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Tranmere v Newport Betting Tips: Who will make it up to League One?

| 25.05.2019
SPORTSBOOK ODDS

League Two play-off final betting preview and odds

A huge weekend of action across the EFL gets going on Saturday as Tranmere Rovers face Newport County in the League Two play-off final at Wembley.

Micky Mellon’s men saw off Forest Green Rovers to reach this stage. Their opponents squeaked past Mansfield Town in a penalty shoot-out after the pair couldn’t be separated across 210 minutes of football.

Now it comes down to this. Who will prevail under the arch and play at Portman Road, Fratton Park and Bloomfield Road next season? It’s live on Sky Sports Main Event from 3pm and we’ve previewed the match below.

Head-to-Head

Newport and Tranmere have met four times since the Exiles returned to the EFL in 2013. Three of those have ended all-square, with the Welsh club taking the spoils 1-0 when the sides clashed at Prenton Park in September.

Look further into those draws and there’s reason to suggest this could be a tight affair. Two of their three stalemates have ended 0-0, with the other tete-a-tete finishing 1-1 in 2015.

Likely XIs

Newport vs Tranmere - Football tactics and formations

Tranmere: Davies, Caprice, Nelson, Monthe, Ridehalgh, Banks, Morris, Harris, Perkins, Jennings, Norwood.

Newport: Day, Demetriou, O’Brien, Poole, Willmott, Dolan, Bennett, Sheehan, Butler, Amond, Matt.

Tranmere have no fresh concerns ahead of the play-off final and could name an unchanged side for the third match in a row. That means 32-goal hotshot James Norwood will lead the line in a 4-1-4-1 formation.

Defensive midfield shield Ollie Banks will be charged with protecting defensive rocks Sid Nelson and Manny Monthe.

Exiles boss Michael Flynn is expected to revert to a familiar 3-5-2 formation. His only real decision is in midfield, where Joss Labadie and Matt Dolan are vying for selection. The former is expected to prevail.

Goalkeeper Joe Day has been exceptional between the sticks. He’s in charge of a defence which includes Man United loanee Regan Poole.

Key Battles

This match could come down to which side can contain the other’s forwards. Norwood has scored 47% of Tranmere’s goals in League Two this season. He also netted in the second-leg at Forest Green.

Mickey Demetriou, Mark O’Brien and Poole will be charged with keeping him quiet. Manny Monthe and Sid Nelson will need to divide their time between Newport’s 14 and 15-goal strikers Jamille Matt and Padraig Amond.

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Rovers boss Micky Mellon has already seen Bury and Ryan Lowe win promotion this season.

Scot Bennett’s midfield battle with ex-White Labadie should be another one to savour. Jake Caprice and Liam Ridehalgh also offer Rovers an advantage when it comes to getting forward down the flanks.

Match Odds

Tranmere haven’t beaten Newport since the Exiles returned to the EFL. But the Whites are favourites inside 90 minutes at 8/5 and to win promotion at 8/11.

Their opponents are 15/8 to win the match inside the allotted time or even-money to go up. Their recent history of close encounters could also lend itself to the draw inside 90 minutes at 2/1.

Our traders go 13/2 about another 0-0 scoreline, 5/1 about 1-1 and 8/15 for there to be Under 2.5 Goals. If the net does ripple then Norwood is the 6/4 favourite ahead of Matt and Amond at 11/5 apiece.

Big match previews, betting tips and transfer news – Coral has it all.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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Author

Nick Murphy