The opening day of the brand new football season is arguably the toughest when it comes to selecting the teams for your Saturday afternoon accas but we’ve picked out five home favourites that we think could offer a winning start to the campaign. The fivefold is currently priced up at 22/1…
Football Accumulator Tips – Saturday 5 August, 2023
Back Middlesbrough to beat Millwall @ 10/11
Back Plymouth Argyle to beat Huddersfield Town @ 6/5
Back Bolton Wanderers to beat Lincoln City @ 8/11
Back Derby County to beat Wigan Athletic @ 4/6
Back Portsmouth to beat Bristol Rovers @ 19/20
Overall Fivefold – 22/1
*prices accurate as of the time of writing
We have two selections from the Championship and three from League 1. Starting up in the North East, I really like what Michael Carrick has done with the Boro and they return one of the best strikers in the division in Chuba Akpom although he’s rated as unlikely to play this weekend. Hayden Hackney is ready to become one of the best players in the second-tier and an opening day home game in front of a bumper crowd is the perfect opportunity to get their promotion challenge off to a good start. Millwall are not the easiest game first up but teams with eyes on going on should be looking to win their first game – particularly if they are playing at home.
Plymouth might not be realistically looking at promotion but they have a very interesting game first up as Huddersfield Town rock up into town. The Terriers were looking all but certain to drop out of the division until Neil Warnock got the team playing and suddenly they went on a magical run. After the high’s of that run, a long-trip down the south west coast opens up their season. Home Park has become out of the toughest places to play and their fans will be right up for it. I fear a struggle for Huddersfield and I’m not sure they could’ve asked for a worse opener.
Down in League 1, I’m plumped for three of the sides expecting to be there or thereabouts when it comes to promotion to open their campaigns with three big points. Bolton have two exciting talents up top in Dion Charles and Dan Nlundulu. Outstanding home form was the backbone for their run to the play-offs although they lost twice last in the campaign in front of their fans. Lincoln are expected to be around the mid-table once again so this is a game the home side will expect to win.
The shortest price of this fivefold sees promotion favourites Derby County face a Wigan team still reeling from several top players cancelling their contracts due to not being paid. The visitors are now under new-ownership with the issues of the previous regime are still lingering. They should be fine with a good young manager Shaun Moloney but if Derby are for real – they should open their season with three points.
Lastly I put up my lot through gritted teeth. Believing in Pompey is not easy following years of false dawns but on paper, the squad looks deeper and in Colby Bishop, they have one of the top strikers in League 1. A home game to kick-off the season looks perfect on paper and Bristol Rovers have left Fratton Park pointless in both of their previous two visits.