Pools tips and best bets for weekend of October 6-7

Ten draws: Leicester v Everton, Liverpool v Manchester City, Watford v Bournemouth, Bolton v Blackburn, Norwich v Stoke, Peterborough v Barnsley, Bury v Mansfield, Forest Green v Newport, Morecambe v Tranmere, Motherwell v Livingston.

Best draws: Leicester v Everton, Watford v Bournemouth, Norwich v Stoke, Peterborough v Barnsley, Motherwell v Livingston.

Best weekend away bets: Arsenal, Sunderland, Notts County, Exeter, Eastleigh, Salford.

Best weekend home bets: Burnley, Tottenham, Preston, Swansea, West Bromwich, Blackpool, Southend, Crawley, Stevenage, Rangers.


Pick of the draws: Everton gained a badly needed Premier League win over Fulham at Goodison Park last Saturday and, as a result, will be more confident of getting something at Leicester, although the hosts are a team in form. To their great credit, Watford and Bournemouth, who meet on Saturday, are hovering just outside the Champions League qualification places. Watford deserved better than to lose 2-0 at Arsenal last weekend and Bournemouth were worthy winners against Crystal Palace 2-1 at home last Monday. The teams are evenly matched and I think that will be reflected in the result. Stoke are starting to find their feet in the Championship and steadily climbing the table. I believe they'll hold Norwich, who have themselves improved. League One high-flyers Peterborough have had two recent setbacks at home, losing to Portsmouth and only drawing with Blackpool. Barnsley's fine away record suggests that the Posh may be disappointed again on Saturday. Livingston's 1-0 home win over Rangers last Sunday showed they are no easy touch in the Scottish Premiership and they will probably prove a tough nut for Motherwell to crack.

Away days: Arsenal, boasting five consecutive Premier League wins, will be short odds to make it six at Fulham, who are finding it difficult to adjust to life in a higher division. Relegated Sunderland are handily placed to make an immediate return to the Championship and will approach their League One fixture at lowly Bradford City with confidence. Notts County have climbed clear of the League Two drop zone with two successive home victories over Crewe and Crawley respectively. They have no reason to fear a trip to Macclesfield, who prop up the table and have yet to win in the league this season. Exeter moved three points nearer to League Two leaders Lincoln by beating Stevenage 1-0 in midweek and I can see them dishing out similar treatment to Yeovil, who appear to have hit a wall. It's shaping up to be a bumper weekend for away wins in the National League. The most likely victors are Eastleigh, who visit rock bottom Braintree, and new leaders Salford, who go to Dover, who are second from last.

Homes sweet homes: Although Preston are bottom of the Championship, they aren't playing as poorly as their results suggest. They gave West Bromwich Albion a battle before going down 3-2 last weekend and forced a 3-3 draw at Aston Villa in midweek. I've a hunch that they'll surprise Wigan on Saturday. Stevenage have begun to impose themselves in League Two after an uncertain start to the season. They won 1-0 at Carlisle last Saturday and only lost narrowly at promotion-chasing Exeter in midweek. On Saturday they play Colchester, another side in the play-off positions, and I believe they'll make home advantage count. Rangers will want to make amends for their 1-0 loss at Livingston in the Scottish Premiership last Sunday and I'm backing them to send leaders Hearts to their first league defeat this season.

Pools info: Six of my 10 selected draws were correct last weekend. The matches were Rotherham v Stoke, Bradford City v Bristol Rovers, Coventry v Sunderland, Luton v Charlton, Port Vale v Exeter and Swindon v Oldham.