Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 25-26

Ten draws: Watford v West Ham, Aston Villa v Derby, Preston v Queens Park Rangers, MK Dons v Shrewsbury, Sheffield United v Bolton, Barnet v Cambridge, Luton v Plymouth, Morecambe v Grimsby, Albion v Queen's Park, Alloa v Airdrieonians.

Best draws: Watford v West Ham, Aston Villa v Derby, MK Dons v Shrewsbury, Sheffield United v Bolton, Morecambe v Grimsby.

Best weekend away bets: Huddersfield, Scunthorpe, Oxford, Bradford City, Dundee, East Fife.

Best weekend home bets: Crystal Palace, Brentford, Newcastle, Wigan, Fleetwood, Colchester, Crewe, Doncaster, Mansfield, St Johnstone.


Pick of the draws: West Ham are clearly over their mid-season crisis and have moved into the top half of the Premier League. I fancy them to collect at least a point at Watford, who have eased their own relegation fears. Aston Villa, who were aiming for a Championship play-off place not so long ago, have slumped so badly that they are now looking over their shoulders at the teams below them. However, Steve Bruce's team may get some respite from out-of-sorts Derby, whose hopes of reaching the play-offs have almost vanished. Shrewsbury are steadily pulling clear of the League One relegation zone and won't be fearful of visiting MK Dons, who are only one place above them and unreliable at home. Bolton fought back from 2-0 down to force a 2-2 draw at Bradford City last Saturday and are back in contention for automatic promotion. I'm backing them to gain another point in their top-of-the-table clash at Sheffield United. Grimsby's away record in League Two must be respected and should be enough to hold Morecambe, who have lost more games at home than anybody bar Leyton Orient.

Away days: Manager David Wagner is doing a fantastic job at Huddersfield, who, thanks to their midweek win over Reading, are just four points behind second place in the Championship. I believe they'll pile more pressure on the front two by winning at Barnsley. Scunthorpe, second in League One, drew 1-1 with leaders Sheffield United last Saturday, despite being reduced to 10 men. That should give them the confidence to come away from Bristol Rovers with three points. Mid-table Oxford gave Middlesbrough a fright before going out of the FA Cup, then won at Charlton in midweek. They must be optimistic about going to relegation-troubled Chesterfield. Bradford City, annoyed at letting slip a two-goal lead against Bolton last weekend, will be wanting to take it out on Port Vale, who have dropped into the League One relegation zone. Beating Rangers last Sunday has moved Dundee into the top half of the Scottish Premiership. The can stay there by prevailing at Motherwell. In Scottish League One, East Fife are worth a punt at Peterhead, who often flop at home.

Homes sweet homes: Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace owe their supporters, not to mention manager Sam Allardyce, a good result at home and I think it will come against Middlesbrough, who have just three more points and find it very difficult to score goals. Wigan are fighting hard to avoid the drop from the Championship and won't be too dispirited at losing at Queens Park Rangers in midweek. I've a hunch they'll make up for it when they host Nottingham Forest, who have already lost 12 matches on the road. After being in freefall, Crewe have taken seven points from a possible nine in League Two, so don't be surprised if they complete the double over Stevenage. The Railwayman won 2-1 at Stevenage on the opening weekend of the season.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 18-19

Ten draws: Fulham v Tottenham, Birmingham v Queens Park Rangers, Ipswich v Leeds, Wigan v Preston, Chesterfield v Bury, Port Vale v Bristol Rovers, Accrington v Colchester, Doncaster v Luton, Grimsby v Mansfield, Gateshead v Forest Green.

Best draws: Birmingham v Queens Park Rangers, Ipswich v Leeds, Port Vale v Bristol Rovers, Doncaster v Luton, Gateshead v Forest Green.

Best weekend away bets: Manchester City, Norwich, Bolton, Oldham, Tranmere, Dover.

Best weekend home bets: Millwall, Cardiff, Coventry, Southend, Cambridge, Exeter, Leyton Orient, Barrow, Bromley, Hearts.


