The Panel's EFL Tips: Tom Lee's Double For This Weekend
At Gambling.com, we are always looking to expand the experts on The Panel and the EFL is no different.
Tom Lee is now a member of our team and will be giving us his thoughts on the Football League throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
He had a successful 10/1 winning double recently, which came on top of a 9/2 double seven days earlier, so what does Tom have in store for this midweek round of fixtures?
He's checked out the best betting sites to come up with a 2/1 double.
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Tom Lee's Panel Tips For Saturday, October 26:
- Tom Lee's Panel Tip 1: Burnley To Beat QPR - 7/10 With William Hill
- Tom Lee's Panel Tip 2: Sheffield United To Beat Stoke - 4/5 With Ladbrokes
Burnley Vs QPR, Saturday 3pm
If you go back August 7 and my first ever column for The Panel, I suggested Scott Parker's Burnley for a top-two finish at odds of 7/2 with the leading betting sites.
It's a prediction that looks good at this stage of the season, as the second-placed Clarets continue to trade blows with the likes of Sunderland, Leeds, West Brom and Sheffield United in the battle for top spot.
There's plenty of football to be played as the clocks change this weekend. After being away from home the last two games, Saturday afternoon represents a welcome return to Turf Moor for a side who, despite being prominent, haven't yet engaged anything like top gear.
I was at the much-improved Lancashire venue to see Plymouth run Burnley close at the beginning of October, a game which ultimately resulted in a 1-0 home victory thanks to a contentious penalty from key man and regular scorer Josh Brownhill.
Burnley took their time when eventually overcoming a limited Portsmouth 2-1 in September, the winner again arriving via Brownhill, but not until the 94th minute.
Three wins and two draws have been the sum result of their five home games so far, conceding just two goals in the process, but undoubtedly their until now pragmatic play needs a spark, and following a point at Hull City on Wednesday evening, a porous-visiting QPR defence could be just the tonic.
The Hoops have shipped 19 goals in 11 games, and despite coming from behind to secure a point at home to Coventry in midweek, they surely won't be relishing this one given their poor recent form.
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Before the Coventry stalemate, they lost four on the bounce, the nadir being a 2-1 home loss against fellow strugglers Pompey last Saturday.
Rangers boss Marti Cifuentes felt the need to plead for more support from the fans going into the Coventry fixture, and he'll have been a relieved man after Kieran Morgan's 63rd minute leveller.
Whether his team have what it takes to contain Burnley on their own patch is another matter, and at odds of 7/10 on betting apps, the hosts are leg one of this weekend's double.
Tom Lee's Panel Tip 1: Burnley To Beat QPR - 7/10 With William Hill
Sheffield United Vs Stoke City, Saturday, 3pm
Sheffield United have also flexed their muscles at the top of the Championship puzzle, but the Blades slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough on Wednesday night.
Chris Wilder's side have some much needed home comforts to look forward to, Bramall Lane the venue for their encounter with Stoke City. They also have an ultra-mean defence.
Granted, as well as the aforementioned 'Boro winner, Leeds did manage to find a way through against them on two occasions at Elland Road, but overall the acquisition of goalkeeper Michael Cooper is already looking like a masterstroke.
It might sound like a tall tale, but Cooper has some observers suggesting the 25-year-old could be a future England no.1. He expertly marshals a robust defensive unit in a team who since his arrival have won all four home league games to nil.
So, what of the visitors? I was in the Potteries to see Stoke cut loose and hammer Portsmouth 6-1 earlier this month, but three subsequent draws, the most recent being Tuesday night's 2-2 at home to Bristol City in a game where they were 2-0 up and cruising, highlights their weaknesses.
The Blades have developed a superb squad to challenge at this level, and keen to get back to winning ways after back-to-back away defeats, they will be disappointed if at odds of 4/5 on the leading football betting sites, they're not too strong for the Potters.
Tom Lee's Panel Tip 2: Sheffield United To Beat Stoke City - 4/5 With Ladbrokes
Tom's double on two home wins pays 2/1 with William Hill
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