International football takes centre stage again this weekend so the Premier League & The Championship action is suspended which means the domestic football focus switches to the action in League 1 & League 2.

League 1 & League 2 may well be the poor relations of the Premier League & The Championship in terms of financial strength, quality of teams & media coverage but nevertheless they are tremendously competitive & entertaining Leagues that provide great excitement & drama for thousands of people every weekend.

We enjoy the challenge of previewing matches from League 1 & League 2 because they are tremendously competitive leagues & that definitely makes our task more difficult but there is always plenty of value betting options available & after all that is what we are aiming to find.

We have had a good look at all the fixtures in League 1 this weekend & here are our views on the most interesting matches plus betting recommendations for all the other remaining fixtures.

League 1 Fixtures:

Brentford vs Millwall – (Saturday 3.00pm)

A good game of football is in prospect here with the added London derby element guaranteed to charge the atmosphere off the pitch & add to the intensity & competitiveness on the pitch.

This is a very important home game for Brentford as they look to bounce back after a few disappointing performances & results including a very poor 3-0 away defeat at Exeter City & only managing a 2-2 draw at non-league Gateshead in the F.A. Cup.

Brentford need positive results to start climbing back up the table again but clearly team confidence must be an issue coming into this match & they will have to defend much better than they have done in their last two games.

Millwall come into this match in great form & with team confidence high after excellent wins against in-form rivals Leeds United & Colchester United as well as good win in the F.A. Cup so we do expect Millwall to be very positive here.

Away form has been a concern for Millwall this season & clearly they have to improve on their record of only 1 win in 7 away matches so far but their form is so much more consistent now & they look a more solid, organised team now.

A positive of Millwall’s away form has been their excellent defensive record & now they are playing a more positive, attacking style that should give them the base to go for the win here.

We do like the look of this match & it should be a very competitive game with Brentford determined to put on a performance for the home fans but Millwall are in excellent form now & they do look a good bet to get another important win.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Millwall to win

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Correct Score options: Millwall to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to Score anytime: Harris/Abdou

Double Result: Millwall Half Time & Full Time

Colchester United vs Exeter City – (Saturday 3.00pm)

Two teams meet here coming off the back of 4-0 wins in the F.A. Cup so both Colchester United & Exeter City should be positive coming into this match & we do expect a good game of football.

Colchester United are flying high this season sitting 4th in League 1 & currently enjoying a great run of form & even though they lost to Millwall recently, confidence within the Colchester United squad is high.

Colchester United have been fantastic at home this season winning 6 of their 7 games proving incredibly hard to break down & having too much quality in attack and we do expect the same again here.

Aidy Boothroyd has done a fantastic job since taking over as manager & he has clearly instilled his principles of work ethic & team spirit into the Colchester United squad & they do look a very decent side now with the solid, organised style of football.

Exeter City are not having a bad season but their form has tailed off of late & their very poor away form must be a big concern coming into this match.

Exeter City have only won 1 of their 7 away matches so far scoring only 4 goals & conceding 15 & that is bound to affect team confidence here.

This should be a good game of football as both sides like to be positive & that will suit Colchester United who are incredibly strong at home, in good form & do look a very solid bet to win again here.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Colchester United to win

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correct Score options: Colchester United to win 2-0/3-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to Score anytime: Odejayi/Platt

Double Result: Colchester United Half Time & Full Time

Charlton Athletic vs MK Dons – (Saturday 3.00pm)

This clash of second place Charlton vs third place MK Dons is easily the biggest game in League 1 this weekend & certainly should be a very competitive fixture.

Charlton Athletic have struggled of late but they deservedly sit second in League 2 & a big basis of that is their excellent home form.

Charlton are unbeaten at home so far this season with 5 wins & 2 draws with only 5 goals conceded which indicates their strength & what makes them hard to beat at home.

Charlton need to bounce back after some poor results in league & of course the F.A. Cup when being knocked out by non-league opposition but nevertheless they will see this as a good opportunity to get back to winning ways.

That defeat in the F.A. Cup can be used in a positive way & the Charlton Athletic players will want to prove to their own fans their true ability & we expect them to go into this game very positive & confident of doing well.

Paul Ince’s side have really started to improve in recent weeks becoming a more solid team overall & generally proving too strong for teams.

MK Dons have got a decent away record with 4 wins & 1 draw from their 7 games and their record of 7 goals scored & 6 goals conceded shows how solid they are away from home so far this season.

Confidence is high amongst the MK Dons squad & that combined with their excellent away record will give them the belief they can definitely get a positive result.

This is a huge game in the context of League 1 & it is sure to be a very competitive but pressurised game with both teams wanting to win it but equally knowing they cannot afford to lose to a major rival.

The competitive & pressurised nature of this game makes us believe it will be a tight game & on that basis we feel the betting value definitely lies in backing a low scoring draw.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Draw

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correct Score options: 1-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to Score anytime: Easter/Puncheon/Shelvey

Double Result: Draw Half Time & Full Time

Huddersfield Town vs Wycombe Wanderers – (Saturday 12.00pm)

Home sweet home seems the appropriate line to use when talking about sixth place Huddersfield Town given their impressive home record & bottom club Wycombe face yet another daunting task here.

