Three intriguing matchups stand out for bettors and fans alike. In the Championship, Sheffield United face Burnley in a heavyweight clash at the top of the table, pitting two of the league’s most defensively sound sides against each other in what promises to be a tightly contested battle.
Meanwhile, Derby County host West Brom, with both teams eager to maintain their scoring form and solidify their positions in the league standings.
Shifting to League Two, Salford take on Barrow in a fixture featuring two sides at opposite ends of recent form. A Barrow team desperately looking to reverse their dismal away record will test Salford's improving home performances.
This article dives into the stats, trends, and betting angles for each game, offering valuable insights to help you find the best value in the markets.
Sheffield Utd vs Burnley
Burnley head to Sheffield United for a top-of-the-table clash in the Championship. The Blades have been rock-solid at home, keeping nine consecutive clean sheets at Bramall Lane. Remarkably, they have conceded just two goals at home all season, both coming in the opening home fixture with a 2-2 draw against QPR.
Defensively, they have been exceptional, allowing only 0.57 xG per game at home. No side has conceded fewer shots on target, averaging just 1.8 per game, and they allow only 1.3 shots on target from inside the box per match at Bramall Lane.
Offensively, visiting teams have struggled to break through Sheffield United’s defence. Only two sides have managed to generate more than 1.0 xG against them (Sunderland with 1.36 xG and Plymouth with 1.6 xG). Even in those matches, the Blades conceded just four shots on target combined. No Championship team has managed more than three shots on target in a single game at Bramall Lane this season.
Burnley, meanwhile, boast an impressive away record W6-D3-L2. They have conceded only five goals across their 11 away matches, keeping clean sheets in six of them. Excluding their opening-day 4-1 win at Luton, Burnley’s away games have averaged just 1.3 total goals per 90 minutes.
On the road, they have been equally solid defensively, conceding just 0.68 xG, 2.3 shots on target, and 1.6 shots on target from inside the box per match. Offensively, they have scored two or more goals in only four of their away fixtures.
In the 21 matches that these two sides have played home and away this season, clean sheets have been a common theme, with 15 games ending with one side failing to score. Only four of those games (19%) have seen both teams find the net, which translates to implied odds of 1.23 for “both teams to score – no.” However, the current odds of 1.8 offer excellent value for this market.
- Best Bet: Both teams to score NO at 1.80 with Boylesports
Derby County vs West Brom
Derby County have been something of a surprise package this season. Despite many predicting an immediate return to League One, they have performed well, particularly at home, where they’ve recorded W5-D2-L3.
Impressively, Derby have scored in every home game this season, with both teams finding the net in five of their ten matches. They rank fifth for home xPTS and sixth for xG ratio, generating an average of 1.21 xG per home game. Over the last four fixtures, Derby are seventh for xPTS and boast the best xG ratio over the last eight games, averaging 1.03 xG while conceding just 0.47 xGA.
They now face a West Brom side that has been inconsistent but tough to beat on the road, with just three away losses all season. The Baggies have scored in nine of their 11 away games, with both teams finding the net in eight of those matches.
In fact, no Championship side has seen more games in which both teams scored on the road than West Brom this season. Overall, 59% of Derby’s games have seen both sides scoring, while 73% of West Brom’s away matches have ended the same way.
West Brom rank fourth for away xPTS in the Championship and are among the top five teams for shots on target. While this match might not turn into a wide-open affair, Derby’s strong home scoring record and West Brom’s attacking threat on the road suggest that both teams are likely to find the net once again.
- Best Bet: Both teams to score at 2.02 with VBet
Salford vs Barrow
Salford have been inconsistent this season, with a record of W8-D6-L6. However, they have shown improvement recently, losing just twice in their last 10 matches and winning three of their last four. At home, Salford have a respectable W6-D0-L4 record, conceding only nine goals.
Notably, four of those goals came against the league’s top two teams, Port Vale and Walsall. They rank 12th for home xPTS but seventh overall in League Two over the last eight fixtures. Defensively, Salford have been solid, conceding just 0.5 xGA per game over the past eight matches, the second-lowest in the division.
Their opponents, Barrow, started the season strongly, winning five of their opening seven matches and topping the League Two table. However, their form has drastically declined, with just two wins in their last 13 games, both of which came at home. On the road, Barrow’s record stands at W2-D2-L6, with their two victories coming before mid-September.
They have scored just five away goals all season, three of which were in their first three away games, leaving only two goals scored in their subsequent seven away fixtures.
Over their last eight matches, Barrow rank 20th for xPTS and 19th for non-penalty xG ratio, generating just 0.61 xG on average. Across the season, they have accumulated 11.21 expected points on the road, with 3.98 of those coming from their opening three matches. Since their last away win, Barrow have managed just 17 shots on target in total, averaging 2.4 shots on target per game.
While Salford may lack consistency, they should have enough quality to overcome a struggling Barrow side that is increasingly looking like a relegation contender.
- Best Bet: Salford -0.25AH at 2.05 with Bet365
Upcoming match previews and betting tips
- Next Premier League manager sacked odds: Odds cut on struggling Spurs boss
- Premier League winner odds and prediction: Potential title contenders slip up
- Premier League relegation odds and prediction: London club still a potential punt at 12/1
- Premier League top scorer odds and prediction: Liverpool star takes confident lead
- Boxing Day Goals Accumulator Tips: Leeds to march on in 4/1 Acca
- Ligue 1 top scorer odds and tips: PSG ace too big to ignore at 12/1
- Ligue 1 outright winner odds and prediction: Home comforts key for 6/4 Marseille
