Walsall vs Hartlepool Predictions

These two sides finished 2021/22 with an identical 54 point return as they stumbled to respective bottom-half finishes, though it is Walsall that look better prepared to improve their position this time around with their new wealthy American owners overseeing the operation.

Walsall may field a completely new look XI after making wholesale changes over the summer, meaning that their questionable form towards the back end of last season may not be relevant ahead of the new campaign.

While Hartlepool impressed in spells of the 2021/22 campaign, drama behind the scenes and a rotten nine-game winless run to end the season hardly inspires confidence about their chances this time around.

We’re backing Walsall to win their first game under new ownership, albeit by a slender 2-1 margin.