Pools tips and best bets for weekend of March 3-4

Ten draws: Leicester v Bournemouth, Swansea v West Ham, Bolton v Preston, Wimbledon v Charlton, Bradford City v Portsmouth, Oxford v Fleetwood, Cambridge v Luton, Crawley v Wycombe, Morecambe v Colchester, Boreham Wood v Macclesfield.

Best draws: Swansea v West Ham, Bolton v Preston, Bradford City v Portsmouth, Cambridge v Luton, Crawley v Wycombe.

Best weekend away bets: Manchester United (Monday), Norwich, Bristol Rovers, Notts County, Accrington, Mansfield.

Best weekend home bets: Burnley, Liverpool, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Brentford, Sheffield United, Wolves, Southend, Barnet, Exeter.


Pick of the draws: Swansea's Premier League revival came to an abrupt halt when they lost 4-1 at Brighton last Saturday. Swansea's opponents, West Ham, were beaten by the same score at Anfield last weekend but Liverpool played exceptionally well and a point at the Liberty Stadium should not be beyond the Hammers. Despite lying ninth in the Championship, Preston have lost only seven games this season. They have recorded eight draws away from home and I won't be surprised if they add to that total at Bolton, who are still not safe from relegation. Bradford City and Portsmouth are two off-form sides, moving further away from the League One play-off places. With Bradford at their worst at home and Pompey nothing special on the road, I'm plumping for a stalemate. Table-topping Luton are strong favourites to gain promotion from League Two but they may be denied victory by Cambridge, whose home wins are already into double figures. Crawley's surge up League Two was surprisingly checked by lowly Forest Green last Saturday but they should recover sufficiently to share the spoils with third-placed Wycombe, who have lost their past two matches.

Away days: Manchester United, who deservedly defeated Chelsea at Old Trafford last Sunday, look an away banker at Crystal Palace, who have slipped back into trouble near the foot of the Premier League. At full strength, Palace might have a chance but they are beset by injuries and down on their luck after losing at home in the dying minutes to Tottenham. Norwich, who sit mid-table in the Championship, are better on their travels and I think they'll come away from struggling Barnsley with three points. Bristol Rovers, 12th in League One, are worth backing at Milton Keynes Dons, whose fortunes have failed to improve under a new manager and are staring relegation in the face. Notts County, League Two automatic promotion contenders, have returned to winning ways after a dodgy spell and are fancied to prevail at Cheltenham. Nobody punches above their weight more than John Coleman's Accrington, who are hunting down League Two leaders Luton. They should beat Newport, who have faded since their FA Cup replay defeat to Spurs. Although high-flying Mansfield have lost their manager Steve Evans this week, they ought to have enough to return from Stevenage with maximum points.

Homes sweet homes: Little has gone right for Burnley so far in 2018 but they can make amends against Everton, who are terrible away from home and are not responding to the management of Sam Allardyce. In many ways Brentford are the dark horses of the Championship. They can beat anybody on their day, even Cardiff, who have cut Wolves' lead at the top to six points. The Bees are worth a punt here. Another side worth a wager are Barnet, despite being bottom of League Two. They host Port Vale, who have been unable to buy a win recently and are hovering just above the drop zone.



Pools info: Crystal Palace v Manchester United (No 3 on coupon) is being played on Monday and will be assessed by the pools panel. Three of my five best draws last weekend were correct: Bournemouth v Newcastle, Bristol Rovers v Scunthorpe and Peterborough v Wimbledon.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 24-25

Ten draws: Bournemouth v Newcastle, Birmingham v Barnsley, Sheffield Wednesday v Aston Villa, Bristol Rovers v Scunthorpe, Charlton v Shrewsbury, Oldham v Southend, Peterborough v Wimbledon, Port Vale v Newport, Yeovil v Carlisle, Hamilton v Partick.

Best draws: Bournemouth v Newcastle, Bristol Rovers v Scunthorpe, Oldham v Southend, Peterborough v Wimbledon, Yeovil v Carlisle.

Best weekend away bets: Tottenham, Sheffield United (Friday), Gillingham, Swindon, Crawley, Exeter.

Best weekend home bets: Burnley, Leicester, Liverpool, Burton, Fulham, Plymouth, Rotherham, Wigan, Colchester, Lincoln.


