Pools tips for this weekend December 4-5

Treble chance (home teams): Birmingham, Manchester City, Derby, Ipswich, Swindon, Accrington, Gillingham, Oxford, Inverness, St Johnstone. 


Best draws: Birmingham, Ipswich, Swindon, Gillingham, Oxford. 


Aways: Manchester United, Bournemouth, Southampton, Bradford City, Wycombe. 


Homes: Arsenal, West Bromwich, Coventry, Doncaster, Millwall, Portsmouth, Leyton Orient, Bury, Cheltenham. 


Pick of the draws: Tottenham are flying at the moment, but Birmingham are no pushover at St Andrew’s, as Chelsea found to their cost two weeks ago. Ipswich have lost four on the trot in the league, but I expect them to stop the rot by pinching a point off promotion challengers Swansea at Portman Road. Sheffield Wednesday are the form team in League One, but may find it hard to gain maximum points at Swindon, who are better than their lowly position suggests. In League Two, Gillingham have emerged from their slump and I’m tipping them to hold fifth-placed Rotherham. Next-to-bottom Barnet can take advantage of Oxford’s poor home form. 


Away days: League One Bournemouth to sustain their promotion challenge with victory at Bristol Rovers while Southampton should prove too strong for Hartlepool, despite the long journey to the north-east. In League Two, Aldershot are reeling from their FA Cup second-round exit at the hands of non-League Dover, so don’t be surprised if Bradford City cash in. Wycombe have been defeated only once on the road this season and are a confident selection to beat Crewe, who are making a habit of losing to the sides above them. 


Home sweet homes: West Bromwich Albion got back on the winning track in fine style at Everton last Saturday and should be victorious against Newcastle. Coventry, who have edged into the Championship play-offs, look to have too much in their locker for relegation-troubled Middlesbrough and I’m backing Millwall to add to Scunthorpe’s worries. Leyton Orient are just above the relegation zone in League One, but are playing well enough to surprise Carlisle. Chesterfield have lost confidence as well as the League Two leadership to Port Vale; third-placed Bury will be encouraged by that.