EFL Betting Tips: Can Leeds get their first win of the season at the Hawthorns?

After a chaotic first week of EFL action, Matthew O’Regan is back for another EFL tipsheet. This article previews the three Championship TV games, as well as two stand-out win prices from Leagues One and Two. 

Coventry vs Oxford

Friday 16th August
Kick Off: 20:00
Live On Sky Sports

Coventry were tipped by many as dark horses for promotion but started the season with a 1-0 loss at Stoke in a dismal performance. The Sky Blues only mustered eight shots in a stale performance, so Mark Robins will be desperate for a reaction. 

Oxford United shocked Norwich by defeating them 2-0 in the U’s first Championship game in 25 years. Boyhood fan Des Buckingham was pleased with his sides display but now faces a sterner test as they travel to the Ricoh Arena. 

Coventry have enjoyed a strong summer of recruitment, adding talent to an already strong squad. The continuity of the club, off the pitch and on the pitch puts them in good stead for the season ahead. 

Oxford gained promotion through the playoffs, surprising both Peterborough and Bolton to join Derby and Portsmouth in the Championship. However, Buckingham’s side ranked only eighth in League One for expected points. 

While they should have enough to survive in the league, Championship away days may take some adapting, so Coventry looks good value to kick start their season. 

Prediction: Coventry -1 Asian Handicap @ 2.06

West Brom vs Leeds

Saturday 17th August
Kick Off: 12:30
Live On Sky Sports

Saturday’s early Championship fixture sees Carlos Corberan face his former side in Leeds. 

Despite a summer of financial uncertainty, the Baggies started their season with an emphatic 3-1 win at Loftus Road against QPR thanks to a Josh Maja hat trick. There was a lot of concern surrounding West Brom’s summer business, with Brandon Thomas-Asante (Coventry), Conor Townsend (Ipswich) Okay Yokuslu (Trabzonspor) and player of the season Cedric Kipre (Stade Reims) all being sold.

However, as always, the Baggies looked strong in the opener and will fancy their chances at home to a Leeds team who look vulnerable. 

Leeds drew 3-3 to newly promoted Portsmouth in a blockbuster opening match, before a humbling 0-3 EFL Cup loss at home to Middlesbrough. Elland Road was a fortress for the Whites last season, as only Ipswich picked up more points at home than Leeds’ 53.

West Brom were also very strong at home, accumulating 49 points at the Hawthorns and they will be looking to start their season with consecutive wins. Daniel Farke’s side are in disarray at the moment, with their best three players, Archie Gray, Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville all departing. The latter duo had 49 Championship goal contributions between them last season, so Leeds have lost their main two threats. 

The duo also won a lot of fouls, combining for 4.68 fouls won per 90. This led to the opposition attracting a lot of yellow cards – a statistic we should see decrease this year. Of Leeds’ last 20 games, 12 have seen under 5.5 cards, with 18 of West Brom’s last 20 games seeing under 5.5 cards. 

Refereeing this encounter Sam Allison, who averaged 3.67 cards per game last season. In his last 35 games, Allison has shown under 5.5 cards 31 times. 

Prediction: West Brom +0.5 Asian Handicap and under 5.5 cards @ 1.92

Sunderland vs Sheffield Wednesday

Sunday 18th August
Kick Off: 12:00
Live On Sky Sports

The final Championship fixture of the weekend comes from the Stadium of Light as Sunderland host Sheffield Wednesday. Both sides started their season with commanding wins and a clean sheet, so an intriguing encounter is in store. 

While Plymouth were shambolic in their 4-0 defeat at Hillsborough, The Owls deserve credit for their performance. It was entertaining, high-octane and extremely efficient. Wingers Djeidi Gassama and Anthony Musaba in particular impressed, with the duos’ pace and trickery causing issues for the Argyle backline. 

Gassama had an inconsistent first season in England. The 20-year-old registered six goal contributions in 35 Championship appearances and will look to push on this season. 