Pick of the draws: Newcastle's unexpected 1-0 home win over Manchester United the Sunday before last has given them some breathing space in the battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League. A measure of confidence has also been restored and a point from their match at Bournemouth on Saturday will make their long journey to the south coast worthwhile. Bristol Rovers are the only League One side not to have drawn at home this season. I can see that sequence ending on Saturday when they entertain Scunthorpe, who have faltered recently in their attempt to gain promotion. New Southend manager Chris Powell is working wonders at the club with four wins and a draw from five games but he may have to be satisfied with a point at Oldham, who are making a spirited effort to escape the drop. Wimbledon's last-gasp home victory over Bristol Rovers at the weekend enabled them to climb out of the relegation places and should help them get something at Peterborough, who are maddeningly inconsistent. The mood at Carlisle, mid-table in League Two, is upbeat after two successive wins. They go to Yeovil, who don't give much away at home, and I believe the points will be shared.

Away days: Although Tottenham had an almighty scare at League One strugglers Rochdale in the FA Cup fifth round last Sunday, their Premier League form has been exemplary and they are favourites to beat an injury-ravaged Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday. Sheffield United are emerging from their blip in the Championship and I fancy them to prevail at lowly Hull on Friday evening. The Gillingham bandwagon keeps rolling. They held promotion-seeking Shrewsbury to an away draw in midweek and will be confident of three points against Bury, who look relegation certainties. Swindon's away record in League Two is second to none and they will surely add to it at Chesterfield, who are second from bottom. Crawley, under manager Harry Kewell, are the most improved side in the division and will rate their chances of success at Forest Green, who are fighting to stay up. Exeter scored twice in added time to win at Crewe in midweek. That should stand them in good stead at Grimsby, who are in free-fall.

Homes sweet homes: Burton gained a crucial victory at Barnsley in midweek which lifted them off the foot of the Championship. You can never write Nigel Clough's team off and they are capable of springing another surprise when they host mid-table Millwall. Table-topping Wolves are overwhelming favourites to be promoted to the Premier League but if any team can beat them it's Fulham, who host them on Saturday. Ask third-placed Aston Villa, who went down 2-0 at Craven Cottage last weekend. The transformation at Plymouth has been astonishing after their terrible start to the season and they now sit just outside the League One play-off positions. They are well worth a punt against Bradford City, who appear to have lost their mojo.


Pools info: Livingston v Dundee United (No 49 on coupon) has been brought forward to Friday and is therefore void.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 17-18

Ten draws: Birmingham v Millwall, Fulham v Aston Villa, Leeds v Bristol City, Shrewsbury v Rotherham, Southend v Portsmouth, Cheltenham v Wycombe, Crawley v Lincoln, Morecambe v Forest Green, Halifax v Ebbsfleet, Hibernian v Aberdeen.

Best draws: Fulham v Aston Villa, Shrewsbury v Rotherham, Cheltenham v Wycombe, Morecambe v Forest Green, Hibernian v Aberdeen.

Best weekend away bets: Swansea, Bristol Rovers, Charlton, Plymouth, Hearts, Raith.

Best weekend home bets: Leicester (Friday), Cardiff, Sunderland, Blackpool, Scunthorpe, Carlisle, Swindon, Boreham Wood, Torquay, Stirling.


Pick of the draws: Aston Villa are in the automatic promotion places for the first time this season after beating fierce rivals Birmingham 2-0 last Sunday at Villa Park and are aiming to hunt down the runaway Championship leaders Wolves. They are capable of sharing the spoils at Fulham, whose own recent impressive form has enabled them to climb into the play-off positions. Shrewsbury are top of League One after beating Fleetwood away 2-1 in midweek but Saturday's visitors, Rotherham, will be much tougher, for they are on a roll themselves and scoring freely. Although Wycombe have an excellent chance of promotion from League Two and their away record is formidable, Cheltenham often give as good as they get at home and I can see this one ending all square. Forest Green moved towards League Two safety by defeating Stevenage 3-1 at home in midweek and I believe they'll end a losing away sequence by nicking a point at Morecambe, who are hovering just above the relegation zone. Aberdeen, second in the Scottish Premiership and making progress in the Scottish FA Cup, look good for at least a point at Hibernian.

Away days: Swansea's Premier League transformation under new manager Carlos Carvalhal has been remarkable and I expect the feel-good factor to continue when the Welsh club play in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday. Carvalhal returns to Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, the club that sacked him in December, and I'm confident his team will reach the quarter-finals. Victories last Saturday and in midweek have made Bristol Rovers surprise contenders for a play-off place in League One. They won't fear a journey to Wimbledon, who are in the relegation slots after four consecutive defeats. Charlton's recent results haven't been great but they must still fancy themselves to prevail at Milton Keynes Dons, who seem destined for League Two football next season. Plymouth go from strength to strength after a dreadful start to the campaign and I'm taking them to beat manager-less Oxford. Hearts should defeat bottom club Ross in the Scottish Premiership with something to spare and Raith, Scottish League One leaders, will be disappointed not to gain maximum points at Albion.