Pick of the draws: Birmingham's slide down the Championship table continues under manager Gianfranco Zola and they may be hard-pushed to gain more than a point from the visit of Queens Park Rangers, who were unlucky to lose at home to promotion-seeking Huddersfield last Saturday. Ipswich followed last weekend's win at Aston Villa with a midweek draw at high-riding Brighton. With these results behind them, they'll be more confident of coping with Leeds, who stopped the rot with a home midweek victory over Bristol City. Port Vale, who are dangerously close to the League One drop zone, face Bristol Rovers, whose promotion challenge has faded. These are two teams seemingly in decline and stalemate appears the best option. League Two leaders Doncaster suffered a setback at Carlisle in midweek and they may encounter another against Luton, who are showing the best form of all the top sides. National League team Gateshead have eight home draws to their name this season. Don't be surprised if they make it nine when third-placed Forest Green come to play on Saturday. Both sides won well last weekend.

Away days: Manchester City have got their mojo back and look poised to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Their task on Saturday - a fifth-round visit to bang on-form Huddersfield, of the Championship, is far from easy but I'm sure they'll deal with it. Norwich are back in the promotion reckoning after a lean spell and must be fancied at relegation-troubled Burton, who are only averaging a goal a game. Bolton, third in League One, are back in business after some poor results and I'm backing them to become the first team to win at Bradford City this season. Bradford have stalled and their hopes of automatic promotion are fading. Oldham are moving away from the relegation zone and well worth a punt at Swindon, who have lost their way and dropped into the mire. National League promotion hopefuls Tranmere will be disappointed not to come away from Eastleigh with three points while Dover, in sixth place, look nailed on at bottom club North Ferriby.

Homes sweet homes: Millwall have already beaten Premier League opposition in Bournemouth and Watford at The Den in the FA Cup, so the League One outfit will relish taking on Leicester, who, as champions, have massively under-achieved this season. A place in the Cup quarter-finals is not beyond the Londoners, particularly as they have strengthened their promotion challenge. I've a hunch that Coventry, who are propping up League One, will beat Gillingham, who hardly exude confidence this season. What Coventry must stop doing is keep conceding late goals. One such deprived them of victory at AFC Wimbledon in midweek. If defeating League Two promotion favourites Plymouth 3-2 away in midweek doesn't inspire lowly Leyton Orient then nothing will. I believe they'll follow that up with victory over Kevin Nolan's struggling Notts County.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 11-12

Ten draws: Stoke v Crystal Palace, Preston v Brentford, Wolves v Newcastle, Oxford v MK Dons, Peterborough v Sheffield United, Colchester v Barnet, Plymouth v Exeter, Stevenage v Wycombe, Dover v Wrexham, Torquay v Macclesfield.

Best draws: Wolves v Newcastle, Peterborough v Sheffield United, Plymouth v Exeter, Stevenage v Wycombe, Torquay v Macclesfield.

Best weekend away bets: Chelsea, Everton, Blackburn, Bradford City, Grimsby, Dagenham & Redbridge.

Best weekend home bets: Manchester United, Sunderland, Brighton, Derby, Fulham, Bury, Northampton, Luton, Notts County, Yeovil.


Pick of the draws: Wolves, buoyed by their FA Cup victories over Premier League sides Stoke and Liverpool, should provide Championship leaders Newcastle with a stern test at Molineux. Peterborough arrested their League One slump with a terrific 3-0 win at Port Vale last Saturday and will be in the right frame of mind to take on leaders Sheffield United, who enjoyed a 4-0 home success against Wimbledon at the weekend. Plymouth, second in League Two, host Exeter, who are unbeaten in their past 12 matches and now aiming for automatic promotion. I'm taking Paul Tisdale's players to extend their remarkable sequence. Stevenage are at their most vulnerable at home and play-off contenders Wycombe, who gave Tottenham such a fright in the FA Cup, will be confident of at least a point. Torquay, despite a minor recovery, are still not safe from relegation from the National League and won't relish taking on Macclesfield, who already have seven away wins to their credit.

