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.

Pools tips for this weekend February 4-5

Ten draws: Chelsea v Manchester United, Stoke v Sunderland, Brighton v Leicester, Bristol City v Leeds, Huddersfield v MK Dons, Preston v Brentford, Aldershot v Bristol Rovers, Crewe v Accrington, Morecambe v Dagenham & Redbridge, Rotherham v Torquay.

Best draws: Chelsea v Manchester United, Brighton v Leicester, Bristol City v Leeds, Preston v Brentford, Crewe v Accrington.

Five aways: Ipswich, Reading, Hartlepool, Sheffield United, Tranmere.

Nine homes: Arsenal, Newcastle, Birmingham, Burnley, Portsmouth, Watford, Notts County, Sheffield Wednesday, Cheltenham.

Pick of the draws: Chelsea are not convincing anybody at the moment, but the expected debut of their much-trumpeted signing from Bolton, England centre-half Gary Cahill, will surely strengthen them on Sunday and may halt the title march of Manchester United. A deserved 2-0 victory at promotion-chasing Southampton has given Leicester some momentum in the Championship and I'm taking them to gain a point at Brighton, who are in good form themselves. Leeds will be anxious to make amends for a heavy home defeat by Birmingham, but they won't find it easy at Bristol City, who have moved six points clear of the relegation zone. I suspect Preston will still be waiting for their first League One win under new manager Graham Westley after away specialists Brentford come visiting. In League Two, Accrington are a fair bet to draw for the 10th time on the road. Their hosts, Crewe, will be without their regular centre-backs, both suspended.

Away days: Ipswich's rout of Championship leaders West Ham was one of the upsets of the season and I believe they will carry on the good work at bottom club Coventry. Reading are one of the clubs in the play-off mix and should be too strong for struggling Doncaster. In League One, Hartlepool's fine away form will probably serve them well at Bury while Sheffield United are expected to enhance their promotion challenge with victory over Colchester. Tranmere were unlucky not to beat high-riding Huddersfield last Saturday, so don't be surprised if they take it out on relegation-threatened Wycombe.

Homes sweet homes: Birmingham are flying, both in the FA Cup and Championship, and are worth a punt against second-placed Southampton, who are faltering. Portsmouth's financial troubles don't seem to be affecting them on the field (a 3-0 win at Peterborough in the Championship last Saturday) and they can upset Hull's promotion chances. Watford deserved better against Tottenham in the FA Cup and will fancy their chances against Barnsley. In League One, Notts County will be looking to avenge their FA Cup defeat at Stevenage last weekend and will be quietly confident of turning the tables