Pools tips and best bets for weekend of January 30-31

Ten draws: Crystal Palace v Stoke, Bolton v Leeds, Reading v Walsall, Blackpool v Gillingham, Swindon v Barnsley, Accrington v Bristol Rovers, Crawley v Mansfield, Braintree v Chester FC, Partick v Dundee United, Raith v Queen of the South.

Best draws: Crystal Palace v Stoke, Bolton v Leeds, Swindon v Barnsley, Accrington v Bristol Rovers, Partick v Dundee United.

Best weekend away bets: West Ham, Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham, Burton, Grimsby, Celtic.

Best weekend home bets: Arsenal, Huddersfield, Coventry, Millwall, Wigan, York, Aldershot, FC Halifax, Lincoln, Hibernian.


Pick of the draws: Stoke came out of their League Cup two-legged semi-final defeat against Liverpool with great credit and I can see them forcing a replay in their FA Cup fourth-round tie at Crystal Palace, who are so short of goals at the moment. Bolton's 3-1 home win over MK Dons in the Championship last Saturday was just the tonic they needed for a club in their precarious position but Leeds, their FA Cup opponents on Saturday, also seem on the upgrade and a draw is the likeliest result. Barnsley have pulled well clear of the League One relegation zone thanks to victories over Rochdale (6-1 at home) and Bradford City (1-0 away). That form should serve them well at Swindon, who are also much improved. Accrington will want to make up for lost time as they are behind with their League Two fixtures but fellow promotion contenders Bristol Rovers have been excellent on the road and look good for a point. Dundee United, rock bottom of the Scottish Premiership, thrashed Kilmarnock 5-1 at home last Saturday. That may be the turning point in their troubled season and they will be hoping to at least share the spoils at Partick.

Away days: West Ham's record at Anfield is dismal but Liverpool are far from formidable at home this season while the Hammers are a match for anybody away. I've a hunch that West Ham will spring one of the upsets of the FA Cup fourth round. Sheffield Wednesday deserve their place in the Championship play-offs and will be confident of winning their tie at League One Shrewsbury. Birmingham's promotion challenge should be boosted at Bristol City, who are in the Championship's bottom three and without a manager. League One leaders Burton are thriving under Nigel Clough and I believe they will follow their midweek triumph at Peterborough by winning at Rochdale. Free-scoring Grimsby are lighting up the National League and are well worth a punt at Gateshead, who have lost more than they've won at home. Celtic seem to have steadied themselves after a wobbly few weeks and they are my tip to beat Ross in the Scottish League Cup semi-final on Sunday.

Homes sweet homes: Huddersfield gave Brighton a good game before going down 2-1 away in the Championship last weekend. A repeat of that performance might see them get the better of Cardiff, despite the Welsh team having nine more points. York are bottom of League Two but had a good result at Carlisle, where they forced a 1-1 draw. I fancy they will defeat ailing Stevenage, who impressed nobody in a wretched home goalless draw against Barnet last Saturday. I'm taking Hibernian, the Championship high-flyers, to overcome their Premiership opponents St Johnstone in the other Scottish League Cup semi-final, which is being played at Hearts.

Pools info: The FA Cup tie between Derby and Manchester United (match No 7 on the coupon) is being played on Friday and is therefore void.



 

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of January 23-24

Ten draws: Manchester United v Southampton, Sunderland v Bournemouth, Reading v Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley v Rochdale, Gillingham v Peterborough, Oldham v Bury, Southend v Coventry, Bristol Rovers v Plymouth, Notts County v AFC Wimbledon, Stevenage v Barnet.

Best draws: Gillingham v Peterborough, Oldham v Bury, Bristol Rovers v Plymouth, Notts County v AFC Wimbledon, Stevenage v Barnet.

Best weekend away bets: Tottenham, Manchester City, Blackburn, Millwall, Wigan, Kilmarnock.

Best weekend home bets: Arsenal, Leicester, West Bromwich, Bolton, Cardiff, Queens Park Rangers, Burton, Scunthorpe, Cambridge, Portsmouth.


