Ten draws: Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth, Blackburn v Watford, Stoke v Millwall, Sunderland v Coventry, Barnsley v Stevenage, Northampton v Oxford, Reading v Wigan, Accrington v Walsall, Alloa v Montrose, Stirling v Queen of the South.
Best draws: Blackburn v Watford, Stoke v Millwall, Sunderland v Coventry, Barnsley v Stevenage, Accrington v Walsall.
Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Arsenal, Southampton, Peterborough, Bradford City (Friday), Mansfield, Falkirk.
Weekend's best football bets: Ten homes: Aston Villa (Friday), Fulham, Luton, Leicester, Norwich, Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton, Portsmouth, Tranmere, Wrexham.
Pick of the draws: Watford's resounding 5-1 win at Preston last Saturday emphasised their recent improvement in the Championship and they should collect at least a point from their visit to Blackburn. Stoke v Millwall is a battle of the Championship strugglers and it's hard to see either side getting an edge. Michael Beale's first match as Sunderland manager may look fairly straightforward but Coventry have a habit of upsetting more fancied teams, as was evident in their 1-1 draw at Leeds last weekend. Stevenage's formidable away form has kept them in the League One promotion chase and they are quite capable of returning from Barnsley with a point. Accrington are above Walsall in League Two but the visitors are in better nick, having won their past three games in all competitions, and will be eager to extend their unbeaten run.
Away days: Arsenal have not won on their last 10 Premier League visits to Anfield, so the leaders are due a change of luck at Liverpool, who are second, a point behind them. The Gunners were 2-0 up in the corresponding fixture last season but failed to see the game out. The result could be different this time. Southampton, having disposed of Blackburn 4-0 at home in the Championship last Saturday, are worth backing at Queens Park Rangers, whose 2-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday kept them in the relegation zone. I expect Peterborough, having moved into the automatic promotion positions in League One, to carry on the good work at Shrewsbury. I feel that Bradford City's 2-0 triumph at Gillingham in League Two last Saturday was significant and I rate their chances at Doncaster, who crashed 5-0 at home to Morecambe on the same day. Fourth-placed Mansfield are highly recommended at Sutton, who are bottom and now without a manager, and Scottish League One leaders Falkirk also have the look of an away banker at second-from-bottom Annan.
Homes sweet homes: Lowly Luton can take advantage of the fluctuating form of injury-ravaged Newcastle and gain only their second Premier League home success this season. A few weeks ago all looked lost for Sheffield Wednesday as they sat at the foot of the Championship but consecutive wins over Stoke (1-0 away) and Queens Park Rangers (2-1 home), have made them believe that they can escape relegation. They are worth a punt against Cardiff, who have stalled. Although Tranmere, who lie 21st in League Two, are terrible away, their home record is much better and I believe they'll beat Swindon, who have slipped down the table.
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