It may be FA Cup weekend but we still have action in the Sky Bet Championship. Tom Carnduff has two best bets to back.
Recommended bets
1pt Jack Harrison to score anytime in Leeds v Middlesbrough at 10/3
1pt James McClean to score anytime in Stoke v Blackburn at 13/2
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
Leeds v Middlesbrough
Leeds opened up a five-point gap over third place on Tuesday night when they beat Reading.
Jack Harrison finishing off a counter attack move which he started at the other end of the pitch proved to be enough for Marcelo Bielsa's side, who remain favourites for the title with Sky Bet.
This week sees them taking on a Middlesbrough side who are struggling in both the table and treatment room.
Jonathan Woodgate will be without goalkeeper Darren Randolph and striker Britt Assombalonga - while other first team players such as Rudy Gestede, Marcus Browne and Ryan Shotton are also missing.
Combine that with the absence of Paddy McNair and Marvin Johnson and you can see the issues that they are currently facing. That is why Leeds are an incredibly short 1/3 price to win.
With value difficult to find in the outright markets, the best option would be to back Harrison netting again in this game.
He is getting better as the season progresses and has nailed down the starting spot on the left wing of Leeds' attack. He continues to pose a threat on goal and has netted three goals in his last four appearances.
Only three of Leeds' 18 games this season have seen Harrison fail to register at least one shot - with four shots in the 2-1 victory over Blackburn in their last contest at Elland Road.
10/3 looks generous on a goal for an attacking player in-form. This should be a Leeds win, it may just be a case of by how many.
Best bet: Jack Harrison to score anytime at 10/3
Opta facts
- Leeds United are unbeaten in their last six league meetings with Middlesbrough at Elland Road (W4 D2), since a 1-0 reverse in August 2011.
- Middlesbrough have lost just once in their last six matches against Leeds United (W2 D3 L1), losing at Elland Road in November 2017 (1-2).
- Leeds have won 37 points from their 18 Championship games this season, their highest points tally at this stage of a campaign in the top two tiers of English Football since 1999/00 (41 points), whilst in the Premier League.
- Middlesbrough are winless in their last eight away league games (D4 L4), last going longer without a victory on the road between August 2016 and August 2017 (a run of 20), across spells in the Championship and Premier League.
- Leeds have made the fewest changes to their starting XI’s in the Championship this season (12), half the number of next placed side Brentford (24).
- Middlesbrough have the lowest shot conversion rate in the Championship this season (7.24%), netting just 16 of their 221 attempts on goal.
Stoke v Blackburn
I backed James McClean to score in last week's victory over Wigan, and while it didn't come in, I was more than satisfied with his performance in which he did everything but score.
It was arguably McClean's best performance in a Stoke shirt and if it wasn't for Mame Biram Diouf's late goal he would have certainly grabbed the headlines.
This week they welcome Blackburn. Like Wigan, their record on the road isn't great and while it's not as bad as the Latics, it gives me enough confidence that Stoke will bounce back from the midweek defeat to Cardiff here.
There's a best price of 13/2 available on McClean netting anytime here, 80/1 on a brace should things click into place, but the value on a single goal is more than appealing.
O'Neill is full of praise for McClean and told the media on Friday: "We have seen a lot of quality from James McClean and we did miss him on Tuesday.
"It's a positive that he should be available for tomorrow's game."
He'll be back in the left wing role in a 4-3-3 system on Saturday, a position that seems to suit him based on the Wigan performance.
McClean should be a player who will be vital to Stoke if they are to push up the table this season, and he can add to his tally in front of a home crowd on Saturday.
Best bet: James McClean to score anytime at 13/2
Opta facts
- Stoke have lost just once in their last nine league games versus Blackburn, winning on seven occasions in this run (W7 D1 L1).
- Blackburn won this exact fixture last season, 3-2 back in September 2018 – they last won consecutive league games at Stoke in April 1990 at the Victoria Ground.
- Stoke have lost more Championship games this season (12) than any other side.
- Blackburn have lost each of their last four away Championship games, last losing five on the bounce away from home in the EFL in April 2013 (a run of six).
- At home, Stoke have won two of their last three league games (L1), as many victories as in their previous 17 Championship matches at the Bet365 stadium (D7 L8).
- Since making his Blackburn debut in August 2017, Bradley Dack has been directly involved in 57 league goals for Rovers (41 goals and 16 assists), at least 15 more than any other player for the club during this period.
Sporting Life Accumulator
After success in the last two weeks we're restricted to just Sky Bet Championship action on our Acca hat-trick attempt, but we're backing four teams for success this weekend.
The only away team of the four is HULL. The Tigers hammered promotion hopefuls Preston 4-0 in midweek and will be full of confidence as they face a Barnsley side who are bottom of the table.
Onto the home teams and another side to hit four goals in the week was NOTTINGHAM FOREST. They sit fourth in the table and could close the gap on the top-two as they face Cardiff who have failed to win any of their nine away games this season.
The STOKE revival hit a small bump in midweek but we're backing the Potters to bounce back as they take on a Blackburn team who have only won two of their eight games on the road - the last four of which have been defeats.
Finally, WIGAN have come out of a rough patch of games and will be looking to return to winning ways at the DW Stadium. They face Reading - who have won just one of their eight away games.
Head here to back Hull, Nottingham Forest, Stoke and Wigan all to win enhanced to 33/1 with Sky Bet
Odds correct at 1500 GMT (29/11/19)