Pools tips and best bets for weekend of April 7-8

Ten draws: Bournemouth v Crystal Palace, Hull v Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield Wednesday v Fulham, Wimbledon v Scunthorpe, Blackpool v Bradford City, Oxford v Oldham, Colchester v Accrington, Grimsby v Chesterfield, Notts County v Coventry, St Johnstone v Motherwell.

Best draws: Bournemouth v Crystal Palace, Sheffield Wednesday v Fulham, Oxford v Oldham, Colchester v Accrington, Notts County v Coventry.

Best weekend away bets: Tottenham, Burnley, Sheffield United, Charlton, Kilmarnock, Hibernian.

Best weekend home bets: Arsenal, Leicester, West Bromwich, Derby, Leeds, Walsall, Wigan, Barnet, Port Vale, Rangers.

Pick of the draws: Crystal Palace's recent results have dragged them back into the Premier League relegation scrap. Although they were beaten at home by Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool, their performances deserved something better. They are due a change of luck and may get it at Bournemouth on Saturday. Fulham's chances of promotion from the Championship were enhanced over Easter when they defeated Norwich (away) and Leeds (home) but Sheffield Wednesday, their hosts on Saturday, have also struck form with victories over Preston (home) and Sunderland (away). The appointment of Karl Robinson as manager has not had a beneficial effect on Oxford so far and now they face Oldham, who are only three points behind them at the wrong end of League One. Accrington, who top League Two by three points, are probably the success story of the season, having done this well while operating on the tightest of budgets. However, their winning streak could end at Colchester, who are making a late charge for the play-off places. Coventry's 6-2 home defeat by Yeovil on Easter Monday was a huge upset. It feels like it was just one of those days and I expect them to bounce straight back at Notts County, whose hopes of automatic promotion are fading.

Away days: Tottenham, deserved 3-1 winners at Chelsea last Sunday and hot favourites to qualify for next season's Champions League, are an appealing proposition at Stoke, who cannot find the goals to lift them out of trouble near the foot of the Premier League. Burnley followed their 3-0 win at West Ham with a 2-1 away victory against doomed West Bromwich Albion. A hat-trick of triumphs on the road is on when they visit Watford, who are becalmed in mid-table. Sheffield United, who are still in Championship play-off contention, were annoyed not to have beaten Cardiff on Easter Monday  and I believe they'll take their anger out on relegation-threatened Barnsley. Since taking over as interim manager, Lee Bowyer has galvanised Charlton, who have won three League One games on the bounce. I believe they'll make it four in a row at Bristol Rovers. In the Scottish Premiership, Kilmarnock look set for three points at bottom club Partick and Hibernian are strongly recommended at struggling Ross.

Homes sweet homes: Alan Pardew's disastrous managerial reign at the Hawthorns came to an end this week. It often happens that a team win their first match after the manager has been sacked and I've a hunch that will occur on Saturday when West Bromwich Albion, bottom of the Premier League by some distance, host Swansea, who could soon be back in the mire. Barnet, bottom in League Two, are effectively drinking in the last-chance saloon and anything less than three points against Forest Green will be greeted with despair. I've a hunch that Martin Allen's side will respond positively to the crisis and gain their second consecutive home victory. Port Vale, who are still not safe from the drop, were only denied an away win by Crewe's injury-time equaliser in the 2-2 draw on Easter Monday and I think they'll have better luck against Crawley.


Pools info: Cardiff v Wolves (No 13 on coupon) has been brought forward to Friday and is therefore void. Northampton v Shrewsbury (27) and Lincoln v Wycombe (39) are postponed and will be assessed by the pools panel.

Betting info: For the second week running eight of my nine home selections last weekend were correct. Arsenal, Newcastle, Birmingham, Fleetwood, Peterborough, Aberdeen, Falkirk and Raith obliged.