Pools tips for this weekend March 10-11

Ten draws: Bolton v QPR, Wolves v Blackburn, Bristol City v Cardiff, Burnley v Crystal Palace, Hull v Ipswich, Brentford v Sheff Utd, Tranmere v Leyton Orient, Gillingham v Crewe, Macclesfield v Crawley, Northampton v Aldershot.

Best draws: Wolves v Blackburn, Bristol City v Cardiff, Burnley v Crystal Palace, Brentford v Sheff Utd, Macclesfield v Crawley.

Five aways: Fulham, Liverpool, Blackpool, Scunthorpe, Oxford.

Nine homes: Chelsea, Everton, Man Utd, Norwich, Brighton, Derby, Southampton, Carlisle, Walsall.

Pick of the draws: Wolves and Blackburn are struggling to stay in the Premier League and wondering where their next win is coming from. After their heroic defeat in the Carling Cup final, Cardiff looked flat when they were beaten by West Ham last weekend and may struggle to overcome Bristol City. Crystal Palace are the draw specialists of the Championship and another one is on the cards when they visit Burnley. Promotion-seeking Sheffield United have been hindered by two consecutive defeats in League One and will be eager to avoid another loss against Brentford. Crawley have stumbled in League Two recently and Macclesfield, battling against relegation, could frustrate them.

Away days: Fulham have climbed into the top half of the Premier League and I'm taking them to continue their improvement at Aston Villa. Liverpool were unlucky to lose against Arsenal last weekend and are a good bet to take it out on Sunderland. I believe Blackpool will recover from their midweek setback at Derby in the Championship and prevail at Peterborough. Scunthorpe have hit form in League One and are worth a punt at goal-shy Preston. League Two play-off candidates Oxford, fresh from their victory over leaders Swindon, look a good thing at underperforming Bradford City.

Homes sweet homes: Teams often get an immediate lift when an unpopular manager departs and I believe Chelsea, for the first time in weeks, will be in the right frame of mind against Stoke. Everton are playing much better and could take advantage of Tottenham's recent setbacks. I'm taking Derby, on the back of two good recent results in the Championship, to send Watford home pointless. Walsall have moved clear of the League One relegation zone and can surprise Hartlepool.

Pools tips for this weekend March 3-4

Ten draws: Liverpool v Arsenal, Newcastle v Sunderland, Stoke v Norwich, Leeds v Southampton, Watford v Burnley, Exeter v Stevenage, Hartlepool v MK Dons, Accrington v Port Vale, Crewe v Shrewsbury, Kilmarnock v St Johnstone.


Best draws: Newcastle v Sunderland, Stoke v Norwich, Leeds v Southampton, Crewe v Shrewsbury, Kilmarnock v St Johnstone.


Five aways: Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Reading, Sheffield Wednesday, Wycombe.


Nine homes: Manchester City, Birmingham, Crystal Palace, Ipswich, Leicester, Portsmouth, Notts County, Yeovil, Aldershot.


Pick of the draws: Sunderland's heavy defeat at West Brom in the Premier League last Saturday was probably just a blip and they can nick a point at Newcastle, despite being 10 points behind them. Norwich were unlucky to lose to Manchester United and look good for at least a draw at Stoke. Championship team Southampton are on course for a second successive promotion but I believe they will be held by Leeds, who should benefit from Neil Warnock's managership. The League Two match at fast-improving Crewe, where promotion-seeking Shrewsbury are the visitors, stands out as one of the most likely draws of the weekend while in the Scottish Premier League I am backing St Johnstone to continue their fine away form at Kilmarnock.


Away days: Manchester United look a good thing at Tottenham, who may be reeling after crashing 5-2 at Arsenal. Nottingham Forest's shock win at Birmingham in the Championship will surely encourage them to collect maximum points at Barnsley. I think Reading will confirm their promotion credentials by beating Millwall. In League One, Gary Megson's high-flying Sheffield Wednesday ought to be too strong for lowly Rochdale and I've a hunch struggling Wycombe will break their run of away defeats by prevailing at Scunthorpe, who are feeble at home.


