The Early Bird: Weekend football predictions & free betting accumulator tips from James Milton

Wembley’s EFL Cup final could finish all-square, Wigan can tighten the survival screw on fellow strugglers Exeter and Juventus prodigy Kenan Yildiz is tipped to score at any time as The Racing Post’s James Milton delivers his weekend betting dossier.

Milton’s headline selection is the draw in Sunday’s showpiece between Arsenal and Manchester City, priced 23-10 with Coral and Ladbrokes. Pep Guardiola took a conservative approach when the sides shared a 1-1 league stalemate at the Emirates in September, and with City still digesting a 5-1 aggregate Champions League exit to Real Madrid—compounded by Bernardo Silva’s early red card in the second leg—Guardiola may again favour pragmatism over adventure. Arsenal, meanwhile, laboured to narrow league wins over Chelsea, Brighton and Everton and were unconvincing in the first-leg draw with Bayer Leverkusen. Four of the last six meetings have finished level, and Milton believes the trend can continue for a 2-point wager.

Saturday’s Premier League action sees Everton hosting Chelsea in the teatime slot. The Toffees, unbeaten in their previous two against Newcastle and Burnley, defended manfully for 88 minutes at Arsenal despite missing centre-backs Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski. Both could return, so Milton nicks Everton with the draw-no-bet safety net at 8-5 with BoyleSports, staking 1 point.

In League One, Wigan and Exeter sit just a point above the drop zone, but form favours the Latics. Exeter have lost five of six since January 24, whereas Wigan have beaten promotion-chasing trios Luton, Huddersfield and Bradford to nil at the DW. Milton marks Wigan to win at 21-20 with Coral, Hills and Ladbrokes, putting 2 points on Shaun Maloney’s side.

Juventus teenager Kenan Yildiz is the anytime goal banker. The Turkey international fired five shots on target in January’s 3-0 win at Sassuolo without scoring; back on home soil, where he has six goals from 42 attempts in his last ten league appearances, he is offered at 13-10 with Paddy Power for a 2-point strike.

Milton’s other shouts include Oldham at 13-20, Athletic Bilbao at 23-20, Aston Villa at 4-6, Southampton at 8-11 and Watford at 8-11, all forming part of his weekend accumulator portfolio.