Aaron Ashley: Football predictions & free betting accumulator tips

Free football tips, bets and analysis for this weekend's Premier League, EFL and European action.

Best bets

Both teams to score in Manchester United v Southampton
2pts 4-5 Hills

Accrington to beat Crewe
2pts 3-4 general

Monaco to win & over 2.5 goals v Lorient
1pt 6-5 bet365

Best Premier League bet

Manchester United v Southampton
BT Sport 1, 12.30pm Saturday

Southampton supporters will have had many a nightmare following their last visit to Old Trafford but the Saints are in a much healthier place now and have the resources to give Manchester United a scare.

The nine-men Saints suffered a 9-0 humiliation at the hands of the Red Devils in the Premier League last season yet this time they head to the Theatre of Dreams hopeful of exacting some revenge.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have their heads held high after Wednesday’s 3-2 win at Tottenham, which came after a 1-1 draw at home to runaway league leaders Manchester City.

The Saints mustered 23 shots at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, ten of which were on target, and their attacking masterclass only helped enhance the growing reputation of Chelsea loanee Armando Broja.

That showed just how slick Southampton can be as their instinctive forward play catapulted them into the Premier League’s top half.

However, defensive deficiencies persist and you have to go back to November’s 1-0 win at home to Aston Villa - 12 games ago - to find the last time they recorded a league clean sheet.

United evidently have the attacking talent to punish any lapses in concentration but they too are prone to the odd defensive mishap.

The Red Devils were frustrated during Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Burnley, which came just four days after they were dumped out of the FA Cup at home to Championship Middlesbrough.

A vulnerable United have conceded in six of their last seven Premier League fixtures while both teams have scored in each of Southampton’s last nine games in all competitions, so it should be quite a Saturday spectacle at Old Trafford.

Best EFL bet

Accrington v Crewe 3pm Saturday

Time is running out for Crewe, who are eight points adrift of League One survival, and their situation is unlikely to improve following a trip to Accrington.

A 4-1 hiding at home to Plymouth in midweek extended Crewe’s losing run to four and they must be fearing the worst for their visit to the Wham Stadium, where Stanley tend to produce their best stuff.

John Coleman’s side have lost only four of their 16 home league games this season and Tuesday’s 2-0 victory over playoff-chasers Oxford extended their unbeaten run in Lancashire to six.

That sequence of impressive home results has also seen them topple table-toppers Rotherham and hold MK Dons and Sunderland - who sit third and fourth - to 1-1 draws.

Stanley should really fancy their chances against second-bottom Crewe, who have lost eight of their last nine away league games and conceded 19 goals along the way.

Best European bet

Monaco v Lorient BT Sport 3, midday Sunday

There is a lot of work to be done for Monaco in their pursuit of European qualification but they can enhance their credentials with a high-scoring Ligue 1 home win over Lorient.

The Monegasques are very hit-and-miss but they have barely put a foot wrong at the Stade Louis II, where they have won seven and drawn two of their last nine league contests.

Monaco were comfortable 2-0 winners against Lyon last time out but that is the only one of their seven home league wins this season to have featured fewer than three goals.

Another entertaining victory should follow against Lorient, who have failed to win any of their 12 away league games this term and are on a losing streak of seven.

The struggling visitors were beaten 4-2 at Nantes in their last away fixture and have conceded three or more in five of their seven recent road reverses, suggesting another onslaught may be on the cards.

Weekend accumulators

Banker
Accrington
Stanley are at their most deadly on home soil and can stretch their unbeaten run at the Wham Stadium to seven against a travel-sick Crewe, who have lost eight of their last nine away league games.

Blowout
Tottenham
Spurs suffered a 3-2 defeat at home to Southampton on Wednesday and look shaky odds-on shots hosting Wolves, whose only two defeats in their last ten league games were 1-0 reverses against Liverpool and Manchester City.

Accumulator
Fulham 4-6, Accrington 3-4, Portsmouth 4-9, Colchester 27-20. A £1 accumulator returns £9.09 with Coral.

Both teams to score
Games at Manchester United 4-5, Oxford 8-11, Bristol Rovers 4-5. A £1 treble returns £5.61 with Hills.

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