Pools tips for weekend of December 8-9

Ten draws: Arsenal v West Brom, Manchester City v Manchester United, Crystal Palace v Blackpool, Huddersfield v Bolton, Preston v Crewe, Swindon v Doncaster, Bristol Rovers v Dagenham & Redbridge, Oxford v Aldershot, Rotherham v Gillingham, Cambridge v Gateshead.

Best draws: Arsenal v West Brom, Crystal Palace v Blackpool, Swindon v Doncaster, Oxford v Aldershot, Rotherham v Gillingham.

Five aways: Queens Park Rangers, Burnley, Stevenage, Bournemouth, Notts County.

Nine homes: Aston Villa, Swansea, Leicester, Sheffield Wednesday, Wolves, Coventry, Crawley, Tranmere, Bradford City.

Pick of the draws: You wouldn't bet on Arsenal to win any match at the moment but overachieving West Brom have also lost their last two games, so a point apiece seems the likeliest outcome. The Eagles of Crystal Palace are flying high in the Championship but mid-table Blackpool will be eager to frustrate their former manager Ian Holloway, who thought the grass was greener at Selhurst Park. Doncaster's away record in League One is something special (won 7, drawn 2, lost 1), so they won't fear a trip to Swindon, who can beat anybody when they are in the mood. League Two strugglers Aldershot have perked up recently and can hold Oxford. In the Blue Square Premier, Cambridge are tipped to halt their slide by depriving Gateshead of maximum points.

Away days: Queens Park Rangers, still without a Premier League victory this season, have a wonderful opportunity of ending their wretched run at Wigan, who look as though they are in for another long, hard winter. Burnley are playing with great enterprise in the Championship and a win over better-placed Nottingham Forest is well within their grasp. League One Stevenage are more reliable away than at home and must be backed at Hartlepool, who are eight points adrift of the next-to-bottom club, Scunthorpe. Eddie Howe has worked wonders during his short stay at Bournemouth and they will be confident of gaining maximum points at Scunthorpe. Promotion contenders Notts County are unbeaten on their travels and I can't see that changing at Yeovil.

Homes sweet homes: Paul Lambert's Aston Villa, despite relegation worries, have more going for them than many people believe and are worth a punt against on-form Stoke. Sheffield Wednesday, second from bottom in the Championship, have an excellent chance to return to winning ways against fellow strugglers Bristol City, who were thrashed by Wolves at Ashton Gate last weekend. The manner of that overdue win should encourage Wolves to shade Birmingham in the Midlands derby at Molineux. I'm taking League Two play-off hopefuls, Bradford City, to send Torquay home pointless.