Big Saturday Multiple: Back Seagulls to make more waves at home

2Mar 2013

Betfair

Jonno Turner scours the footballing calender for three selections to make up his Big Saturday Multiple this week - odds of over 6s.

We're off to Elland Road for our first pick of this three team multiple, as Leeds United host Millwall on their own patch.

Neil Warnock's side go into this clash sitting ninth in the Championship, and their form in front of their own fans has been impressive of late, with three wins from their last four.

In the bigger picture, that makes just two losses from 11 home outings for the West Yorkshire side - and that is the kind of consistency they will need to maintain if they are to make a late charge for the playoffs this campaign.

So tight is this division that just half a dozen points separate Warnock's side from sixth placed Brighton, and he will be eyeing their remaining home games as must wins if they are to close that gap.

Two clean sheets from their last two outings suggests that the Whites may have turned a corner defensively - their rearguard looking shaky during a 4-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City a fortnight ago.

The visitors travel up the M1 looking to repeat the performance which secured them a 2-1 victory at Middlesbrough last weekend - but that win is an anomaly in what has been a miserable few months for the Millwall faithful.

Five losses on the bounce before that victory sees the Lions in 14th place in the Championship, and Kenny Jackett will be desperate for his side to use that win as a springboard with around a third of the campaign left to play.

But his side have not kept a clean sheet since mid-December, and that could be rather telling as they travel to face a Leeds side which has notched 12 times in their last 10 home games.

Bet 1: Leeds United @ 2.05

Staying in the second tier now, and in-form Brighton will be looking to cement their place in the play-off places with another win as they welcome out of sorts Huddersfield Town to the Amex Stadium.

Gus Poyet's side go into this one high in confidence following three wins from four (the other being a draw), and will be looking to use that momentum to propel themselves to victory here.

Victories over high flying Hull and Cardiff in the last couple of weeks has shown that the south coast side are more than capable of mixing it with the big boys in this division, and they will be desperate to maintain that good form on their own patch this afternoon.

Three clean sheets from their last four underlines just how comfortable the Seagulls have looked of late, and Poyet will be hoping that his side can extend a run which has seen them lose just one home league clash since the 2nd November - a run which stretches 11 games.

He also has the nice dilemma of deciding whether to throw fit again skipper Gordon Greer back into the side, or stick with Matt Upson and Adam El-Abd in the heart of defence.

Huddersfield make the long trip south having won just one of their last four - and new boss Mark Robins will be looking for his side to build on their 1-0 win at Burnley in midweek.

That marked the first win at the helm for Robins, who saw his side concede 10 goals in his first two games - but he will be well aware of the task ahead of his side this afternoon.

The Terriers sit 18th in the Championship, just five points outside of the dropzone, and will be feeling the pressure as other sides around them pick up points.

Robins has no new injuries, but is still without the likes of Jermaine Beckford and Keith Southern, and they are big misses to the visitors.

Bet 2: Brighton @ 1.6

Dropping to League Two for our final selection of the day - and top of the table Gillingham travel to Aldershot, looking to extend their formidable away record.

The Gills have been in incredible form away from the MEMS Priestfield Stadium, and that has played a major part in cementing their position at the summit of the division.

Martin Allen's side have won 11 of their 16 away league games this campaign (drawing four and losing one of the remaining five), and have won five of their last six in recent weeks - keeping an impressive five consecutive clean sheets.

A 1-0 home loss to Oxford last time out will have knocked the Kent side slightly - but the Gills have not lost back to back games all season, and that suggests that they will come out chomping at the bit today.

Hosts Aldershot line up for this one having won just two from 10 games, and will be desperate to pull off a shock win against the league leaders in order to put more breathing space between themselves and the relegation places.

Just two points separates the Shots from the dropzone, and three wins from their last six on their own patch indicates that a lack of consistency could play a major part in their downfall.

Andy Scott's side are big and strong, but will have their work cut out against a well-drilled Gillingham side who tend to sit back and play on the break away from their own patch.

The last time these two sides met, Gillingham ran out 4-0 winners - and though I expect it to be a narrower scoreline this time around, I can't see past the Gills for the win.

Bet 3: Gillingham @ 2.25