Pools tips for weekend of September 21-22

Ten draws: Man City v Man Utd, Blackpool v Leicester, Middlesbrough v Bournemouth, Colchester v Crawley, Shrewsbury v Wolves, Walsall v Rotherham, Accrington v Rochdale, Bury v Southend, Portsmouth v Fleetwood, Aberdeen v Inverness.

Best draws: Man City v Man Utd, Shrewsbury v Wolves, Accrington v Rochdale, Bury v Southend, Portsmouth v Fleetwood.

                                        Have a flutter on the following

Aways: Watford, Nottingham Forest, Queens Park Rangers, Tranmere, Preston, Carlisle.

Homes: Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Birmingham, Brentford, Oldham, Swindon, Bristol Rovers, Exeter, Wycombe.


Pick of the draws: Manchester City and Manchester United had good results in the Champions League this week, which will put them in the best heart for Sunday's derby in the Premier League. The sides are so well matched and this one looks too close to call. In League One, Wolves had their first setback of the season, losing at home to Walsall. They won't find it easy returning to winning ways at Shrewsbury. Accrington, with no wins from their first seven matches, prop up League Two, but they are better than that record suggests and I believe they will take something from the visit of Rochdale. Southend are losing ground at an alarming rate but I think they will stop the rot at Bury. Portsmouth have yet to click at home and they will find Fleetwood anything but obliging opponents.

Away days: Watford are gradually settling into their stride in the Championship and must be fancied to prevail at second-from-bottom Barnsley. Nottingham Forest have started the season well and look a good bet at promoted Doncaster. Promotion favourites Queens Park Rangers will surely be too strong for Yeovil. Although Tranmere lost a thriller against Brentford by the odd goal in seven last Saturday, they will be encouraged by their display and should be too strong for Notts County, who are marooned at the bottom of League One with just one point. Preston are reviving under manager Simon Grayson and will be confident of maximum points against off-form Sheffield United. Carlisle gained their first home victory of the season last Saturday. Don't be surprised if they break their away duck at Stevenage.

Homes sweet homes: Crystal Palace were unlucky to go down to 10 men in their defeat by Manchester United last weekend. That sense of injustice may inspire them to beat Swansea, who have begun the season unconvincingly. Birmingham could do with a change of luck in the Championship and they could get it against Sheffield Wednesday, who are also falling below expectations. Leyton Orient are the only team in the top four divisions to have a 100 per cent record. The Os are really flying and scoring for fun but if any side can halt their progress it's Brentford, who were only a failed penalty kick away from clinching automatic promotion from League One last season.