Pick of the draws: Gillingham, third in League One, have dropped only five home points all season but some of Peterborough's best performances have come away. They have won six times on the road and can take a point here. Bury would have been an away banker at Oldham this time last month but because of their alarming slide down the table, a draw is the most likely result, despite Oldham winning only once at home this season. League Two high-flyers Bristol Rovers beat their promotion rivals Oxford away last Sunday but they are not so formidable on their own ground and leaders Plymouth can share the spoils. Notts County seem to have gained an instant lift from their new manager Jamie Fullarton. They host AFC Wimbledon, who lie just outside the play-off places and are in fine form. Stevenage, under manager Teddy Sheringham, have struggled to match last season's results and a glut of injuries has not made Saturday's task against near rivals Barnet any easier.

Away days: Tottenham, fourth in the Premier League and outside title contenders, are undefeated away since the opening day of the season and it's hard to see them failing at Crystal Palace, who are going through a mini-crisis, having failed to score for the past five league matches. Manchester City followed a 3-0 FA Cup third-round victory at Norwich by thumping Crystal Palace 4-0 at home last Saturday. The third-placed side are worth a punt at West Ham, whose best results this season have come away from their Boleyn ground. Blackburn are hardly anything special in the Championship but they are in better shape than Charlton, who have conceded 11 goals in their past two games and look odds-on to be relegated. Millwall have moved into League One play-off contention on the back of some good away results and they have the ability to take maximum points at Chesterfield. Fifth-placed Wigan appear to be the away banker of the day at bottom club Crewe, whose home form is dreadful. In the Scottish Premiership I expect Kilmarnock to pile on the agony for Dundee United, who look down even at this early stage of the season.

Homes sweet homes: Bolton must start winning their home games if they are to have any hope of escaping relegation to League One. The Championship's bottom club host mediocre MK Dons on Saturday and they have an excellent chance of making up lost ground. Queens Park Rangers at last registered a win under their new manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink when they triumphed 3-0 at Rotherham last Saturday. That should have settled them down and they can collect another three points from the visit of Wolves, who are erratic. League Two promotion candidates Portsmouth are in great spirits, having knocked Championship side Ipswich out of the FA Cup in midweek. I'm taking them to follow that up by defeating Oxford, who are one place higher and four points better off.


Pools info: Burnley v Derby (No 14 on coupon) has been switched to Monday and will be judged by the pools panel. Aberdeen v Dundee (47) is being played on Friday and is therefore void.

I got three out of five with my best draw selections last weekend, the matches at Stoke, Doncaster and Luton ending all square.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of January 16-17

Ten draws: Chelsea v Everton, Liverpool v Manchester United, Stoke v Arsenal, Blackburn v Brighton, Rotherham v Queens Park Rangers, Doncaster v Gillingham, AFC Wimbledon v Mansfield, Luton v Cambridge, Morecambe v Yeovil, Partick v Dundee.

Best draws: Stoke v Arsenal, Blackburn v Brighton, Doncaster v Gillingham, AFC Wimbledon v Mansfield, Luton v Cambridge.

Best weekend away bets: Middlesbrough, Reading, Walsall, Sheffield United, Portsmouth, Northampton.

Best weekend home bets: Manchester City, Tottenham, Huddersfield, Hull, Sheffield Wednesday, Coventry, Swindon, Barnet, Leyton Orient, York.


Pick of the draws: Stoke is an unhappy hunting ground for Arsenal but the Premier League leaders  should have enough grit and resilience about them to gain a point from Sunday's visit to the Potteries. Brighton's decline has been astonishing. They were the last unbeaten team in the top four divisions this season but they have not won for eight matches and have gone the last six without scoring. Despite all this, I expect them to share the Championship spoils at Blackburn, who are used to drawing home matches (seven this season). Doncaster are one of the most improved sides in League One and gave Stoke a scare before going out of the FA Cup last Saturday. I believe they will hold second-placed Gillingham. AFC Wimbledon are not as comfortable at home as they are on the road. As Mansfield's away record deserves respect, this League Two clash has all the makings of a score draw. Cambridge's progress under manager Shaun Derry was checked by their 1-0 defeat at Crawley last Saturday but I'm backing them to recover at Luton, who have disappointed this season.

