Aaron Ashley’s tips for Saturday’s Football League games include wins for both Sunderland and Birmingham.
There is another full EFL programme for punters to look forward to on Saturday as the Championship, League One and League Two resume over what is the beginning of a busy festive schedule.
There are a total of 33 fixtures taking place, with Leeds and Sunderland both bidding to bolster their promotion aspirations in the Championship.
Saturday’s EFL Accumulator
Sunderland to beat Stoke @ 3/4
Birmingham to beat Barnsley @ 10/11
Chesterfield to beat Tranmere @ 7/10
MK Dons to beat Barrow @ 9/5
Accumulator odds 14/1
Sunderland to beat Stoke @ 3/4 (12:30)
A six-game winless run has seen Sunderland lose some ground at the top of the Championship, but the Black Cats still start the weekend in fourth and can return to winning ways at home to Stoke.
Sunderland have a young squad and their dip in form will start to show the true colours of manager Regis Le Bris, who was a relatively unknown quantity following his arrival from Lorient in the summer.
The Black Cats have had some tough recent assignments but they remain unbeaten at the Stadium of Light, where they have taken 18 points from eight games and defeated promotion rivals Burnley and Middlesbrough this season.
Mid-table Stoke have lost four and drawn two of their eight away league games and may be found wanting on the long trip to Wearside.
Birmingham to beat Barnsley @ 10/11 (15:00)
Birmingham are not dominating League One like many people expected following their lavish summer spending spree, but they are still odds-on for the title and should be well up to beating Barnsley.
Chris Davies’ Blues have responded well to a three-game winless run, recording back-to-back 2-0 victories over Exeter and Stockport, and they have triumphed in five of their opening eight away games.
Barnsley are on the cusp of the play-off places, but they have gone four games without a victory and could come off second best against a Birmingham side who may be ready to go through the gears.
Chesterfield to beat Tranmere @ 7/10 (15:00)
Chesterfield have not yet lived up to pre-season expectations in League Two but they still have the play-off places in their sights and should be too strong for fourth-bottom Tranmere.
The Spireites have lost only one of their opening nine home league fixtures and in Rovers they entertain a side who have had their confidence dented following a run of only two wins in 13.
MK Dons to beat Barrow @ 9/5 (15:00)
MK Dons have reaped rich rewards since appointing Scott Lindsey as manager in September and they can stretch their winning run in League Two to seven games at Barrow.
Four of the Dons’ last five wins have come at home but they have also reeled off three straight victories on their travels at Harrogate, Morecambe and Grimsby.
So this may be the perfect time to make the long journey up to Barrow, who have won only one of their last 11 league games and are dropping like a stone following a positive start to the season.
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