Friday 21st August 2026

In Across the Leagues today:

• Arsenal v Coventry tonight…
• Big-odds potential for Brighton v Villa…
• EFL goals treble… 

Weekend picks at 4/1 and 28/1…

The Premier League starts tonight – view our two ante-post picks here >>

It’s time for our weekend match bets…

Four of last week’s opening English Football League fixtures produced a Half Time/ Full Time comeback. The most spectacular of those being Luton in League Two. The Hatters were 3-1 down at Reading at the interval but went on to complete a remarkable 4-3 away win. Middlesbrough, Charlton, and York were the other three successful HT/ FT sides on matchday one in the EFL, all turning a half-time deficit into a full-time win.

I talk a lot about the HT/ FT markets, because these scoreboard turnarounds turn up at big odds…

Since the 2026/27 Premier League fixture list was announced, I’ve had Brighton v Aston Villa (Sun 2pm, Sky Sports) down as a lively contender in this department:

• Brighton were the no.1 team in the Premier League for HT/ FT comebacks last season, with 4 of them. We backed them in our favour once or twice, too…

• Aston Villa were joint-2nd for this bet last season (3). And the Seagulls and Villans posted the same respective number of winning HT/ FT comebacks in 2024/25, too

With both clubs finishing Top 5 in this category in the last two seasons. Along with the fact that the last meeting at the Amex Stadium saw us go close to landing the HT/ FT odds, with a topsy-turvy match that ended up with Brighton going 2-0 up, being pegged back to 2-2 at the break in first-half injury time, and then Villa winning 4-3 at full time.

You may also want to consider the shorter odds in the Win from Behind market here, which doesn’t rely on the half-time score-line. For the biggest potential returns, the two HT/ FT scoreboard turnarounds are our preference.

Picking up where they left off last season, BetVictor have opened up with the top prices in this market once again – 25/1 and 33/1 (see below).

Follow Kevin and Martin for a fast start…

Kevin Schade (250/1 Each Way outsider for Top Goalscorer), and Martin Odegaard (20/1 Each Way stats pick for Most Assists) are our two ante-post Premier League bets.

This weekend’s first wave of games appeal for us to back these guys, too…
                                                  
Odegaard captains title holders and 2026/27 favourites Arsenal, at home to newly promoted Coventry tonight (8pm, Sky Sports).

Schade is in line for start for Brentford in the Saturday evening game against Tottenham (5.30pm, Sky Sports).

Both men can be backed at around Evens (2.0) in the cover-both-bases Score or Assist market. But I’m inclined to stick to the areas I pinpointed in our season preview. With the bigger odds available in the specific Anytime Scorer (Schade) and Player Assist (Odegaard) options.

BTTS in EFL…

Finally this weekend, three Championship games (Sat 3pm) that tick the box for us on the stats and odds for Both Teams to Score selections:

Blackburn v Middlesbrough – Both Teams to Score: Yes

QPR v Bolton – Both Teams to Score: Yes

Derby v Cardiff – Both Teams to Score: Yes

We’ll take the treble, paying over 4/1 across the board…

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TODAY’S PICKS & BEST ODDS

See above for full details

Arsenal v Coventry – Premier League, 8pm TONIGHT

• Player to get an Assist: Martin Odegaard @ 16/5 (4.2) Ladbrokes, Coral, 3/1 (4.0) Boylesports, 5/2 (3.5) Unibet, 12/5 (3.4) Bet365, Betfred, 23/10 (3.3) Betway, 11/5 (3.2) BetVictor. Note: Many bookies call this player market Over 0.5 Assists, or 1+ Assists

Brentford v Tottenham – Premier League, Sat 5.30pm

• Anytime Scorer: Kevin Schade @ 14/5 (3.8) Ladbrokes, Coral, BetMGM, 27/10 (3.7) William Hill, 5/2 (3.5) Skybet, BetVictor, Unibet

Brighton v Aston Villa – Premier League, Sun 2pm

• Half Time/ Full Time: Aston Villa/ Brighton @ 25/1 BetVictor, 24/1 BetMGM, 22/1 Bet365, Betfred, Unibet, Boylesports, Betway, William Hill. Note: William Hill call this market the Double Result 

• Half Time/ Full Time: Brighton/ Aston Villa @ 33/1 BetVictor, 29/1 BetMGM, 28/1 Bet365, Betfred, Unibet, Boylesports, Betway

Championship – Sat 3pm

Blackburn v Middlesbrough
QPR v Bolton
Derby v Cardiff

• Treble: Both Teams to Score @ 4.83/1 (5.83) Betfred, 9/2+ (5.5+) Bet365, Ladbrokes, Coral, 4/1+ (5.0+) general 

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P.S

Don’t forget to play our free to enter Premier League Predictor game – with the first round kicking off tonight. Find out more here >>

I’ll see you next week with more stats picks and analysis.

Enjoy the football…

Best wishes,

Oliver Upstone

Across the Leagues