Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Nov 24-25

Ten draws: Fulham v Southampton, Watford v Liverpool, Stoke v Queens Park Rangers, Swansea v Norwich, Wimbledon v Southend, Bradford City v Oxford, Rochdale v Accrington, Colchester v Exeter, Crawley v Crewe, St Johnstone v Kilmarnock.

Best draws: Fulham v Southampton, Watford v Liverpool, Swansea v Norwich, Wimbledon v Southend, Bradford City v Oxford.

Best weekend away bets: Middlesbrough, Derby, Luton, Portsmouth, Bury, Brora.

Best weekend home bets: Everton, Wolves, Hull, Leeds, Preston, Wigan, Barnsley, Charlton, Carlisle, Ross.

Pick of the draws: Rumours abound that if Southampton lose to Fulham, the Premier League's bottom club, at Craven Cottage on Saturday, manager Mark Hughes will be out of a job. Poor though Southampton are, I believe Hughes will be spared that indignity. Fulham have appointed Leicester's title-winning boss Claudio Ranieri as their new manager but he has a lot of work to do to restore their shattered confidence. Watford have already beaten Tottenham at home and they have the ability to hinder Liverpool's title challenge. Liverpool remain unbeaten after 12 league games but they have faltered a bit recently and could be denied at Vicarage Road. The confidence of Championship leaders Norwich must be sky high after their surge to the top and they can take a point off Swansea, who lie just outside the play-off places. Wimbledon must be at their lowest ebb after sacking manager Neal Ardley. Only a superior goal difference keeps them off the bottom of League One but I believe they'll share the spoils with Southend, who may feel the effects of being taken to extra time in their FA Cup first-round replay victory at Crawley in midweek. Improving Oxford have drawn six of their nine away matches. I can see them making it seven at bottom club Bradford City, who at least held high-flying Peterborough to a draw last weekend.

Away days: Middlesbrough's mean defence is their chief asset and it should see them through at Brentford, who have slid down the Championship table since the departure of manager Dean Smith to Aston Villa. Derby's 3-0 home defeat by Villa last time out was a surprise and I think they'll bounce straight back by winning at Sheffield Wednesday, who are in the doldrums. If Luton's away form matched their home record they would be certainties for promotion from League One and a trip to lowly Gillingham is a good opportunity for them to make a statement. Leaders Portsmouth, unbeaten away, look a sound proposition at Scunthorpe and Bury, joint top scorers in League Two, must fancy themselves at struggling Cambridge. Brora, flying high in the Highland League, have the best chance of causing an upset in the Scottish Cup third round at the weekend. They travel to Cowdenbeath, who in League Two have lost more at home than they've won.

Homes sweet homes: Although in the Championship relegation zone, Hull continue to show their battling qualities and they are worth a punt against maddeningly inconsistent Nottingham Forest. Preston are another club who are displaying the fighting spirit to ward off the drop and they have a reasonable chance of upsetting Blackburn, who are eight points better off. League Two Carlisle are due a good result at home and I'm backing them to get it against Forest Green, who are experiencing a blip.

Pools info: Burnley v Newcastle (No 3 on coupon) is being played on Monday and will be judged by the pools panel.