Pools tips and best bets for weekend of August 30-31

Ten draws: Queens Park Rangers v Sunderland, Tottenham v Liverpool, Sheffield Wednesday v Nottingham Forest, Fleetwood v Leyton Orient, Notts County v Bristol City, Preston v Sheffield United, Swindon v Coventry, Tranmere v Morecambe, York v Wycombe, Aberdeen v Partick.

Best draws: Tottenham v Liverpool, Sheffield Wednesday v Nottingham Forest, Notts County v Bristol City, Preston v Sheffield United, Swindon v Coventry.

Best weekend away bets: Chelsea, Cardiff, Bolton, Peterborough, Barnsley, Stirling.

Best weekend home bets: Manchester City, Brighton, Derby, Millwall, Watford, Doncaster, Gillingham, Oxford, Plymouth, Hamilton.

Pick of the draws: Premier League leaders Tottenham have got off to a flyer but Liverpool will want to recover quickly from their defeat at Manchester City on Monday. New signing Mario Balotelli, the Italian striker, is expected to make his debut and will also be eager to make a good first impression. Two of the League's most in-form sides, Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest, meet in the Championship at Hillsborough. Neither has lost a game so far and I believe that will still be the case after Saturday. Notts County had a marvellous 2-0 win at Port Vale in League One last weekend and are expected to make life tough for promotion contenders Bristol City. Nigel Clough's Sheffield United are steadily climbing the table after a false start and their confidence got a further boost when they knocked West Ham out of the League Cup. I'm taking them to come away from Preston with a point. The feel-good factor has returned to Coventry with the news that they are going back to their old ground. That should put a spring in their step for the trip to Swindon. 

Away days: Chelsea have looked formidably good in their opening two Premier League matches and they can make it a hat-trick of victories at Everton, who are in the habit of conceding late goals. Cardiff are expected to challenge strongly for promotion from League One and should account for Fulham, who are pointless. Bolton have been struggling in the Championship but so have Saturday's opponents Leeds, where the club seems in turmoil. The Lancashire side are worth a punt at Elland Road. High-riding Peterborough had a fine win at Bradford City in League One and must be fancied at lowly Colchester. Relegated Barnsley are starting to find their feet and ought to be too strong for Yeovil. Stirling scored five at Stenhousemuir in the Scottish League One last weekend but they probably won't need as many goals to defeat bottom club Airdrieonians. 

Homes sweet homes: Brighton will be feeling much better after two consecutive victories and I believe they will beat the higher-placed Charlton, even though the Londoners have started their Championship campaign in great style. Oxford are the only team in League Two without a point but they were unlucky against Portsmouth last Saturday and against West Bromwich Albion in the League Cup when they were only eliminated after a penalty shoot-out. I'm backing them to get off the mark against Dagenham & Redbridge. Mid-table Plymouth are also worth supporting against promotion contenders Southend, who are prone to the occasional lapse.