Pools tips for this weekend February 19-20

Treble chance (home teams): Stoke, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Colchester, Hartlepool, Rochdale, Aberdeen, St Mirren, Morton, Peterhead.


Best draws: Stoke, Crystal Palace, Colchester, Rochdale, St Mirren.


Aways: Cardiff, Queens Park Rangers, Derby, St Johnstone, Raith.


Homes: Chelsea, Birmingham, Millwall, Portsmouth, Peterborough, Crewe, Gillingham, Hereford, Celtic.


Pick of the draws: Stoke, of the Premier League, host League One leaders Brighton in the FA Cup fifth round in what will be a fascinating clash of styles. I have a hunch that Brighton's fluency will be as effective as Stoke's muscle and I am taking Gus Poyet's seasiders to force a shock replay. Crystal Palace and Sheffield United are finding goals hard to come by at the wrong end of the Championship and I predict a stalemate at Selhurst Park. Walsall are battling hard to avoid relegation from League One and can come away from Colchester with a point. Rochdale continue to punch above their weight and are capable of holding Southampton. Struggling Hibernian have yet to draw away in the Scottish Premier but may end that sequence at St Mirren, who are just below them.


Away days: Take a gamble on promotion-chasing Cardiff to win at Nottingham Forest, who are unbeaten at home in the Championship. Nobody in this division has won more away matches than Cardiff, who showed what they were capable of by gaining maximum points at high flyers Swansea two weeks ago. Derby have a wonderful opportunity to end their wretched run at Scunthorpe, who have already lost nine home games. In the Scottish Premier, Inverness Caledonian Thistle are notoriously flaky at home and visitors St Johnstone are expected to take advantage of that. In the Scottish First Division, leaders Raith should be too strong for relegation-threatened Cowdenbeath.


Homes sweet homes: Millwall, doing so well in the Championship despite slender resources, ought to defeat lowly Middlesbrough at the New Den. Portsmouth arrested their slide by winning at Doncaster last Saturday and they should carry on the good work against Barnsley. In League Two, back Crewe, who are unbeaten at Gresty Road this year, to send Stevenage home pointless. Hereford have climbed four points clear of the relegation zone after a remarkable 3-0 victory at Cheltenham last week. They must be fancied to beat Burton, who have suffered from having so many fixtures postponed. Put your money on Scottish Premier leaders Celtic to make home advantage count in the Old Firm derby.