Perhaps his greatest attribute is his ability on the ball, completing 2.84 successful dribbles per 90 last season, and winning 2.90 fouls in the same time frame. This continued last week, winning two fouls. 

His direct opponent on Sunday will be Trai Hume. The Northern Ireland international is a tough-tackling fullback. In the opener against Cardiff, Hume was booked for a bad foul against left back Callum O’Dowda. 

Last season, Hume was booked 12 times and sent off once, averaging 0.27 yellows per 90. Up against the foul-winning machine Djeidi Gassama, he looks a tempting price to be booked yet again. 

Prediction: Trai Hume to be booked @ 4.60

Huddersfield vs Stevenage

Saturday 17th August
Kick Off: 15:00

Bar the 2021/2022 season in which they came third, Huddersfield had been languishing near the Championship relegation zone every season since their relegation from the Premier League in 2019. Last season, their fate was sealed as they were relegated back to League One for the first time in 12 years. 

The summer window consisted of clearing deadwood, with as many as nine players departing, and adding quality to an already healthy-looking League One squad. Their summer signings thus far, coupled with the appointment of an excellent manager in Michael Duff gives the Terriers a real chance at an instant bounce-back to the Championship. 

Their opening game of the season saw them beat promotion candidates Peterborough 0-2 in an extremely proficient performance, in which they restricted Posh to just eight shots to their 17. 

Against the odds, Stevenage finished ninth in their return to League One. This was not enough for Steve Evans to stay at the LAMEX, with the controversial figure re-joining Rotherham with the hopes of securing a tenth promotion in a hugely successful career. 

Alex Revell was promoted from within to be the new manager, and he started his reign as permanent Stevenage manager with a 1-0 win against Shrewsbury. Boro dominated this match from the off and the 1-0 scoreline flattered the visitors. 

This was followed up by a closely fought 4-3 away defeat to Championship side Norwich in the EFL Cup. 

This defeat made it nine away games in a row without victory for Stevenage – a run stretching back to the 27th of January. A trip to a well-fancied Huddersfield is not ideal for a side on as barren a run as Stevenage currently are away from home. 

Prediction: Huddersfield to win @ 1.71

Newport County vs Doncaster Rovers

Saturday 17th August
Kick Off: 15:00

Two clubs in hugely contrasting form meet at Rodney Parade as an out-of-sorts Newport County host a Doncaster Rovers side who are flying.

Newport County are a club in disarray. An opening day 3-2 defeat to Cheltenham was followed up by a 4-1 hammering at Leyton Orient. Nelson Jardim, who was initially appointed as interim manager, was given the permanent job a few weeks later – a sign of a club without a plan.

Will Evans was also sold this summer to Mansfield after 25 goals in all competitions last summer. The Exiles are the current fourth favourites for relegation and need a lot of work in the transfer window to have a chance of staying up. They have now lost ten competitive games in a row – a run dating back to the 16th of March.

Doncaster on the other hand are the second favourite for the League Two title and started their season with an emphatic 4-1 win over Accrington Stanley. Rovers were dominant throughout and followed this up with a 0-2 win over Salford in the EFL Cup. 

Including the playoff semi-final defeat to Crewe, Grant McCann’s side have lost just twice in their last 22 games, including a ten-game winning streak that saw them elevate into the playoffs. 

With two sides in such contrasting form, the visitors will fancy their chances of another win to start the season.

Prediction: Doncaster to win @ 1.81

Recommended Bets: 

Back Coventry -1 Asian Handicap vs Oxford @ 2.06
Back West Brom +0.5 Asian Handicap and Under 5.5 cards vs Leeds @ 1.92
Back Trai Hume to be booked in Sunderland vs Sheffield Wednesday @ 4.60
Back Huddersfield to beat Stevenage @ 1.71
Back Doncaster to beat Newport County @ 1.81