Brighton 8/13 to beat Orient and maintain four-point cushion

Things are still fairly tight at the head of the League One standings, but with some of the teams featuring highly in the table set to meet on New Year’s Day, there could a lot of change by the end of the round of the fixtures.

There may be only ten points separating leaders Brighton from Carlisle in 14th spot, but Gus Poyet’s team are safe in the knowledge that they will still the lead the way regardless of their result at home to Leyton Orient.

Brighton currently head the table by four points and it is 8/13 that they at worst maintain this gap by beating Leyton Orient.

However, Orient may be confident having already claimed victory at the Withdean Stadium this season in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and they are 9/2 to triumph again.

Charlton are one of Brighton’s closest pursuers and could move to within one point of them if they secure maximum points from their game in hand.

But they face a tricky challenge next, as they travel to Colchester, who have proved tough to beat and are one place outside of the play-off places.

Colchester have only lost one of their last four meetings with Charlton and ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in their home League One fixture against them last season.

It is 6/4 that Colchester secure victory again, but Charlton will be keen to end a run of three league games without a win and can be backed at 17/10 to land the spoils.

Southampton are another team in the play-off places, but a home defeat against tenth-placed Exeter could see them overtaken by their opponents in the league standings.

Exeter are 5/1 to cause a shock and beat Southampton for the first time since 1956, while the hosts are 8/15 to claim an expected victory.

A £10 stake on Southampton beating Exeter 3-1 for the third time in four meetings would return £90. New customers can sign up here for a free £10 bet.