5 things to watch for in the EFL Matchweek – 12

The EFL is back in full swing this weekend following the September international break, with Championship games re-joining the League One and League Two fixture lists.

It all gets underway on Friday night, continuing through the weekend with some of the last-remaining unbeaten records in the Football League on the line.

There’s new managers and plotlines aplenty, but which are the games to keep an eye on this weekend? Let’s take a look.

Oscar a winner for Hull against Luton?

Things were looking bright for Hull after the first few rounds of Championship games, but the Tigers have taken a tumble since then and now sit 20th in the table. This week’s opponents, Luton, are only mid-table themselves, but have won on their last two visits to Hull’s ground. The Tigers are 19/10 to grab the win, with a draw 11/5.

Oscar Estupinan leads the Championship’s goalscorer charts with seven in his first 10 games, although he has failed to register a shot on target in his last two appearances. Hull will be banking on the Colombian to rediscover his touch in front of goal, and we have Enhanced Odds of 5/1 that Estupinan scores first against Luton.

Hull have the leakiest defence in the league so far this season, shipping 21 goals in their first 10 matches. Both teams to score is 17/20, while a score draw is 10/3.

Blades’ perfect home form under threat

Sheffield United are the only side with a 100% home record in the Championship so far, winning four out of four. However, their next opponent is one they haven’t beaten at Bramall Lane since 2009 – Birmingham City.

The Blues won 1-0 here last season and may fancy that they can cause an upset – they are 13/2 to pull off an away win. United, though, have only conceded once in their last six games and are 19/20 to keep another clean sheet. The Blades are 6/5 to win with a total of 4 or more goals scored in the match, while Oli McBurnie – who has four goals in his last five league games – is 7/2 to open the scoring.

Bilic makes his bow for Watford at Stoke

It’s all-change yet again at Watford as they parted ways with head coach Rob Edwards this week, moving quickly to bring in Croatian boss Slaven Bilic. Ten games into the season, and both Stoke and Watford have already changed managers – who will have the edge in this Sunday lunchtime kick-off?

Watford have won just three of their 10 games so far, their fewest at this stage in a Championship campaign for 11 years. The Hornets are 19/10 to make a winning start to Bilic’s tenure, whereas Stoke are 29/20 to get a home win that would see them leapfrog their opponents in the table.

League One’s last unbeaten record to end at Ipswich?

Paul Warne’s first match in charge of Derby catches the eye this weekend, but the game of the day on Saturday has to be second-place Ipswich hosting third-place Portsmouth. Ipswich slipped to defeat at Plymouth last time out – their first loss of the season – and now face off against the only remaining unbeaten team in the division.

Portsmouth have won their last three away league games without conceding a goal, although they haven’t won four in a row while keeping a clean sheet each time since September 1983. Pompey are 3/1 to win at Portman Road, with a draw 5/2. The Tractor Boys have lost just three of their last 37 home games in League One and will hope to bounce back to winning ways on Saturday: Ipswich are 10/11 to get the win.

Orient to overwhelm Newport?

Leyton Orient lead the way in League Two – one of the last remaining unbeaten sides in the entire EFL, with a remarkable nine wins from their opening 10 games. They host struggling Newport County this weekend and will hope to assert themselves over their 18th-placed visitors.

Orient have lost just two of their last 13 matches against Newport, and are 4/5 to win on Saturday. No side in the whole EFL has kept more clean sheets than the O’s, who have seven shutouts in their 10 games. You can get 6/5 on Orient to keep another clean sheet on Saturday, while a surprise away win for Newport is 7/2.