Jimmy's Punt hero

Jimmy's Punt: European & EFL tips, predictions and best bets for February 22-24


  • Jimmy’s Punt: Staked 238.4pts | Returned 262.74 | P/L +24.34pts | ROI 10%

Football betting tips: Sunday/Monday EFL

Scroll further down for Saturday/Sunday selections

Monday 20:00

1pt Jayden Bogle to be carded in Sheff Utd vs Leeds at 3/1 (Bet365)

1pt Harrison Clarke to be carded in Sheff Utd vs Leeds at 7/2 (Bet365)

0.5pt Bogle and Clarke to be carded at 16/1 (bet365)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair

https://m.skybet.com/lp/acq-bet-x-get-40?sba_promo=ACQBXG40FB&aff=681&dcmp=SL_ED_RACING

A real collector's item in last weekend's column.

Six of nine picks got up, peaking at a 22/1 winner in Monday’s Championship game between Leeds and Sunderland.

Now for the first time in a long time we are comfortably in profit. That’s the trumpeting over.

To be honest, I found the weekend slate a bit of a slog but there are a handful of selections I like from across Europe and the English Football League so let's get into it.


Sheffield United vs Leeds

The Championship action concludes on Monday with another duel between the top four.

These clashes have been a happy hunting ground for cards with a whopping 62 flashed (6.2 per game) in 10 clashes between the four vying for the automatic spots.

The latest instalment was Monday’s thriller at Elland Road, which delivered a 22/1 winner - I promise that's the last of the trumpet.

Sunderland were leading for the majority of the game before a late Leeds comeback and a last-gasp winner from Pascal Struijk put the title back in their grasp.

Leeds start the weekend with a seven point cushion over Burnley in third and victory at Bramall Lane on Monday will move them five points clear of Sheffield United.

So, it is all to play for.

David Webb is the referee. He averages just over three cards a game in the Championship which is not ideal, especially considering the reverse only saw three cards.

Chris Wilder completely altered the way the Blades played in the 2-0 defeat that evening, switching to a back five and opting to contain and counter.

At home, he should go toe-to-toe with Leeds which sets us up for a thrilling encounter and the side's other clashes with fellow top four teams have seen 32 cards (10/10/8/4), so player cards are certainly worth another visit.

Chris Wilder
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder

Although he is a point shorter than last Monday, JAYDEN BOGLE’s price TO BE CARDED appeals again.

Bogle picked up his ninth card of the season in his last outing and Monday will see him return to his old stomping ground.

His summer departure from United to Leeds left a sour taste in the mouth at Bramall Lane. Wilder said he was a ‘disappointing’ player to lose and went on to say: “I can’t put a gun to his head and a pen in his hand and make him sign a contract.”

I am not sure what kind of reception Bogle will get at the Lane but all my Blade-supporting friends says they are going to boo him, and I most certainly will be, and the added bit of narrative only aids the pick.

Bogle

HARRISON CLARKE is another standout price TO BE CARDED.

The Ipswich-loanee picked up two cards - one yellow and one red - in just 378 minutes of Premier League action before joining the Blades and has picked up where he left off.

Clarke has two cards in four Championship appearances and a career cards per 90 average of 0.31, quotes of 7/2 are too big.

Obviously, I’ll be combining the players in a CARD DOUBLE at 16/1 as well.


Saturday selections

2pts Leyton Orient draw no bet vs Bolton at 11/8 (Sky Bet)

Bolton vs Leyton Orient

LEYTON ORIENT are flying in League One, they have only lost four games since the beginning of November (W18 D3 L4).

Only two of those defeats have come in the league though, 2-0 against Huddersfield and 1-0 against Stockport, both of which were at Brisbane Road.

On their travels, Richie Wellens' men are unbeaten in 10, winning at Charlton (Cup), Barnsley and Wrexham over that period by an aggregate scoreline of 8-1.

Across the domestic season as a whole, the O’s have also won at Reading and thumped Stockport 4-1.

Leyton Orient

Opponents Bolton’s results have picked up under Steven Schumacher.

He has taken charge of two games, winning both, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.

Wanderers edged five and seven goal thrillers against Shrewsbury and Crawley respectively but were fortunate in both.

Against Crawley, they won it in the 90+8th minute of injury time after an own goal, scoring four times despite only having five shots on target.

At Shrewsbury, Eoin Toal’s long-range equaliser swung momentum in their favour but the Shrews won the xG battle convincingly (2.15-0.89).

At 11/8 with Sky Bet, backing the visitors DRAW NO BET looks a nice way in.

It is literally the same as backing Leyton Orient +0 on the Asian handicap but at a slightly better price with money back if the spoils are shared.


Sunday selections

0.5pt Mark McGuinness to score anytime in Watford vs Luton at 9/1 (Sky Bet, bet365)

2pts Eintracht Frankfurt +1.5 Asian handicap vs Bayern Munich at 41/40 (bet365)

0.25pts Eintracht Frankfurt to win and BTTS at 11/1 (General)

Watford vs Luton

Mark McGuinness

This rivalry pits a good set piece team and a bad one.

Luton have scored the most Championship goals from dead ball situations (14) and racked up the third most xG (13.18 xG) and Watford have shipped the second most goals (15) and xG (17.31) from them.

Luke O’Nien, Jimmy Dunne, Zak Swanson and George Edmundson have all found the net against the Hornets so naturally backing one of the Hatters defenders appeals.

MARK MCGUINNESS scooped up the clubs diamond season card holders player of the month award for January after netting twice in five league games and his price TO SCORE ANYTIME appeals here.

McGuinness has four goals in all competitions and averages over a shot a game.


Bayern Munich vs Eintracht Frankfurt

We should probably let sleeping dogs lie.

We had our fill last weekend getting against the Champions League teams but there are a couple of monster prices that I had to take a look at.

In the space of six days Bayern Munich drew 0-0 at Bayer Leverkusen before fortuitously edging past Celtic in the Champions League.

Against Leverkusen, they failed to have a shot in the first half and only managed two across the 90 but didn’t hit the target. In the home leg against Celtic, Vincent Kompany’s side needed an injury time equaliser to nick it on aggregate and avoid extra time.

After European nights, Bayern have drawn a third of their nine games, lost once and won by more than one goal on two occasions.

At a shade over evens, backing EINTRACHT FRANKFURT with a +1.5 head start on the ASIAN HANDICAP appeals - we are basically backing any result other than a two-goal Bayern win. With bookies that don't offer the Asian line, the normal +2 handicap represents the same bet.

The Bundesliga’s top goalscorers (65) are more than capable of covering this line but with the league's top goalscorer a doubt, they might not have it all their own way.

Harry Kane was forced off at half time on Tuesday and is expected to miss Sunday's clash. Without him this season, Bayern have won two and lost two, both against sides currently in the Bundesliga's top six (Leverkusen and Mainz).

The reverse ended 3-3, and so far this season Eintracht Frankfurt have only lost by a one goal margin at RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen.

In a game where both teams to score is odds on, backing the away team TO WIN alongside BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE also appeals.

It's a bigger-priced dart that looks worth chancing, though it could be wise to hold off on backing the visitors on this bet until closer to kick-off, with the market likely to move against them, thus giving a bigger price.


Odds correct at 1635 GMT (20/02/25)

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