Pools tips and best bets for weekend of August 20-21

Ten draws: Leicester v Arsenal, Blackburn v Burton, Derby v Aston Villa, Ipswich v Norwich, Scunthorpe v Gillingham, Swindon v Port Vale, Cambridge v Carlisle, Newport v Crewe, Yeovil v Morecambe, Braintree v Aldershot.

Best draws: Leicester v Arsenal, Blackburn v Burton, Scunthorpe v Gillingham, Newport v Crewe, Yeovil v Morecambe.

Best weekend away bets: Liverpool, Chelsea, Wigan, Brighton, Chesterfield, Luton.

Best weekend home bets: Tottenham, West Bromwich Albion, Queens Park Rangers, Bolton, Bury, Northampton, Accrington, Cheltenham, Hartlepool, Plymouth.


Pick of the draws: Leicester, the Premier League champions, and Arsenal, the runners-up, flopped on the opening weekend of the season, Leicester losing to relegation favourites Hull and Arsenal going down at home to Liverpool. Early indications are that Leicester will find life more difficult this season but the same can be said for Arsenal and stalemate is the likeliest outcome on Saturday. Promoted Burton gained their first points of the campaign in the Championship with an impressive
3-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday in midweek and a journey to troubled Blackburn should hold no fears. Scunthorpe and Gillingham are among the early front-runners in League One and there's a good chance that neither side will gain the upper hand here. By all accounts, Newport, of League Two, were unlucky to lose at table-topping Luton in midweek and, judged on their early form, are capable of holding relegated Crewe to a draw. Three consecutive wins (two in League Two, one in League Cup) have put Morecambe in great heart and they can take a point off Yeovil, who have also started well.

Away days: Liverpool were sensational at times when beating Arsenal 4-3 at the Emirates last Sunday and will fancy their chances at promoted Burnley. Chelsea, under a new manager, are bound to be a more formidable proposition this season and will be confident of taking maximum points at Watford. Wigan look as if they will adjust to life in a higher division, in this case the Championship, and are well worth a punt at Nottingham Forest, who don't inspire confidence. Early leaders Brighton have yet to concede a goal this season and they will no doubt relish a trip to Reading, who were feeble when losing 2-0 at Wolves last Saturday. League One Chesterfield are thriving under manager Danny Wilson and should be backed at Shrewsbury, who have only one point from three games. League Two leaders Luton must be confident of success at Stevenage, who may have a long, hard winter ahead of them.

Homes sweet homes: West Bromwich Albion got their Premier League season up and running by beating Crystal Palace away last weekend. Everton will be trickier opponents on Saturday but new manager Ronald Koeman is still settling in and I'm going for a home win. Cheltenham seem to be taking League Two in their stride after winning promotion from the National League as champions and I'm taking them to send Doncaster, relegated from League One, home pointless. Plymouth will be feeling better, having moved off the bottom of the table with a 2-1 midweek victory at Notts County.  It gives them a fighting chance of defeating Mansfield, who are so far unbeaten in League Two.