Pools tips and best bets for weekend of August 27-28

Ten draws: Tottenham v Liverpool, Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield v Wolves, Newcastle v Brighton, Chesterfield v Millwall, Coventry v Northampton, Southend v Fleetwood, Walsall v Bury, Accrington v Morecambe, Crawley v Notts County.

Best draws: Huddersfield v Wolves, Newcastle v Brighton, Coventry v Northampton, Southend v Fleetwood, Crawley v Notts County.

Best weekend away bets: Manchester United, Arsenal, Leeds, Portsmouth, Rangers (Friday), Hearts.

Best weekend home bets: Everton, Manchester City, Barnsley, Cardiff, Bradford City, Charlton, Sheffield United, Grimsby, Celtic, Hibernian.


Pick of the draws: Unbeaten Huddersfield are the unexpected leaders of the Championship after four matches but Wolves, also unbeaten, are hot on their heels in third place. I believe they'll cancel each other out and a draw is the likeliest result. Newcastle have put a shaky start behind them, having won their last three games (two in the Championship, one in the League Cup) but they will be hard-pushed to defeat second-placed Brighton, who are determined to make up for last season's promotion near miss. Brighton have already drawn twice away and it wouldn't surprise me to see them make it three in a row at St James's Park. Coventry are a club in crisis, no wins in League One, fourth from bottom and thrashed 6-1 at Norwich in the League Cup in midweek. Confidence is so low at the moment that I can't see them beating promoted Northampton. The Cobblers will be in good spirits as well after knocking West Bromwich Albion out of the League Cup. Fleetwood seem to be thriving under Uwe Seeler's management and look good for a point at Southend. Notts County at last got their League Two show on the road with victory at Hartlepool last Saturday and they can check Crawley's early progress.

Away days: Jose Mourinho has had an instant impact at Manchester United with a Community Shield triumph and maximum points from their first two Premier League fixtures. You have to fancy their chances at Hull, although the promoted side have also made a fine start to the season and are responding to the coaching of Mike Phelan, once of Old Trafford. Arsenal should have all their Euro players back for the visit to Watford and ought to repeat last season's win at Vicarage Road. Watford's morale will surely have been damaged by their League Cup defeat to League One Gillingham. Manager Garry Monk seems to be turning things around at Leeds. Consecutive wins at Sheffield Wednesday (Championship) and Luton (League Cup) have put the team in better heart and they are worth a punt at mid-table Nottingham Forest. I feel that League Two promotion favourites Portsmouth have to click sometime and it could be on Saturday at lowly Exeter. In the Scottish Premiership, table-topping Rangers look a good thing at Kilmarnock on Friday and Hearts are expected to have the edge on Partick.

Homes sweet homes: Bolton are the only side in the Football League with maximum points from four matches but I predict their winning streak in League One will end on Saturday. Relegated Charlton, their hosts, have woken up recently and manager Russell Slade says there is more to come. Nobody would have predicted Sheffield United to be rock bottom but the table doesn't lie. However, I'm taking them to start putting things right against Oxford. League Two Grimsby have hit the wall after their success against Morecambe on the opening day of the season and they will want to cash in on home advantage against Stevenage.


Pools info: Burton v Derby (match No 16 on coupon) is being played on Friday and is therefore void.

Six of my 10 draw selections came up last weekend - the matches at Leicester, Blackburn, Derby, Ipswich, Cambridge and Newport. Three of my five best draws were also correct: Leicester v Arsenal, Blackburn v Burton and Newport v Crewe.