Newport remained in the drop zone after last Saturday’s 3-0 loss at Bristol Rovers, but they have shown more positive signs in 2026 and can post a shock win over Grimsby this weekend. County have won two of their last three home games and look overpriced to end Grimsby’s eight-game unbeaten run.

Northampton stopped the rot with Tuesday’s 2-2 draw at Barnsley and they can round off a positive week by defeating Stevenage at Sixfields Stadium. The Cobblers showed plenty of spirit in the midweek match and their improvement spells trouble for Stevenage, who have lost four successive away games.

Edinburgh City are bottom of League Two, and they’ve suffered six defeats in 11 home matches this term. East Kilbride are pushing for top spot, and they were 3-1 winners in their last league game. The hosts have lost five of their six home meetings with the top five; however, Edinburgh have seen BTTS land in all 11 of their home games, while the visitors are without a clean sheet in seven.

Arouca were excellent when winning 3-0 at Rio Ave last weekend, leaving the Estadio dos Arcos without conceding a single shot on target. Vitoria Guimaraes are a decent side, but the home team look overpriced here.

Wrexham come into this in strong form, having won six of their last eight Championship matches and scoring in ten straight league games. Their recent 1-0 win away at Sheffield Wednesday was dominant in terms of control and possession, and confidence is clearly high. Millwall may sit slightly higher in the table, but their away performances have been less convincing. With Wrexham pushing for a third consecutive win and carrying consistent attacking momentum, the hosts look the value option at home.

Lyon are flying with  straight wins in all competitions and they look capable of winning with room to spare at the Stade de la Beaujoire. Nantes have shipped 17 goals across their last seven Ligue 1 games and three of Lyon’s last four wins have come by two or more goals.

Cambridge have rattled off six straight victories to sit third in League Two, winning 3-0 at Oldham last time out. Bottom side Harrogate have suffered 20 defeats this term and 10 have been by a two-goal margin or higher.

Napoli have a great record at Stadio Luigi Ferraris, having only lost one of their last ten Serie A away games to Genoa. The hosts should fall short, having failed to keep a clean sheet in 17 of their last 20 Serie A games.

Bournemouth have won their last two at home against Tottenham and Liverpool and can build on that against Aston Villa, who have suffered two defeats in their last three outings and are looking weakened by injuries in midfield.

Saturday: England are on a run of 11 straight wins, a streak that includes last March’s 68-14 triumph in Cardiff. Wales showed signs of attacking improvement in the autumn but looked poor in defence. The English are often slow starters, but they could begin their 2026 campaign with a statement victory.

Saturday: Nick Ball has a 23-0-1 record and 13 of his wins have come inside the distance, including two of his last three. If Ball can close the distance and deliver his trademark shots to the body, he can send out a message by becoming the first man to stop Brandon Figueroa.

Sunday: Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike is arguably the form forward in the Premier League at the moment. The Frenchman has bagged 16 goals this term, including three in his last two outings and he could steal the spotlight off City hotshot Erling Haaland.

New England have done incredibly well to turn their fortunes around in just one year, but their offence is simply not good enough to live with the Seattle defence. Seattle have done everything right for the last two months after reeling off nine consecutive wins and they should cover the spread in San Francisco.

FEBRUARY –  The Texans’ suffocating defence has been the key to their eight-game winning run and with the AFC looking the less competitive conference this season after the demise of the Kansas City Chiefs, they have the talent to go a long way. Quarterback CJ Stroud is fully fit again and can look for an elite wide receiver in Nico Collins while former first-round picks Will Anderson Jr. and Derek Stingley Jr. are just two of their many defensive stars.

JULY – Elena Rybakina looks a bet in her bid to repeat her 2022 triumph at the All England Club. The Kazakhstani has had a tough couple of years, due in the main to off-court issues, but she finished last year on a high with victory at the WTA Finals. She’s a superb grass-court player who is as good as Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek when she’s on her game.

JULY – Alex Noren enjoyed a resurgence in his career in 2025, winning twice on the DP World Tour, and 2026 could finally be the year he ends his long wait for a maiden Major. The Swede has an affinity for links golf, evidenced by his victory at the 2016 Scottish Open and his two top-10 Open finishes, he could go all the way and land the Claret Jug in 2026.

