Pools tips for this weekend February 25-26

Ten draws: West Brom v Sunderland, Brighton v Ipswich, Coventry v Barnsley, Middlesbrough v Reading, Bournemouth v MK Dons, Bury v Leyton Orient, Scunthorpe v Brentford, Gillingham v Torquay, Northampton v Port Vale, Hearts v Dundee United.


Best draws: West Brom v Sunderland, Middlesbrough v Reading, Bournemouth v MK Dons, Gillingham v Torquay, Hearts v Dundee United.


Five aways: Peterborough, Leeds, Southampton, Tranmere, Southend.


Nine homes: Newcastle, Queens Park Rangers, Wigan, Birmingham, Charlton, Cheltenham, Oxford, Plymouth, Shrewsbury.


Pick of the draws: Both West Brom and Sunderland have uplifting victories behind them; West Brom won 5-1 at Wolves and Sunderland knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup. Deadlock is likely. Middlesbrough have drawn eight of their home matches in the Championship. I can see them making it nine against Reading - another side in promotion contention. Bournemouth's home record is nothing to write home about in League One but they can gain a point against MK Dons. I have a hunch that Gillingham will halt their League Two slide against promotion-seeking Torquay while Dundee United can confirm their improvement in the Scottish Premier League by sharing the spoils at Hearts.


Away days: Peterborough played well to beat Bristol City 3-0 in the Championship last Saturday and I think they'll prevail again - this time at bottom club Doncaster. I expect Leeds, under new manager Neil Warnock, to pile on the misery for Portsmouth, whose 10-point deduction has dropped them into the relegation zone. Second-placed Southampton seem to be over their blip and should be backed at Watford. In League One, Tranmere can take advantage of Oldham's fragility while in League Two Southend should bounce back to winning ways against Morecambe.


Homes sweet homes: Bobby Zamora, the Queens Park Rangers forward, and Mark Hughes, the QPR manager, will be keen to put one over their old club when Fulham come visiting in the Premier League. Wigan are again making a spirited attempt to avoid relegation, so don't be surprised if they defeat an uninspiring Aston Villa. Plymouth's form is the best of the relegation-threatened clubs in League Two and they should be backed against ailing Dagenham & Redbridge. Shrewsbury have not lost at home this season. I believe they will maintain that record against their promotion rivals Crawley.