Away days: Championship leaders Middlesbrough seem more formidable every week and look good for maximum points at promoted Bristol City, who are struggling to adapt to a higher division. Reading gained a creditable draw at Derby in midweek and are showing encouraging signs under new manager Brian McDermott. They are well worth a punt at MK Dons, who were lucky to survive against League Two Northampton in the FA Cup and suffered a demoralising 5-0 home defeat by Burnley in midweek. The departure of manager Dean Smith doesn't appear to have had an adverse affect on League One promotion contenders Walsall. They travel to Bury, who have been sliding rapidly down the table. Sheffield United did well to draw 3-3 at Wigan in midweek and will be confident of taking maximum points off relegation-troubled Colchester. League Two high-flyers Portsmouth have no need to fear anybody and can come away from Accrington with a win. Promotion favourites Northampton can do no wrong at the moment and it's impossible to ignore their claims at lowly Dagenham & Redbridge, who have yet to win at home this season.

Homes sweet homes: Coventry host League One leaders Burton in a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday. Both teams are in fine form but I think home advantage will prevail. Barnet defeated Bristol Rovers last weekend despite playing some of their League Two match with 10 men. They are tough nuts to crack at home and I think that will give them the edge over higher-placed Carlisle. Bottom club York entertain Newport in a "six-pointer" at the foot of League Two and my money is on the home side.

Pools info: Swansea v Watford (No 9 on coupon) has been switched to Monday and is a pools panel verdict. Brentford v Burnley (12) and Dundee United v Celtic (46) are being played on Friday and are therefore void.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of January 9-10

Ten draws: Birmingham v Bournemouth, Doncaster v Stoke, Hull v Brighton, Nottingham Forest v Queens Park Rangers, Southampton v Crystal Palace, Dundee v Falkirk, Hearts v Aberdeen, Raith v Hibernian, Barnet v Bristol Rovers, Crawley v Cambridge.

Best draws: Birmingham v Bournemouth, Hull v Brighton, Dundee v Falkirk, Barnet v Bristol Rovers, Crawley v Cambridge.

Best weekend away bets: Derby, Manchester City, Swansea, Newcastle, Millwall, Dundee United.

Best weekend home bets: Arsenal, Cardiff, Ipswich, Northampton, Peterborough, Sheffield Wednesday, Tottenham, West Bromwich, West Ham, St Johnstone.


Pick of the draws: It's FA Cup third round weekend. Bournemouth's recent results include victories over Manchester United and Chelsea and a draw at Leicester but they face a testing task at Birmingham, who lie just outside the Championship play-off positions and are shrewdly managed by Gary Rowett. Brighton have suddenly hit the wall after going unbeaten for so long and they'll be determined to stop the rot at Hull, who are fellow promotion contenders. Falkirk are challenging Rangers and Hibernian for promotion to the Scottish Premiership and there's a good chance they'll take that form into the Scottish Cup fourth round when they visit mid-table Dundee. Barnet's away record in League Two is atrocious but they are a much better proposition at home, which makes me think they will take a point off the higher-placed Bristol Rovers. Cambridge's upturn in form came to a shuddering halt last Saturday when they lost 4-1 at home to AFC Wimbledon but I'm still backing them to take something from their visit to Crawley.

Away days: Derby came off second best to Middlesbrough in the battle of the Championship's top two last weekend but it's hard to see them slipping up at League Two Hartlepool. Manchester City's late show at Watford in the Premier League last Saturday should put them in good heart for their third-round tie at Norwich. I believe City will go through at the first attempt, whichever side they pick. Swansea, still without a manager after Gary Monk's sacking, gave a good account of themselves when losing 2-1 at Manchester United last Saturday and they ought to clear the less daunting hurdle presented by League Two high-flyers  Oxford on Sunday. Newcastle were unlucky to lose against Arsenal last weekend and as manager Steve McClaren has promised to field his strongest team, I rate their chances at Watford, who have got into the habit of conceding late goals. In League One, Millwall will surely be disappointed if they don't beat relegation-haunted Oldham. Dundee United, rock bottom of the Scottish Premiership, will feel like taking out their frustration on League One Airdrieonians in the Scottish Cup.

Homes sweet homes: Northampton's rise to promotion favourites in League Two, despite their financial difficulties, has been admirable and they'll be looking forward to their tie with MK Dons, who are struggling in the Championship and poor away from home. League One promotion contenders Peterborough have a proud history in the FA Cup, which could be enough to get them through against Preston, of the Championship. Tottenham v Leicester at White Hart Lane on Sunday is probably the match of the round and I favour Spurs, especially as Leicester's star striker Jamie Vardy is injured. Leicester have also failed to score in their past three matches. Could the wheels be finally coming off?

Pools Info: St Mirren v Partick (No 42 on coupon) is being played on Friday and is therefore void.