DECEMBER – Mercedes may have botched the ground-effect era, but the Silver Arrows have a strong record of responding well to rule changes, and the sweeping regulation shift coming in 2026 should bring the title back into play. Their power unit has already come under, and been cleared, of scrutiny, suggesting it is likely to be among the strongest engines on the grid, and they have the driver lineup to win the consistent points necessary to land the constructor crown.

The Patriots’ resolute defence will give Kenneth Walker III some problems, but he should be able to relieve the pressure on quarterback Sam Darnold and pick up some valuable receiving yards. Walker III will get the majority of carries due to an injury to Zach Charbonnet. He caught four passes for 49 yards last week against the Rams to make it three games in his last five that he has surpassed 25 receiving yards.

The Patriots were struggling before the snow fell at Empower Field at Mile High. Mike Vrabel’s team looked poor on offence and that is not a good sign ahead of their matchup with the best defence in the NFL. New England have done incredibly well to turn their fortunes around in just one year, but their offence is simply not good enough to live with the Seattle defence. Seattle have done everything right for the last two months after reeling off nine consecutive wins and they should cover the spread in San Francisco.

West Ham were dejected after allowing a two-goal lead to slip in their 3-2 defeat at Chelsea last week, but they are showing signs of fight in their battle against relegation and can claim three points at Burnley, who look doomed.

Birmingham City look the stronger option at St Andrew’s, where they are unbeaten in nine Championship games. They come into this in solid overall form, losing just once in their last eight, and they are scoring consistently, including strong returns against bottom-half sides. Leicester City, by contrast, are struggling on their travels, without a win in four away matches and beaten in six of their last seven on the road. Birmingham’s home edge and Leicester’s dip make the hosts the sensible play.

Lincoln have a clear edge in the league table and they are the bet away at Plymouth on Saturday. Lincoln are in excellent form, having won seven of their last nine League One matches. They have gone 12 games without tasting defeat and have lost just one of their last seven meetings with Plymouth.

MK Dons can take the away win and add to Cheltenham’s recent woes when they visit Whaddon Road on Saturday. They carry more of a threat in the final third than their hosts, and that could make the difference. The hosts are in poor form. Cheltenham have lost five of their last six League Two matches, including their last three.

Freiburg have come out on top in four of their last five Bundesliga matches at home and they should have too much quality for Werder Bremen at Europa-Park Stadion on Saturday. They are seventh in the league, while Werder Bremen are 15th and the gulf in class should be evident.

Napoli have a great record at Stadio Luigi Ferraris, having only lost one of their last ten Serie A away games to Genoa. The hosts should fall short, having failed to keep a clean sheet in 17 of their last 20 Serie A games.

After winning nine successive games at home, Lens should have too much quality for Rennes this weekend. Rennes have been struggling for results lately, with their last two Ligue 1 games ending in defeat and no victories in the last three.

Barcelona have won all 10 of their home games this season, while Mallorca have lost all six of their visits to sides in the top-half.

Edinburgh City are bottom of League Two, and they’ve suffered six defeats in 11 home matches this term. East Kilbride are pushing for top spot, and they were 3-1 winners in their last league game. The hosts have lost five of their six home meetings with the top five, and they’re backed for another defeat.

It’s one win in eight league games for Tondela, who have lost three on the bounce away from home and they look set for another difficult road trip at Estoril.

Joao Pedro has been in fine form since Liam Rosenior took charge, netting five goals in his last five starts for the club. He struck in the reverse fixture in November and could put Wolves to the sword again.

West Ham were dejected after allowing a two-goal lead to slip in their 3-2 defeat at Chelsea last week, but they are showing signs of fight in their battle against relegation and can claim three points at Burnley, who look doomed.

Wolves’ recent resurgence has come to an end with back-to-back defeats, and they face a Chelsea side that have won five of their last six matches. The Blues look excellent value to strengthen their top-four push against the relegation-bound hosts.