Homes sweet homes:  Cash-strapped and relegation-threatened Portsmouth are worth a punt against Middlesbrough, who have been unconvincing lately. Notts County are thriving under Keith Curle's managership in League One and can see off Carlisle. Yeovil's home form has particularly improved, as Brentford may find to their cost, while in League Two, Aldershot are on a roll and must be fancied to send Morecambe home pointless.   

Pools tips for this weekend February 25-26

Ten draws: West Brom v Sunderland, Brighton v Ipswich, Coventry v Barnsley, Middlesbrough v Reading, Bournemouth v MK Dons, Bury v Leyton Orient, Scunthorpe v Brentford, Gillingham v Torquay, Northampton v Port Vale, Hearts v Dundee United.


Best draws: West Brom v Sunderland, Middlesbrough v Reading, Bournemouth v MK Dons, Gillingham v Torquay, Hearts v Dundee United.


Five aways: Peterborough, Leeds, Southampton, Tranmere, Southend.


Nine homes: Newcastle, Queens Park Rangers, Wigan, Birmingham, Charlton, Cheltenham, Oxford, Plymouth, Shrewsbury.


Pick of the draws: Both West Brom and Sunderland have uplifting victories behind them; West Brom won 5-1 at Wolves and Sunderland knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup. Deadlock is likely. Middlesbrough have drawn eight of their home matches in the Championship. I can see them making it nine against Reading - another side in promotion contention. Bournemouth's home record is nothing to write home about in League One but they can gain a point against MK Dons. I have a hunch that Gillingham will halt their League Two slide against promotion-seeking Torquay while Dundee United can confirm their improvement in the Scottish Premier League by sharing the spoils at Hearts.


Away days: Peterborough played well to beat Bristol City 3-0 in the Championship last Saturday and I think they'll prevail again - this time at bottom club Doncaster. I expect Leeds, under new manager Neil Warnock, to pile on the misery for Portsmouth, whose 10-point deduction has dropped them into the relegation zone. Second-placed Southampton seem to be over their blip and should be backed at Watford. In League One, Tranmere can take advantage of Oldham's fragility while in League Two Southend should bounce back to winning ways against Morecambe.


Homes sweet homes: Bobby Zamora, the Queens Park Rangers forward, and Mark Hughes, the QPR manager, will be keen to put one over their old club when Fulham come visiting in the Premier League. Wigan are again making a spirited attempt to avoid relegation, so don't be surprised if they defeat an uninspiring Aston Villa. Plymouth's form is the best of the relegation-threatened clubs in League Two and they should be backed against ailing Dagenham & Redbridge. Shrewsbury have not lost at home this season. I believe they will maintain that record against their promotion rivals Crawley. 

Pools tips for this weekend February 18-19

Ten draws: Norwich v Leicester, Ipswich v Cardiff, Peterborough v Bristol City, Barnet v Shrewsbury, Bristol Rovers v Oxford, Burton v Rotherham, Hamilton v Falkirk, Arbroath v Cowdenbeath, Stirling v Brechin, Elgin v Alloa.

Best draws: Norwich v Leicester, Barnet v Shrewsbury, Burton v Rotherham, Arbroath v Cowdenbeath, Elgin v Alloa.

Five aways: Stoke, Tottenham, Coventry, Notts County, Swindon.

Nine homes: Leeds, Exeter, Leyton Orient, Yeovil, Accrington, Dundee United, Dunfermline, Rangers, Livingston.

Pick of the draws: If there is to be an upset in this weekend's FA Cup fifth round ties, I feel it may be at Norwich, where Leicester are the visitors. Leicester, who are mid-table in the Championship, are capable of better, as they showed when beating promotion contenders Southampton and Cardiff recently, and can force a replay. League Two high-flyers Shrewsbury are not the same force away and I think an improving Barnet side will hold them at Underhill. Rotherham's return to form will encourage them to believe they can get a point at Burton. In the Scottish second division, second-placed Arbroath are one of the few teams who can deny leaders Cowdenbeath. Elgin's outstanding home record in the Scottish third division should serve them well against Alloa, who top the table.

