Christmas holiday pools tips (Part 1)

                       Coupon for December 22-23

Ten draws: Newcastle v Queens Park Rangers, Southampton v Sunderland, Birmingham v Burnley, Leicester v Cardiff, Sheffield Wednesday v Charlton, Crewe v Bournemouth, Doncaster v MK Dons, Wycombe v Bradford City, Hyde v Mansfield, Woking v Forest Green.

Best draws: Newcastle v Queens Park Rangers, Southampton v Sunderland, Crewe v Bournemouth, Doncaster v MK Dons, Hyde v Mansfield.

Five aways: Norwich, Brighton, Bolton, Portsmouth, Rotherham.

Nine homes: Liverpool, Manchester City, Crystal Palace, Ipswich, Leeds, Millwall, Scunthorpe, Walsall, Port Vale.

Pick of the draws: I get the feeling QPR are up and running after gaining their first Premier League win of the season last weekend. Newcastle, by way of contrast, are on the slide. Sunderland have shown signs of recovery by defeating Reading and playing with spirit in defeat against Manchester United. That should be enough to earn them a point at Southampton. Crewe and Bournemouth are the in-form sides in League One and I don't expect either to lose. Doncaster at home are not as formidable as Doncaster away and I'm backing fellow promotion contenders MK Dons to share the spoils. Hyde have staged a remarkable revival in the Blue Square Premier and can match Mansfield.

Away days: Don't be surprised if Norwich's remarkably successful run continues at West Bromwich Albion, who are now without a victory in their past four games. In the Championship, Gus Poyet's enterprising Brighton side look too strong for an ailing Blackburn while improving Bolton should have too much quality for bottom club Peterborough. Even at this early stage it is hard to see Hartlepool, 13 points from safety, escaping relegation from League One. Expect Portsmouth to add to their misery. In League Two, Rotherham will feel confident of prevailing at crisis club Bristol Rovers, especially in view of their good form on the road.

Homes sweet homes: Ipswich and Bristol City, who meet at Portman Road, are at the wrong end of the Championship but Ipswich are in better shape. Anything can happen in this season's Championship, so take a punt on Leeds, despite that League Cup drubbing by Chelsea, beating third-placed Middlesbrough. Struggling Scunthorpe's League One victory at Leyton Orient was one of the upsets of last weekend and I'm backing them to gain another three points against disappointing Carlisle. Walsall's home record is nothing to shout about but they could get some joy from the visit of Colchester, who are slipping towards the relegation zone.

                         Coupon for December 26-27

Ten draws: Stoke v Liverpool, Huddersfield v Blackpool, Hull v Leicester, Wolves v Peterborough, Oldham v Doncaster, Portsmouth v Crawley, Shrewsbury v Notts County, Chesterfield v York, Dagenham & Redbridge v Southend, Rotherham v Port Vale.

Best draws: Stoke v Liverpool, Wolves v Peterborough, Portsmouth v Crawley, Shrewsbury v Notts County, Chesterfield v York.

Please note: There is no home and away coupon for Dec 26-27.