Pools tips for weekend of January 11-12

Ten draws: Fulham v Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday v Leeds, Watford v Reading, Bradford City v Bristol City, Oldham v Stevenage, Wolves v Preston, Dagenham & Redbridge v Fleetwood, Hartlepol v Rochdale, Mansfield v Scunthorpe, Plymouth v Southend.

Best draws: Sheffield Wednesday v Leeds, Bradford City v Bristol City, Wolves v Preston, Dagenham & Redbridge v Fleetwood, Plymouth v Southend.

Best weekend away bets: Chelsea, Burnley, Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest, Gillingham, Walsall.

Best weekend home bets: Everton, Blackburn, Huddersfield, Brentford, Coventry, Swindon, AFC Wimbledon, Bristol Rovers, Northampton, Dundee.


Pick of the draws: Leeds will have been hit hard by their FA Cup defeat to League Two Rochdale last weekend. They are out of form anyway, which will encourage the improving Sheffield Wednesday, who are eager to improve their record at Hillsborough. A stalemate looks the likeliest outcome of this Championship fixture. Bradford City are slipping out of League One promotion contention, partly because they have had too many home draws. I think they'll get another one on Saturday as their visitors, Bristol City, under new manager Steve Cotterill, are showing signs of climbing away from the relegation zone. Promotion challengers Wolves are experiencing a blip and I believe Preston, who are one place behind them in fourth, will take away a point from Molineux. Fleetwood, in League Two, have not had an away draw all season but I can see them sharing the spoils with Dagenham & Redbridge, who are tough opponents at home. Plymouth are one of the in-form sides at the moment and can halt Southend's charge up the table.

Away days: Chelsea, two points off the top of the Premier League and now getting into their stride, will fancy their chances of maximum points at Hull. Burnley, second in the Championship, nearly forced a draw against Southampton in an FA Cup thriller at St Mary's last Saturday and will probably be too strong for relegation-threatened Yeovil. Middlesbrough can take advantage of Blackpool's sharp decline and Nottingham Forest, fresh from thrashing West Ham in the FA Cup, will be confident of prevailing at Bolton. League One Gillingham defeated high-riding Wolves last Friday, so a trip to mid-table Colchester should hold no fears. Walsall are red-hot on their travels and ought to take care of Tranmere, who hover just above the relegation zone.

Homes sweet homes: Swindon are a match for anybody on their day and I believe they will beat Peterborough, who have gone from League One promotion certainties to possible play-off contenders. They even failed to overcome non-League Kidderminster in the FA Cup third round last weekend. Exeter's slide in League Two shows no sign of stopping, so don't be surprised if lowly Bristol Rovers take three points off them. Bottom club Northampton, still without a manager since the sacking of Aidy Boothroyd, earned a morale-boosting victory at Newport last Saturday and that may spur them to a win over York.

Pools info: The result of Aston Villa v Arsenal, match No 1 on the coupon and being played on Monday, will be decided by the pools panel. Leicester v Derby (match No 18) and Aberdeen v Hibernian (47) are on Friday and therefore void.