Friday Football Tips: Follow Anel angle that pays 4/1

• Ahmedhodzic carded in 22 games across last two seasons

• Ref Madley averaged five cards per game in 23/24 Championship

• Back Bet Builder double at around 4/15.00

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Preston v Sheffield United
Friday 9 August, 20:00
Live on Sky Sports+

Leg 1: Anel Ahmedhodzic to be shown a card

We all have our favourites, right? Well, Anel Ahmedhodzic is a player who's made me a decent bit in recent times and he's the man I'm turning to on the opening night of the 2024/25 EFL.

After a few weeks scratching around in the lesser-known competitions, hopefully greater familiarity can result in an upturn in fortunes and we certainly know Ahmedhodzic well.

He was mentioned on these pages plenty of times last season, often in relation to the shots markets.

The Bosnian tore up the Championship on that front in 2022/23, having a shot in his last 13 games of that campaign, and featured prominently in the shot stats last term too, a decent effort given the Blades had by far the fewest shots in the top flight.

He's set to be joined by Harry Souttar in the backline this season and the duo will offer a major set-piece threat.

Sadly, we don't have shot markets at time of writing but there's another way to back Ahmedhodzic and that is to pick up a card.

The 25-year-old received 12 in his previous season at this level - only three players picked up more - and he continued that in 2023/24 with 10 cards collected in 29 Premier League starts.

Leg 2: Over 4.5 cards

Those numbers helped push Sheffield United up to fourth in the cards table and here they face a side who finished top in the equivalent Championship standings.

The referee - always crucial in card bets - is Bobby Madley and that looks a decent appointment.

He produced 85 cards in his 17 Championship matches last term, an average of exactly five per game.

All things considered, Ahmedhodzic looks a decent price for a card at 13/53.60, while over 4.5 cards gets the nod too.

The double pays just over 4/15.00, hopefully a good way to kick off the new English season.

I can't go without mentioning visiting keeper Ivo Grbic, who is one for in-play punters to follow.

He's a king when it comes to time-wasting and his card price will be very much worth assessing should Sheffield United be leading in the second half at Deepdale.

Grbic moved to Bramall Lane in January and opportunities were restricted to 10 games, although he still picked up one card for time-wasting.

That followed two in 13 games for Atletico Madrid the previous season, while his 2021/22 campaign brought no fewer than six cards in 31 games for club and country.

Very few keepers will have nine cards in 54 appearances and with the vast majority for time-wasting, Grbic is certainly worth following, not just in this game but across the season as a whole.

For the record, the EFL said this week that a "robust approach" for time-wasting would continue, adding that "clear and deliberate actions that are impactful in delaying the restart of play" will see players cautioned.

24/25 Championship outrights: Read Mark O'Haire's preview!