Away days: Crawley's FA Cup heroics will probably be ended by Stoke, who need a good result to offset recent setbacks in the Premier League. The rise and rise of Stevenage has been one of the success stories of the season but it is impossible to back against Tottenham at the moment. Harry Redknapp's side look a good bet to go all the way in the Cup. Coventry have a great chance of recording their first away victory in the Championship against struggling Nottingham Forest while in League One, Notts County are worth backing at Hartlepool, who regularly flop at home. Swindon are fancied to continue their winning streak in League Two at Hereford.

Homes sweet homes: If lowly Exeter can beat Sheffield Wednesday on merit then they can surely prevail against mid-table Bury in League One. Leyton Orient's home form has been holding them back but I can't see them making any mistake against Scunthorpe. Yeovil are making a spirited attempt to avoid relegation and are worth supporting against Colchester. Bottom club Dunfermline have not managed a home win in the Scottish Premier League this season but I'm taking them to break their duck against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Pools tips for this weekend February 11-12

Ten draws: Blackburn v Queens Park Rangers, Sunderland v Arsenal, Swansea v Norwich, Leeds v Brighton, Millwall v Derby, Southampton v Burnley, Stevenage v Carlisle, Barnet v Swindon, Macclesfield v Plymouth, St Johnstone v Dundee United.


Best draws: Swansea v Norwich, Leeds v Brighton, Southampton v Burnley, Barnet v Swindon, Macclesfield v Plymouth.


Five aways: West Brom, Birmingham, Sheffield Wednesday, Notts County, Oxford.


Nine homes: Everton, Fulham, Manchester United, Blackpool, Crystal Palace, Ipswich, Reading, MK Dons, Sheffield United.


Pick of the draws: Swansea and Norwich, who lie 10th and 9th respectively in the Premier League, and have adapted so well to life in the top flight, face each other at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday. I believe the game will be as close as their league positions. There is also little to choose between Leeds and Brighton, who both have 45 points in the Championship. Brighton manager Gus Poyet will be hoping to make a point in more ways than one on returning to his former club. Second-placed Southampton are wobbling and I expect Eddie Howe's improving Burnley side to gain their first away draw of the season. Promotion-chasing Swindon, from League Two, knocked Barnet out of the Johnstone Paints Trophy yesterday but they will find it tougher at Underhill, where visiting teams have come unstuck recently. Second-from-bottom Plymouth staged a terrific comeback to deny high-flying Southend last Saturday and they are well capable of collecting a point at Macclesfield, who are struggling.


Away days: West Bromwich Albion are far more comfortable away than at the Hawthorns and they can make that statistic count in the Black Country derby at Molineux, where Wolves have already lost seven matches. Chris Hughton's Birmingham are making a charge for automatic promotion to the Premier League and are a confident tip to prevail at Barnsley. I expect Sheffield Wednesday, second in League One, to bounce back from their FA Cup home defeat by Blackpool with victory at Exeter and for Notts County to increase Rochdale's relegation worries. League Two play-off contenders Oxford may be worth a punt at Accrington, who are without a manager.


Homes sweet homes: Don't be surprised if Everton dent Chelsea's hopes of Champions League football next season by beating them at Goodison Park. Everton have been strengthened by the signing of striker Nikica Jelavic from Rangers in the January transfer window and are unbeaten in their last five Premier League games. Chelsea's 3-3 draw against Manchester United last Sunday will feel more like a defeat, bearing in mind they relinquished a 3-0 lead. I'm taking Fulham to leapfrog Stoke, who have slipped into the bottom half of the Premier League. Manchester United will be eager for revenge against Liverpool, having fallen to them in the FA Cup, and should be inspired by that remarkable recovery at Stamford Bridge. Lowly Ipswich are on a roll in the Championship and a fair bet to see off Middlesbrough, who are going in the opposite direction.