Expert EFL predictions and free football tips from Dan Childs

When to bet

Kick-offs from 12.30pm

Best bets

Huddersfield 3pm
4pts 4-5 Hills

Middlesbrough 12.30pm
2pts 4-5 Coral, Hills, Ladbrokes

Carlisle or draw double chance 12.30pm
3pts 5-6 bet365, BoyleSports

Bradford draw no bet 3pm
3pts Evs bet365, BoyleSports

Dan Childs's EFL predictions

Crawley vs Huddersfield

Huddersfield were on the wrong end of a major FA Cup shock last Friday, losing 1-0 away to National League Tamworth, but their priority is to push for League One promotion and they can bounce back from that knockout blow with a victory away to lowly Crawley.

Terriers' manager Michael Duff wanted his team to have a decent cup run and selected a strong side for the televised clash. But his players were nowhere near their usual levels and could not have many complaints after goalkeeper Chris Maxwell's own goal set their hungry hosts up for a hard-fought victory.

Duff was angered by the performance, which must have come as a shock because his team had gone into the contest in decent form.

Huddersfield had taken ten points from their last four games to lift themselves from 15th to seventh, but they have their sights set a fair bit higher with automatic promotion considered a realistic target.

Duff's charges have a seven-point gap to bridge to the top two but have a great chance to secure maximum points against Crawley, who are going to be in the thick of a relegation battle for the rest of this season.

Third-tier football was always likely to present a challenge for the Red Devils, whose task has been made harder by an injury crisis which has taken senior players Joe Wollacott, Dion Conroy, Josh Flint, Junior Quitirna and Jay Williams out of contention.

None of them featured in Tuesday's dour 0-0 draw away to fellow strugglers Burton and, according to Crawley head coach Rob Elliot, they are unlikely to be involved this weekend.

Elliot's side overcame an uncertain first half to match the winless Brewers but they are faced with a tougher task against the Terriers and seem set to come up short.

Middlesbrough vs Luton

Middlesbrough feel they should be a fair bit higher in the Championship table and they can make up some of the perceived lost ground by defeating Luton at the Riverside.

In terms of shots and expected goals data Boro are top of the tree on both counts with respective totals of 231 and 25.44.

But Michael Carrick's side are eighth in the Championship and have registered back-to-back league wins just once.

However, they approach the international break with a six-point week in their sights having demolished QPR 4-1 on Tuesday, and they might not encounter much resistance from the Hatters, who are 19th in the table despite a 1-0 midweek triumph at home to Cardiff.

Luton were hard-pushed by the Bluebirds on Wednesday and their lack of recovery time could be an issue as they strive to improve a dismal away record.

Rob Edwards' side have been beaten on four of their last five Championship road trips and another setback looks probable.

Salford vs Carlisle

League Two strugglers Carlisle have had a rough ride over the last 18 months but they will be backed by a sold out away end for this weekend's trip to Salford and can give their fans some cheer by taking at least a point.

The Cumbrians were much improved in last Saturday's 2-0 extra-time loss at home to Wigan in the FA Cup first round despite a tough task being made more difficult by Ethan Robson's 14th-minute red card.

They should feel more positive about their survival hopes and can at least avoid defeat against mid-table Salford, who are weakened by suspensions to key attackers Ben Woodburn and Kelly N'Mai.

Fleetwood vs Bradford

League Two promotion hopefuls Bradford are used to relying on their home form but they are unbeaten in three away matches and can get the better of Fleetwood at Highbury.

The seventh-placed Bantams have taken ten points from their last five league games and should have the edge over their injury-hit hosts, who are winless in five.

Accumulator

Leeds 4-5, Huddersfield 4-5, Peterborough 8-11, Bradford 9-5
£1 acca returns £10.90 with Hills

First goalscorer

Kwame Poku Peterborough v Cambridge
at 11-2 bet365

Poku is third in the League One shot statistics with 38 and looks a probable Posh match-winner in the derby against Cambridge.

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