Edinburgh City are bottom of League Two, and they’ve suffered six defeats in 11 home matches this term. East Kilbride are pushing for top spot, and they were 3-1 winners in their last league game. The hosts have lost five of their six home meetings with the top five, and they’re backed for another defeat.

League Two leaders Spartans have enjoyed some thrilling clashes in League Two this term, with 43 goals scored across their 12 away trips. Top-flight Dundee United are favourites, but they’ve shipped 10 goals across their last four matches, so a back-and-forth game is expected.

Joao Pedro has been in fine form since Liam Rosenior took charge, netting five goals in his last five starts for the club. He struck in the reverse fixture in November and could put Wolves to the sword again.

Fulham wideman Samuel Chukwueze has looked lively since joining from AC Milan and he can add to the goal he scored in his last home game for the Cottagers against Brighton.

Jarrod Bowen is West Ham’s talisman and, after he scored the opener at Stamford Bridge last week, he can spur his side on and find the net for the ninth time in the league this season.

Yoane Wissa has endured a frustrating start to life at St James’ Park, but the former Brentford man could be a good goalscoring option against his former side on Saturday. Wissa has bagged just three goals for the Magpies following his move up north, but injuries have played a big role in that and he will be determined to make up for lost time, particularly against the team he left in the summer. Wissa came on at the break in the midweek loss at Manchester City so he could be one Newcastle player who has a bit more spark in his legs for this encounter.

Barcelona have scored in 48 of their last 50 league games and this has the potential to be a goalfest. There have been four or more goals in 11 of Barcelona’s 22 Primera Liga games this season, and no team has had more games with over 3.5 goals than Barcelona.

Over 2.5 goals looks the play here, especially with Bayer Leverkusen in action. They are among the top-scoring teams in the Bundesliga this season, with only four sides having more goals than their 38.

Estoril have won their last three games, scoring at least four times in each. There were at least five goals scored in each of those victories, while over 3.5 goals has landed in seven of their last eight starts. The visitors have conceded three goals or more on five occasions on their travels this term, so back a few goals in this contest.

Warren: Mansfield are unbeaten in eight matches in all competitions, building on an FA Cup third round win over Sheffield United. Exeter make the long journey to Field Mill off the back of a 4-0 home defeat to Rotherham last weekend.

Tom: Only Wolves have failed to win more matches at home than Burnley. The Hammers have won two of their last three in the league, and they pushed Chelsea all the way at Stamford Bridge in a 3-2 defeat last weekend. The visitors have seen over 2.5 goals land in their previous six fixtures in the top flight.

Ian: Bromley have dropped just four points from their last 11 league matches and have not tasted defeat since the end of November. Their hosts, meanwhile, have won just one of their last seven games.

Aidan: Walsall need the points as they cling on to the final play-off place in League Two and they should get all three when they host poor recent travellers Barnet. A trip to the Bescot Stadium is a test for anyone in the division, let alone a team scratching for form right now on the road.

Joe: Bolton’s League One promotion push has been largely fuelled by their impressive home form, while Steven Schumacher’s men have won four of their last five matches. They are facing a Barnsley side who have just one win in their last nine away games.

Gareth: Villa’s away form suggests they can take the points at Dean Court. Villa have won their last three on the road – at Tottenham, Fenerbahce and Newcastle – and they have the second best away record in the division.

Newcastle have conceded seven goals in two matches this week and they could be vulnerable to a Brentford side who have lost just two of their last nine matches. Last week’s 1-0 win at Aston Villa came despite being down to ten men, but prior to that, they had scored two or more goals in three of their previous four fixtures away from home. The Magpies looked tired in their losses to Liverpool and Manchester City this week, and Brentford could take advantage of low energy levels in the home ranks by firing in three goals with one in response.

With both teams having scored in six of the last eight Bundesliga meetings between Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen, a 2-1 away win for Bayer Leverkusen looks like a decent correct-score bet, with the hosts struggling to find a win, having gone four Bundesliga games without recording a victory.

Real Sociedad are unbeaten in nine matches in all competitions and they should be able to outclass Elche on home soil. Elche have the worst away record in La Liga, but they have scored in their last six away matches, so expect them to get on the scoresheet.

