Saturday Football Cheat Sheet: Best bets for Premier League, Championship and more

• Get the best bets for Premier League Saturday Matchday 8

• Includes tips for top flight TV games and 3pm kick-offs

• Plus tips for EFL, European leagues, football accas and bet builders

• Safe Sub is here for the 2025-26 season - read all about it!

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Premier League football tips and predicitions

12:30 - Nottingham Forest v Chelsea: Back Blues to pile pressure on Postecoglou

Max Liu: "Chelsea are without a clean sheet in the league since that win over Fulham but Forest have been underwhelming up front under their new under pressure manager. The Tricky Trees have failed to score in their last two league matches and have not found the net at home in the league since the opening weekend. 

Last season's go-to goal-getter Chris Wood is struggling under Postecoglou, even when the Aussie picks the New Zealander to start, and that has left the team looking blunt in attack. Although Chelsea need to improve in defence - they have conceded nine in their seven matches so far - Forest's problems up front, mean it is worth backing the Blues -1 goal on the Asian handicap at 23/10. 

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15:00 - Sunderland v Wolves: Back Alderete set piece success

Mark Stinchcombe: "An interesting angle in this match-up is from dead ball situations - 45% of Sunderland's non-penalty expected goals have come from set-pieces which is the highest in the league. While Wolves have conceded 37% of their non-penalty expected goals from set-pieces - the fourth highest in the league. So I'm looking at a Sunderland centre-back to take advantage of this mis-match.

"Omar Alderete is averaging 1.0 shots per-game in his six starts compared to centre-back partner Nordi Mukiele with just 0.4 so it's the former to score at 11/1. He's just 6/5 for two shots and 5/2 for a shot-on-target."

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15:00 - Crystal Palace v Bournemouth: Back another stalemate

Mark O'Haire: "Last season's meetings both ended goalless with xG tallies of 1.09 xG and 1.92 xG - the Big Chance count read zero and one, whilst the previous match-up between Palace and Bournemouth under the same management teams ended 1-0 with an xG total of 1.29 xG. It wouldn't be a major surprise to see something similar play-out at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

"With that in-mind, the Draw 3.50 stands-out - it's already landed in three of Palace's opening league outings, as well as four of their previous nine in front of their own supporters. Bournemouth have also shared the spoils in four of their past nine away days and a repeat therefore appeals as the outsider of the three Match Odds options."

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15:00 - Man City v Everton: Back Haaland to score first

Stephen Tudor: "It's been a largely positive couple of months for Everton but conceding 1.6 goals per 90 on the road is a slight concern. Here they come up against a City side that has averaged 16.7 shots and 3.5 big chances per 90 at the Etihad in 2025/26. Tarkowski and co will be fully tested throughout.

"This is especially true of the early exchanges, with the hosts developing a handy habit for converting inside 20 minutes. They have done so in six of their 10 contests across all comps this term. Unsurprisingly, Erling Haaland has played a prominent role in this, the Striking Viking well and truly on a mission this season, bagging a goal every 47.3 minutes for club and country. He has struck in eight matches in Blue, scoring first in six of them."

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15:00 - Burnley v Leeds: Back BTTS at Turf Moor

The Opta Stat:

"After beating Wolves 3-1 in September, Leeds United are looking to win consecutive Premier League away games for the first time since April 2022 under Jesse Marsch. The Whites have, however, kept just one clean sheet in their last 24 away games in the top-flight (51 goals conceded), doing so via a 0-0 draw at Newcastle in December 2022." 

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15:00 - Brighton v Newcastle: Alan Shearer's prediction

Alan Shearer: "This should be a good game. From my memory there's always goals here. I remember Evan Ferguson getting a hat-trick a couple of years ago. I'll go for a draw here."

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17:30 - Fulham v Arsenal: How to back Gunners at boosted odds of 6/5

Lewis Jones: "Arsenal are the most reliable team in the Premier League when it comes to getting the job done in controlled fashion. Naturally, the markets tend to side with goals and action happening but Arsenal aren't the team you want when it comes to traditional markets like both teams scoring and over 2.5 goals.

"That's why backing them to win matches along with the under 3.5 goals angle thrown into the mix at a juicier price is the smart way to boost Arsenal's outright win price here from 1/2 to 6/5.

"They dominate territory, limit chaos and once they get their noses in front, they manage games like a team with title-winning maturity. Across their last 18 wins in all competitions, 16 have landed for punters who have added the under 3.5 goal line into the equation."

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Football...Only Bettor. Listen to the Saturday preview

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EFL football tips and predictions

12:30 Championship - QPR v Millwall: Back the draw

Jack Critchley: "QPR have flown under the radar in the last few weeks, putting together a six-match unbeaten streak which includes creditable victories over Bristol City, Stoke and Charlton. Julian Stephan should be lauded for improving the R's defence, which had been unreliable for much of last season. They've been breached four times in their last six outings, and haven't conceded a second-half goal since September 13th. At the other end of the field, they have looked sharp, with Richard Kone's accuracy and strength being complemented by the intricacy of Harvey Vale and the energy of the much-improved Nicholas Madsen.

"Millwall have been a curious case so far this season. The Lions, renowned for their reliable performances at The Den, have excelled on the road and have struggled to replicate these displays in front of their own fans. Nevertheless, their thumping 3-0 victory over West Brom prior to the international break could represent a change of fortune for Alex Neil's men, and they have several players on the brink of returning to the XI following injury lay-offs. They should be competitive here."

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15:00 League 1 - Plymouth v AFC Wimbledon: Back the draw in 32/1 acca

Alan Dudman: "AFC Wimbledon have the look of a seriously good side. Twenty two points in fifth spot is reward for some outstanding defensive performances. They won four on the spin, beating Blackpool, Wycombe, Doncaster and Rotherham. A draw with Port Vale last Saturday saw AFC Wimbledon withstand a tremendous amount of pressure.

"Plymouth have scored just seven and conceded eight at Home Park. Last time out there, they drew 1-1 against Wigan, so a point is well within Wimbledon's grasp."

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European football tips and predictions

17:30 Bundesliga - Bayern Munich v Dortmund: Back Kane goals

Kevin Hatchard: "The current Bundesliga champions have one of the most turbocharged attacks in Europe. They have scored 25 goals in just six league games, and England captain Harry Kane has bashed in 11 of them. Michael Olise has been involved in five league goals, Serge Gnabry in six, and former Liverpool winger Luis Diaz has scored in five of his 10 competitive appearances.

"On the Betfair Sportsbook there's an OddsBoost for Kane to score two goals or more which takes the price to 3/1, and I think that's an attractive option. Kane has played 11 games for club and country this season, and incredibly he has scored multiple goals in eight of them. These are the kind of levels hit by Haaland, Mbappé and Lewandowski, and Kane is rightly viewed in that elite bracket of goalscorers."

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Now read Alan Shearer on Liverpool and Man Utd ahead of Sunday's Anfield clash

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