Saturday 10th November

Back under 2.5 goals (4/5, Stanjames) in the Stoke/QPR game

Stoke are in fine form defensively at home, 10 of their last 12 matches have produced less than 2.5 goals and they have only conceded 1 goal in their last 4 matches.  The likes of Huth, Shawcross and Wilkinson have been playing together for many seasons and collectively they have created a tight unit at the back that’s hard to beat.  Stoke are 15th this season with 9 points from 10 games, the reason for their low league position is down to drawing too many games, they have 1 won, drawn 6 and lost 3, scoring 8 goals and conceding 10.

QPR are yet to win a game in the Premiership this season, they are 19th in the league with 0 wins, 4 draws and 6 loses, scoring 8 goals and conceding a hefty 19.  The Hoops have tightened up the defence in recent weeks with their last 3 matches against Arsenal, Everton and Reading all being under 2.5 goals.  Mark Hughes is starting to realise he can’t win games conceding so many goals, QPR have numerous attacking talent to choose from in their squad but less options at the back, that being said QPR are now playing a less open game and are concentrating on keeping games tight, not conceding goals and getting a bit of luck at the other end.

Expect tomorrow to be a tight affair, neither side will want to concede due to the lack of goals being scored by both at the other end, 16 between them in 20 games.

Back Coventry (21/20, William Hill) to beat Scunthorpe

Coventry have found life hard in League 1 since being relegated from the Championship, they are 19th in the table with 4 wins, 5 draws and 7 loses, scoring 18 goals and conceding 23.  Since the appointment of new manager Mark Robbins in mid September Coventry have vastly improved, losing only 3 of their last 11 games.  Coventry have won their last 3 matches in all competitions and beat League 1 high flyers Crawley Town 3.1 at home last weekend.  In striker David McGoldrick they have a forward capable of scoring on a regular basis, he has 9 goals to his name so far and will hopefully add to that tally on Saturday.

Scunthorpe have also struggled this season, they sit 3 positions below their opponents in 22nd with 3 wins, 5 draws and 8 loses, scoring 15 goals and conceding the most goals in the league, 28.  They went 8 games without a win before beating a Walsall team who hadn’t won in their last 9 fixtures, before the win last weekend they had lost their last 3 matches and conceded a total of 10 goals in doing so.

Expect a revitalised Coventry to extend their winning run on home soil.

Lay MK Dons (2.32, Betfair) to beat Sheffield United

MK Dons are 8th in the table with 26 points from 16 games with 7 wins, 5 draws and 4 loses.  They have a similar goal aggregate to today’s opponents having scored a lowly 19 goals but conceded only 11.  MK Dons have been very inconsistent this season but their home form remains rock solid with only 1 lose coming to inform Stevenage.  The Dons are in decent form of late winning 2 and drawing 1 in their last 3 fixtures, that being said Sheffield United are a class above the likes of Cambridge City, Scunthorpe and Leyton Orient and will be a tougher test for the home side tomorrow.

Sheffield United are 2nd in the League, 2 points behind first place Tranmere Rovers.  United have been the most consistent team in the league this season and along with Manchester City are the only unbeaten team in the football league thanks to 8 wins and 8 draws from 16 matches.  I have been a big follower of United this season, in my opinion they are the best team in League 1.  Utd are solid at the back, conceding the fewest goals in the League, they have consistently performed well this season and are in fine form of late, winning 5 of their last 6 matches, conceding only 2 goals and scoring 9.

I can’t see United unbeaten record ending tomorrow and the odds for laying MK Dons are very attractive.