Torino have lost their last two Serie A away matches and the hosts should get the job done here. The hosts have netted in nine of their last ten league matches overall and can have the last laugh here.

Lyon are flying with  straight wins in all competitions and they look capable of winning with room to spare at the Stade de la Beaujoire. Nantes have shipped 17 goals across their last seven Ligue 1 games and three of Lyon’s last four wins have come by two or more goals.

Arouca were excellent when winning 3-0 at Rio Ave last weekend, leaving the Estadio dos Arcos without conceding a single shot on target. Vitoria Guimaraes are a decent side, but the home team look overpriced here.

Lyon are flying with  straight wins in all competitions and they look capable of winning with room to spare at the Stade de la Beaujoire. Nantes have shipped 17 goals across their last seven Ligue 1 games and three of Lyon’s last four wins have come by two or more goals.

No team has lost more Serie A matches this season than Lecce’s 13 and the strugglers could be in for another difficult time when they host Udinese. The visitors come into this one having posted wins over Hellas Verona and Roma, and there looks a strong chance they can make it three in a row.

Nacional won the reverse fixture 2-0 earlier this term, and they have been in impressive scoring form at home. The hosts have beaten Rio Ave 4-0 and Tondela 3-1 across their last three home matches, also drawing 3-3 with Santa Clara in that run. They’ve struck 11 goals in four home meetings with the sides below them, so they’re well priced for a couple of strikes against the fourth-bottom visitors.

As the hunt for a new Real manager continues, on the pitch the Madrid giants have racked up six La Liga wins on the spin to leave them just a point behind Barcelona. Valencia have scored in each of their last 15 games in all competitions.

Unbeaten in five and following a recent Ligue 1 away win at Brest, Toulouse can collect another three points from Sunday’s trip to Angers, who sit four points below them.

Malaga have only lost once at home in the league all season and they have won five of their seven games at this venue since that loss, while La Cultural are out of form with just two points to show from their last seven games. However, the visitors have a decent strike rate on their travels with 17 goals in 12 trips so they can at least record a consolation effort.

Strasbourg have shown few signs of slowing down since Liam Rosenior’s departure and Gary O’Neil’s arrival, winning four of their five games since the former Wolves boss took over the Ligue 1 side. Le Havre are scrapping it out at the wrong end of the table and they have just one win from their last 11 games, they look set for another defeat on Sunday.

Liverpool look like the best value pick, with the Reds putting their struggles behind them with an eight-game unbeaten run. The Reds have the fourth-best Expected Goals record across the first six Champions League gameweeks, while they’ve recorded back-to-back 1-0 wins over Real Madrid and Inter Milan in Europe. Arne Slot’s side have a kind double-header in January, leaving them primed for a top-eight finish. With the Premier League coasting towards a fifth Champions League berth, the Reds should be in a good position to focus on European success in the spring.

Spain have some incredibly talented individuals, Lamine Yamal being the prime example, but are strong in all areas and don’t have any particular weaknesses. They won Euro 2024 with relative ease and they should be too good for their continental rivals at the World Cup. They also look a level above South American heavyweights Argentina and Brazil, suggesting they will be the team to beat at the World Cup this summer.

Manchester United have reeled off three straight Premier League wins against fierce rivals City, league leaders Arsenal and Fulham and look in a much happier headspace than Spurs, who are still being weakened by injuries. However, both teams have scored in 11 of United’s last 13 matches and a clean sheet looks beyond them.

Bournemouth have won their last two at home against Tottenham and Liverpool and can build on that against Aston Villa, who have suffered two defeats in their last three outings and are looking weakened by injuries in midfield.

West Ham were dejected after allowing a two-goal lead to slip in their 3-2 defeat at Chelsea last week, but they are showing signs of fight in their battle against relegation and can claim three points at Burnley, who look doomed.

Fulham are unbeaten in their last five matches at Craven Cottage but Everton have proved thy can mix it on their travels, so expect both teams to find the net in this fixture.