Huddersfield Town are having a decent season so far & although their away form has been disappointing, their excellent home form as more than made up for that.

5 wins & 2 draws from 7 home matches is Huddersfield Town’s home record which is a good as any other team in League 1 & in terms of home goals they are the kings so far with 20 which is an average of almost 3 goals per home match.

Huddersfield Town are a very confident, positive side at home & they will certainly see this game against bottom club Wycombe as another great opportunity to get more goals & more home points.

Wycombe are having an absolutely terrible season with only 1 win in their first 15 league games & clearly that is a massive concern coming into this match.

Wycombe have a terrible away record with only 3 points out of a possible 21 & they will surely have to produce the performance of their season to get anything out of this match.

We have already highlighted Huddersfield Town’s strength at home & we really do rate them as a rock solid bet to get amongst the goals again & get yet another home win here.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Huddersfield Town to win

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correct Score options: Huddersfield Town to win 2-0/3-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to Score anytime: Rhodes/Kay/Roberts

Double Result: Huddersfield Half Time & Full Time

Norwich City vs Tranmere Rovers – (Saturday 3.00pm)

This fascinating clash of Norwich City & Tranmere Rovers represents yet another quirk of the fixture list that has placed a high flying team in excellent form at home against a team that has struggled all season.

Norwich City started the season with a humiliating 7-1 defeat at home to Colchester but those bad memories have been well & truly banished since Paul Lambert took over as manager with Norwich City now going very well & looking like a very good side.

Currently situated in fifth place in League 1, Norwich City come into this game in excellent current form including a 7-0 win in the F.A. Cup last weekend so team confidence will be very high for this match.

Norwich City really do look a very well balanced, organised team who play positive, attacking football & they will definitely see this home game as another excellent opportunity to get 3 points.

Tranmere Rovers have endured a terrible start to the season which has left them 2nd bottom of League 1 with only 3 wins from their first 15 league games.

Tranmere’s away form has been horrendous with 6 defeats from 7 and only 2 goals scored while conceding 16 tells you all need to know about the task they face in this match.

Both Norwich City & Tranmere Rovers like to play positive, attacking football so it should be an open game & that will definitely suit the fluent style of Norwich City who should prove way too strong for Tranmere in this match & they can get another home win.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Norwich City to win

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correct Score options: Norwich City to win 2-0/3-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to Score anytime: Holt/Martin/Hoolahan

Double Result: Norwich City Half Time & Full Time

Southampton vs Brighton – (Sunday 4.30pm)

What was already looking likely to be a a very interesting game between Southampton & Brighton has become even more interesting with the news that Gus Poyet is to take over as Brighton manager.

That appointment will really push the media focus onto this game & certainly will impact on the build up to it for everybody concerned & particularly the Brighton squad who should be boosted by the news.

What impact Gus Poyet will have at Brighton is unknown so it’s best to concentrate what we do know & that is coming into this game Southampton & Brighton are experiencing totally different seasons in terms of results & form.

The league table shows Brighton sitting a few positions & a couple of points above Southampton but the truth in terms of form & results but that is purely down to the 10 point deduction Southampton had at the start of the season.

The true picture is that Alan Pardew has taken over at Southampton & so far done a fantastic job in getting the club going in the right direction again.

Southampton are in a fantastic run of form & confidence levels within the team are very high which is helping them to produce entertaining, attacking football & scoring lots of goals in the process.

Southampton’s key strength at the moment is the range of goalscorers they have with the likes of Lambert, Lallana & David Connolly all regularly getting amongst the goals.

We expect Southampton to be very positive again in this match & they will feel Brighton’s fragile defence is there for the taking in this home game.

Brighton have had a nightmare start to the season with only 3 wins in their first 15 league games & that is a major disappointment for a team who had high expectations at the start of the season.

The appointment of Gus Poyet is very interesting & it will be fascinating watching what impact he has there but we do expect a very positive reaction from the players in this game because places in the team are up for grabs again with a new manager on the scene.

Brighton have actually not done too bad away from home with 4 draw & 1 win from their 7 games and they have played some of their better football away from home which should give them some confidence going into this away trip.

Brighton have been very fragile in defence & clearly that will be a major issue of concern against such a positive, attacking side as Southampton.

The appointment of Gus Poyet will boost the interest in this match & that could indeed have a very positive effect as both teams will be committed to going for a positive result making the game open which we feel will suit Southampton perfectly & they do look a cracking bet to win this & continue their excellent form.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Southampton to win

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Correct Score options: Southampton to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to Score anytime: Lambert/Connolly/Lallana

Double Result: Southampton Half Time & Full Time

Betting Recommendations for remaining League 1 fixtures:

Bristol Rovers vs Carlisle United – DRAW 1-1/2-2

Gillingham vs Oldham Athletic – Gillingham win 2-1/3-1

Hartlepool vs Leyton Orient – Hartlepool win 2-1/3-1

Walsall vs Stockport – Walsall win 2-0/3-0

Yeovil vs Southend – Southend win 2-1/3-1