games last term and has a couple of strikes to his name in pre-season, he is a contender to get on the scoresheet on Friday.

Kai Havertz had a reasonable World Cup with three goals in four games for Germany and he’s been scoring in the summer for Arsenal with two in five, including an effort in the Community Shield. After an injury-hit campaign in 2025-26, he can hit the ground running with a goal against Coventry.

Tom Lonergan has been a key factor in Waterford’s revival with six goals in his last six league games, as well as providing two assists. The 22-year-old has 14 goals in 25 games in this competition and 11 of those have come in his last 14 games, the visiting forward looks a good contender to get on the scoresheet on Friday.

Betis finished 14 points ahead of Real Sociedad last season and were generally strong at home. La Real struggled on their travels, winning just three of their 19 trips, and ended the campaign with a seven-game winless run after lifting the Copa del Rey. Betis have enjoyed a productive pre-season and look well placed to begin the new La Liga campaign with a victory. Both teams scored in both meetings between these two sides last season and in nine of Betis’ last 10 games. Sociedad scored on average over a goal per game on the road in the league last season. That suggests goals at both ends could be on the cards and a 3-1 Betis win has a chance, in what would be a repeat result of the corresponding fixture last season.

Arsenal weren’t particularly heavy scorers last season on their way to winning the league but they may be more ruthless up front this term. After beating Man City 3-0 in the Community Shield, Arsenal can go one better and record a 4-0 success against Coventry. 

Betis finished 14 points ahead of Real Sociedad last season and were generally strong at home. La Real struggled on their travels, winning just three of their 19 trips, and ended the campaign with a seven-game winless run after lifting the Copa del Rey. Betis have enjoyed a productive pre-season and look well placed to begin the new La Liga campaign with a victory.