Wolves’ recent resurgence has come to an end with back-to-back defeats, and they face a Chelsea side that have won five of their last six matches. The Blues look excellent value to strengthen their top-four push against the relegation-bound hosts.

Newcastle were dumped out of the EFL Cup on Wednesday’s and there failed defence of that trophy is another black mark on a season which is threatening to peter out. The Magpies start this round of fixtures, and although still in the Champions League, their current form is poor and they may struggle to lift themselves for this visit of high-flying Brentford. The Bees arrive to the north east in seventh spot and have had a week to prepare for this clash which sees Newcastle have to overcome a three-day turnaround. An away looks well within reach.

Xavi Simons completed five line-breaking passes in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City, the most of any player in a Premier League game this season, one of which was converted. As well as being a creative force, Simons has taken 18 shots in his last five matches and should be a constant threat to Manchester United’s defence tomorrow.

Wolves youngtser Matheus Mane has taken eight shots in his last two games and could be worth backing to muster at least another two against Chelsea tomorrow.

Harvey Barnes is Newcastle’s top scorer this season, bagging 12 goals in all competitions, nine of which have come at St James’ Park. Barnes has found the net four times in his last six league games against Brentford, including one in November’s reverse fixture, and he could sting the Bees once more on Tyneside.

Manchester United have reeled off three straight Premier League wins against fierce rivals City, league leaders Arsenal and Fulham and look in a much happier headspace than Spurs, who are still being weakened by injuries. However, both teams have scored in 11 of United’s last 13 matches and a clean sheet looks beyond them.

Edinburgh City are bottom of League Two, and they’ve suffered six defeats in 11 home matches this term. East Kilbride are pushing for top spot, and they were 3-1 winners in their last league game. The hosts have lost five of their six home meetings with the top five; however, Edinburgh have seen BTTS land in all 11 of their home games, while the visitors are without a clean sheet in seven.

Real Sociedad are unbeaten in nine matches in all competitions and they should be able to outclass Elche on home soil. Elche have the worst away record in La Liga, but they have scored in their last six away matches, so expect them to get on the scoresheet.

Norwich City look the safer side to back at Carrow Road against a Blackburn Rovers team badly lacking cutting edge. Blackburn’s away attack has been a major issue all season, with just 12 goals in 14 road games and blanks in three of their last four away outings. Norwich arrive in better shape, having won four of their last six Championship matches, and they have also lost just one of the last six head-to-heads with Blackburn.

Southampton look worth backing at home despite sitting below Watford in the table. The Saints have been reliable at St Mary’s, conceding just 13 goals in 14 Championship home games, and that defensive base gives them a solid platform. Watford arrive out of sorts on the road, without a win in five away league matches, and their defence has started to creak with no clean sheet in four of the last five. In a tight matchup, home strength could be decisive.

The best bet is both teams to score in Saturday’s Staffordshire derby between Port Vale and Burton at Vale Park. Both teams are struggling defensively. Port Vale have failed to keep a clean sheet in 14 of their last 16 League One games, while Burton have shipped more goals than all but two other teams in the division this season.

Swindon have enjoyed success in three of their last four home games in League Two and they should be backed to get the victory against Oldham on Saturday. Oldham have sustained two successive League Two reverses.

The best bet is both teams to score in Saturday’s League Two clash between Crawley and Crewe at Broadfield Stadium. Crewe have a strong attack, having scored 46 goals this season, and they take on a leaky Crawley defence who have shipped 47 goals in 29 games.

Fulham are unbeaten in their last five matches at Craven Cottage but Everton have proved thy can mix it on their travels, so expect both teams to find the net in this fixture.

Both teams to score is the way to go for Saturday’s clash between Sevilla and Girona at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. Sevilla won the last meeting 2-0, but both sides have found the net in the hosts’ last three Primera Liga matches.

Ipswich would love to make up ground on the Championship’s top two, but Derby have to be respected after winning four of their last six league games so both teams could find the net in this one.

The best bet is both teams to score in Saturday’s League Two clash between Crawley and Crewe at Broadfield Stadium. Crewe have a strong attack, having scored 46 goals this season, and they take on a leaky Crawley defence who have shipped 47 goals in 29 games.