Homes sweet homes: Leicester, four times FA Cup runners-up, are my dark horses to win the competition this season and I don't believe Friday night's opponents, Sheffield United, of the Championship, will upset my prediction. Sunderland, second from bottom in the Championship, fought back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at Bristol City last weekend. That point has given their  survival hopes a huge boost and they are well worth a punt against erratic Brentford. Blackpool stunned League One promotion favourites Wigan in midweek and can follow up that 2-0 away triumph by seeing off Peterborough. Torquay's hopes of avoiding relegation from the National League rose when they won 2-1 at Maidenhead last weekend. I'm taking them to upset the form book again when they host the ailing Dagenham & Redbridge.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 10-11

Ten draws: Southampton v Liverpool, Tottenham v Arsenal, West Ham v Watford, Brentford v Preston, Southend v Wigan, Coventry v Accrington, Exeter v Wycombe, Morecambe v Chesterfield, Dover v Sutton United, Ebbsfleet v Solihull Moors.

Best draws: Tottenham v Arsenal, West Ham v Watford, Brentford v Preston, Coventry v Accrington, Ebbsfleet v Solihull Moors.

Best weekend away bets: Bournemouth, Manchester United, Brighton, Portsmouth, Luton, Aldershot.

Best weekend home bets: Everton, Swansea, Bristol City, Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Blackpool, Gillingham, Crawley, Hearts, Bromley.


Pick of the draws: Arsenal have been invigorated by their two new signings, Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan, and they'll be playing at Wembley, one of their favourite grounds. They will also be keen to rectify their poor Premier League away form which has cost them so many points this season. Arsenal badly need a good result away from the Emirates and I believe they'll dig in to deny Spurs victory. West Ham's lack of transfer activity last month was a worrying sign as they are still in the relegation mire. They won't find it easy against Watford, whose morale received a huge boost when they beat Chelsea 4-1 at home on Monday. Preston, who are pushing for a Championship play-off place, have drawn on no fewer than 12 occasions this season and I can see them adding to that tally at mid-table Brentford, whose draw column is also into double figures. Coventry's surprising defeat at Forest Green last Saturday led to them slipping out of the League Two play-off slots and they could encounter another setback against unfashionable Accrington, who have won their past two matches and moved into third place. Solihull Moors looked certain to be relegated from the National League this time last month but they have been transformed and are now close to climbing out of the drop zone. A point at mid-table Ebbsfleet should not be beyond them.

Away days: Although Huddersfield put four past Birmingham in a midweek FA Cup fourth-round replay, they are second from bottom and the joint worst scorers in the Premier League. That should encourage Bournemouth, their visitors on Sunday. Victories over Arsenal, Chelsea and Stoke have seen the Cherries climb into the top half of the table and I think they'll add Huddersfield to their list of victims. There was an over-reaction to Manchester United's 2-0 defeat at Tottenham last week and, with Sanchez invigorated, I'm confident they'll return to winning ways at Newcastle, who are plainly short of Premier League quality. Brighton were convincing 3-1 winners over West Ham in a crucial relegation battle last weekend and I'm taking them to carry on the good work at Stoke, who have dropped into the bottom three. Portsmouth have had some disappointing results recently but they should have enough in their locker to see off struggling Milton Keynes Dons. Luton, the runaway League Two leaders, are fancied to complete the double over Stevenage while Aldershot, third in the National League, are recommended at fast-fading Dagenham & Redbridge.

Homes sweet homes: Rapidly improving Swansea, now out of the Premier League relegation places and 8-1 victors over League Two Notts County in a midweek FA Cup fourth-round replay, are well worth a punt against Burnley, who have lost that winning habit. Blackpool's form in League One since the turn of the year has been worrying but they have a good opportunity to relieve the pressure against Walsall, who are only three places above them and none too convincing on the road. Gillingham have come on in leaps and bounds since Steve Lovell was appointed manager and I believe they'll win their League One clash against Peterborough, whose promotion challenge is faltering.


Pools info: Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion (No 1 on coupon) has been put back to Monday and will be assessed by the pools panel. Millwall v Cardiff (18) has been brought forward to Friday and is therefore void.