Saturday League One Tips: Plymouth can pile on more misery for Manning

• Live game on Sky at the Valley previewed
• Our League One expert is backing another correct score
• Al Dudman previews the weekend's action in the third tier with eight selections

League One leaders should be too strong for MK

MK Dons v Plymouth Argyle
Saturday 15th October, kick-off 15:00

MK Dons have lost five of their last six league games (W1), losing each of their last three - they last lost four in a row in the Football League in November 2019 (run of five) according to Opta, and their form is a big worry going into what is essentially a crunch game for them on Saturday, and indeed Liam Manning.

Ten points from 12 games and a goals cupboard so bare makes them non-bet material, and they will be for a while. Their problem is obvious - they cannot score goals. They were awful on Tuesday night against Bristol Rovers losing 0-1 with barely a shot on target.

Facing top-of-the-table Plymouth is hardly one to instil any confidence to the MK faithful and the Greens have been very kind to us in recent weeks as their defence is so reliable - especially at home with just two conceded all season at Home Park. Indeed, they came up trumps last weekend for the column with a 1.774/5 win and a 3.02/1 success on the Bet Builder.

It has been a different story on the road with a F11 A11 record, but I am not too worried about that. After all, they have played all of the top seven teams and won all bar the 2-2 against Portsmouth. It's easy to see why the crowds have been at their highest in over 18 years.

Twenty-three year-old goalkeeper Mike Cooper has been linked with Aston Villa, and Steve Schumacher's belief in youngsters is reaping rewards. With seven clean sheets in 13 this term, it might be worth playing on markets with the Pilgrims to score and MK not to. The BTTS bet 'No' at 2.1211/10 is probably worth more than a second look. Correct Score options too at 2-0 and 3-0 are worth a couple of trades.

The Green have won six of their last seven and one of those included a fantastic comeback at Derby. This team have verve and spirit running through the side, and Saturday looks perfect for a counter-attacking win against a team that have the ball for long periods and do nothing with it. Playing the Bet Builder for this game, I would recommend the BTTS 'No and Plymouth win that pays 3.61261/100 on the Sportsbook as MK Dons have recorded poor xG and xA numbers at home this term with 0.82 and for and 1.57.

KEY OPTA STAT: Should Plymouth win this game, they would equal their best ever points tally after 14 games in a league campaign set in 1929-30 (34 pts - considering 3 pts for a win), a season in which they won the Division 3 South title.

Narrow victory on the cards for Burton

Burton Albion v Morecambe

Saturday 15th October, kick-off 15:00

There are some good games to look forward to this weekend, sadly at the Pirelli - bottom against second-from bottom is not one of them. What a shocker in store. Although a shocker doesn't mean there isn't a bet to be found.

Nearly 8k was traded on this game by Friday morning, and Burton were 1.768/11 - which is quite frankly a ludicrous price. There's enough liquidity to suggest they'll be around the 4/6 mark on Saturday, but I wouldn't be going anywhere near that.

Both can barely muster a win, just one each for Burton (home) and Morecambe (away). The hosts have an xG for the season at home of 1.37 and against 1.50. While Morecambe's is far more dismal with an appalling 0.90 xG and xA of 2.02 and haven't kept a clean sheet in any away game so far.

Derek Adams achieved a bit of success with Plymouth, but his job at Morecambe has been tough since February, and news the owners have put the club up for sale hardly assuages any fears on that front.

Burton could potentially improve, and at least their defence has been tighter in the last two games following some comedic defending on the scale of Buster Keaton slapstick. Their last two matches have been 0-1 and 1-1, and I would rather have a go at Burton 1-0 for a bet than to get involved at odds-on for the outright, as they have picked up seven points from their last five league games (W2 D1 L2), as many as in their previous 16 league games (W1 D4 L11), although the Brewers have lost six of their last seven home league games (W1).

KEY OPTA STAT: Burton Albion have won five of their seven home Football League matches against Morecambe (L2), including a 3-2 win last season.

Go with Correct Score punt on Monday night

Charlton Athletic v Portsmouth
Monday 17th October, kick-off 20:00
Live on Sky Sports Football

Sky have chosen a decent game for Monday night at the Valley and any game with the Pompey faithful in town will make it a good atmosphere. The price of Pompey at 13/8 on the Sportsbook is about right for me, and this really ought to be a game they should see as a winnable.

Charlton draw too many games (three at home and three away) although they did produce an emphatic 4-2 home win against Exeter on Tuesday night with four different goalscorers. However, five 1-1s this term already has me thinking of the possibility of another.

Since a run of six successive league wins, Portsmouth are winless in their last three (D2 L1) and could lose successive league fixtures on the road for the first time since February. It was a barnstorming start to the season, better than any for a club starved of success, but it isn't all doom and gloom as their only defeat of the season was a 3-2 away at Ipswich. They also held Sheffield Wednesday 3-3 on the opening day of the season.

Anytime Scorer Bets could be popular as I see both scoring here; and I like Colby Bishop, as not only is he the penalty taker, he fits well into the system and his partner Dane Scarlett (on loan from Spurs) can drag defenders out of position with his pace.

Bishop has eight in 12 this term and I might even chance him on the First Goalscorer option on the Sportsbook as Danny Cowley's team have scored in every away game this season. Portsmouth have won eight of the 10 league meetings between Charlton and themselves, with three of those seeing Pompey win at the Valley (2006, 2017 and 2021).

The Bishop To Score First and BTTS 'Yes' Bet Builder pays around 9.08/1, and that's one we'll take. THE BTTS 'Yes' has landed five out of six for the Addicks so far at the Valley too.

KEY OPAT STAT: Charlton are unbeaten in their first six home league games this season (W3 D3), they last avoided defeat through seven home games in a Football League campaign in 2014-15 in the Championship (W4 D3).