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

Ten draws: Watford v West Ham, Barnsley v Luton, Derby v West Brom, Huddersfield v Reading, Preston v Sheffield Wednesday, Doncaster v Lincoln, Portsmouth v Rotherham, Shrewsbury v Burton, Grimsby v Port Vale, Leyton Orient v Crawley.

Best draws: Derby v West Brom, Huddersfield v Reading, Preston v Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth v Rotherham, Shrewsbury v Burton.

Six aways: Chelsea, Leicester, Bristol City, Blackpool, Exeter, Aberdeen.

Ten homes: Brighton, Manchester United, Tottenham, Charlton, Middlesbrough, Swansea, Coventry, Sunderland, Wycombe, Bradford City.

Pick of the draws: West Bromwich Albion have already won at Nottingham Forest and Luton in this season's Championship, so I'm confident they will at least avoid defeat at Derby. Reading's unexpected 3-0 home win over Cardiff last Sunday must have put a spring in their step, which is more than can be said for Huddersfield, who have struggled in the lower division since being relegated last season. Managerless Sheffield Wednesday are among the Championship front-runners and are well capable of gaining a point at Preston. Portsmouth's failure to beat nine-man Coventry at Fratton Park in midweek will have infuriated their manager Kenny Jackett and I can't see Rotherham, with two League One away victories under their belt, making it any easier for them. Shrewsbury and Burton, two unfashionable teams playing each other, enjoyed good away wins in midweek at Accrington and Oxford respectively and I cannot separate them.

Away days: Although Chelsea have fallen short for manager Frank Lampard so far, there is more to come from them and I think we'll see it when they travel to promoted Norwich on Saturday. Leicester should really have taken three points from Stamford Bridge last Sunday and I believe they'll make sure of a maximum return at Sheffield United. Bristol City are back on the winning track in the Championship, having defeated Queens Park Rangers (home) and Derby (away). The odds are shortening on their making it a hat-trick at Hull. Blackpool, the League One leaders, are looking strong at the moment and I can't see Rochdale knocking them out of their stride. Exeter, flying high in League Two, have conceded only once in four matches and are a decent bet to keep another clean sheet at Morecambe. In the Scottish Premiership, Aberdeen are tipped to prevail at bottom club Kilmarnock.

Homes sweet homes: Brighton, under new manager Graham Potter, have four points from two Premier League games, whereas Southampton have none. I've a hunch that gap will be wider after the teams meet at the Amex on Saturday. Middlesbrough gave new manager Jonathan Woodgate his first Championship victory when they beat Wigan at home in midweek and I'm taking them to follow that up when they host Millwall. The signs are looking more positive for Bradford City after two consecutive wins in League Two and they are worth backing against Forest Green, although the visitors don't give much away.


Pools info: Tranmere v Bury (No 32 on coupon) has been postponed and will be judged by the pools panel. Three of my five best draws were correct last weekend: Chelsea v Leicester, Stoke v Derby and Peterborough v Ipswich. I also got nine out of ten homes: Arsenal, Norwich, Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest, Blackpool, Lincoln, Bradford City, Newport and Falkirk.