Away days: Only two Premier League sides have achieved more home victories than Burnley but I believe runaway leaders Chelsea will put a dent in their record at Turf Moor on Sunday. Everton have come alive recently and are well capable of coming away from Middlesbrough with three points. A goals shortage (only 19 in 24 league games) continues to haunt relegation-troubled Boro. Championship strugglers Blackburn are not a team you would normally put money on but they are worth backing at bottom club Rotherham, who are doomed for the drop. League One play-off hopefuls Bradford City are also worth a punt at Bristol Rovers, who have inexplicably sold their leading marksman Matty Taylor to their fierce rivals Bristol City. League Two Grimsby look an away banker at 21st-placed Crewe, who cannot buy a goal, let alone a point, at the moment. Dagenham & Redbridge, who are back in the hunt for automatic promotion to the Football League, should have too much firepower for lowly Southport.

Homes sweet homes: That 4-0 away rout of Crystal Palace last Saturday will have given Sunderland, the Premier League's bottom club, an enormous lift and I fancy them to win again, this time at the expense of Southampton, whose recent form has given cause for alarm. Lowly Bury's revival in League One was halted by a 2-1 defeat at Shrewsbury last weekend but they can make amends by beating Swindon, who sit just outside the relegation zone. Notts County, third from bottom of League Two, play Cheltenham, who are only two places and three points better off. Although County have been terrible at home this season, I think they will make ground advantage count on this occasion.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 4-5

Ten draws: Southampton v West Ham, Watford v Burnley, Cardiff v Norwich, Huddersfield v Leeds, Charlton v Fleetwood, Southend v Scunthorpe, Walsall v Northampton, Cheltenham v Newport, Crawley v Stevenage, Grimsby v Luton.

Best draws: Watford v Burnley, Cardiff v Norwich, Southend v Scunthorpe, Walsall v Northampton, Crawley v Stevenage.

Best weekend away bets: Manchester United, Fulham, Wolves, Millwall, Carlisle, Elgin.

Best weekend home bets: Everton, Manchester City, Tottenham, Bristol City, MK Dons, Port Vale, Sheffield United, Blackpool, Aberdeen, Dumbarton.

Pick of the draws: Watford's unexpected midweek win at Arsenal will have given them an enormous lift but promoted Burnley have adapted well to life in the Premier League and will be disappointed if they fail to collect only their second away point of the season. Cardiff, under Neil Warnock, have started looking up rather than down in the Championship while Norwich, their opponents on Saturday, have recovered some of their poise after a dispiriting run of results. Southend, who sit just outside the play-off places in League One, can give as good as they get against surprise but worthy leaders Scunthorpe. Having halted their losing run with a 3-0 home success against Coventry last Saturday, Northampton, now managed by Justin Edinburgh, will be more confident of going to Walsall than was the case a few weeks ago, even if second-placed Sheffield United were one of Walsall's recent victims. Like more than a few teams in League Two, Stevenage are more efficient away than at home and I'm backing them to return from Crawley with a point.

Away days: Manchester United are hitting their stride, although their improvement may have come too late for a Premier League title charge. I expect them to return from Leicester with maximum points. Last season's champions find themselves fighting relegation this term and their midweek defeat at Burnley won't have helped morale. Fulham, who have an outside chance of the Championship play-offs and are through to the fifth round of the FA Cup, won't be fearing a trip to Birmingham, who seem to be in free-fall. A 3-1 midweek victory at Barnsley enabled a revitalised Wolves to move further away from the relegation zone and on Saturday they face lesser opponents in Burton. League One Millwall, fresh from their FA Cup triumph over Watford last Sunday, will surely make their superiority count against bottom club Coventry. Carlisle, third in League Two, have faltered lately but should still have too much for ailing Leyton Orient, who are now without a manager. Elgin, third in Scottish League Two, are a confident selection at Cowdenbeath, who have already lost six at home.

Homes sweet homes: A 4-0 victory at Peterborough last weekend shows that MK Dons are on the upgrade. Don't be surprised if they beat Bolton, whose hopes of automatic promotion from League One are dwindling. Port Vale gave leaders Scunthorpe a fright before going down by the odd goal in five last Saturday. They have a good chance of shaking off their disappointment when they host Peterborough, who have mysteriously gone off the boil. I suspect that Blackpool are better than their mid-table position in League Two suggests and they are worth a wager against higher-placed Colchester.