Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Dec 29-30

Ten draws: Leicester v Cardiff, Norwich v Derby, Preston v Aston Villa, Accrington v Peterborough, Coventry v Southend, Gillingham v Doncaster, Rochdale v Bradford City, Walsall v Luton, Cheltenham v Forest Green, Hamilton v Motherwell.

Best draws: Preston v Aston Villa, Accrington v Peterborough, Coventry v Southend, Walsall v Luton, Cheltenham v Forest Green.

Best weekend away bets: West Ham, Blackpool, Wycombe, Lincoln, Bury, Oldham.

Best weekend home bets: Fulham, Watford, Birmingham, Bristol City, Millwall, Oxford, Sunderland, Carlisle, Crewe, Newport.

Pick of the draws: Aston Villa's habit of leaking Championship goals - five at home to Nottingham Forest, three at home to Leeds - may deny them victory at Preston, who are fairly solid at Deepdale. Accrington emerged from a dodgy spell in League One with a 3-0 win at Plymouth last Saturday but they are bound to be tested more by Peterborough, who have chalked up seven away victories this season. Coventry, who are on a downward spiral, could find beating mid-table Southend beyond them. I've a hunch that second-placed Luton's incredible run - nine wins and a draw from their past 10 matches - will be checked by Walsall, who came away from Peterborough with a creditable draw last weekend. Lowly Cheltenham in League Two had the better of a goalless draw at Swindon last Saturday and can share the points again when they host Forest Green.

Away days: West Ham were unlucky in losing at home to Watford last Saturday and I think they'll recover quickly at struggling Burnley on Sunday. In League One, bottom of the table Wimbledon's miserable home record will encourage Blackpool, who aim to contest the play-off places. The progress of promoted Wycombe has been one of the features of the season and they will fancy themselves at relegation-threatened Scunthorpe. League Two leaders Lincoln must rate as an away banker at Cambridge while fast-improving Bury look a good thing at second last Notts County. Oldham are recommended at Port Vale, who are up and down like a yo-yo.

Homes sweet homes: It's been a miserable campaign for Fulham but they should get a lift from the visit of Huddersfield, whose Premier League form is even worse. Millwall, in the Championship drop zone, are worth a punt against Nottingham Forest who appear to be flattered by their seventh position.  Crewe, who won 1-0 at Stevenage in October, have the chance of a rare League Two double against their inconsistent opponents from Hertfordshire.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Dec 22-23

Ten draws: Bournemouth v Brighton, Everton v Tottenham, Huddersfield v Southampton, Hull v Swansea, Nottingham Forest v Queens Park Rangers, Reading v Middlesbrough, Portsmouth v Sunderland, Bury v Tranmere, Grimsby v Notts County, Morecambe v Cambridge.

Best draws: Bournemouth v Brighton, Everton v Tottenham, Hull v Swansea, Portsmouth v Sunderland, Grimsby v Notts County.

Best weekend away bets: Manchester United, Sheffield United, West Bromwich, Preston, Carlisle, Kilmarnock.

Best weekend home bets: Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Stoke, Charlton, Plymouth, Southend, Forest Green, Stevenage.


Pick of the draws: Bournemouth have lost their mojo recently, dropping into the bottom half of the Premier League, and although Brighton are weak away from home, they can come away with a point. Tottenham are the only team in the top four divisions not to have drawn a league game - a record that could end at Goodison Park on Sunday as Everton will be eager to make amends for some disappointing results. Swansea are aiming to make the Championship play-offs but won't find it easy at Hull, who have moved five points clear of the relegation zone. Portsmouth v Sunderland is a clash between the League One promotion favourites (Pompey are first, Sunderland are third) and I don't expect either side to give much away. Notts County, second last in League Two, beat Tranmere 3-2 at home last Saturday to boost their chances of avoiding the drop, so don't be surprised if they share the spoils at improving Grimsby.

Away days: Expect a Man Utd resurgence now that manager Jose Mourinho has departed. They are strongly recommended at struggling Cardiff. Although Ipswich won at home for the first time in the Championship this season last weekend, I cannot see them repeating the trick against fourth-placed Sheffield United, who have six away victories to their credit. West Bromwich Albion appear to be the team most likely to catch front-runners Leeds and Norwich and they should have too much for Rotherham. On-form Preston are worth a wager at off-colour Sheffield Wednesday and Carlisle, fresh from their 4-0 trouncing of Colchester in League Two, won't fear a journey to Crawley. Kilmarnock, one of five sides in the mix for the Scottish Premiership title, must be fancied at lowly Hamilton.

Homes sweet homes: High-scoring Aston Villa are well worth a punt against Championship leaders Leeds on Sunday. Villa's results haven't quite matched their performances lately but they look capable of climbing into the play-off places. Plymouth, fourth from bottom of League One, are also worth backing against Accrington, who are slipping down the table and lost 3-0 at Southend last Saturday. League Two Stevenage can beat the best when they are on song and I believe they'll end Mansfield's unbeaten away record.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Dec 15-16

Ten draws: Huddersfield v Newcastle, Liverpool v Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers v Middlesbrough, Barnsley v Portsmouth, Oxford v Blackpool, Southend v Accrington, Carlisle v Colchester, Forest Green v Mansfield, Macclesfield v Crawley, Newport v MK Dons.

Best draws: Huddersfield v Newcastle, Queens Park Rangers v Middlesbrough, Barnsley v Portsmouth, Oxford v Blackpool, Macclesfield v Crawley.

Best weekend away bets: Chelsea, West Ham, Birmingham, Leeds, Tranmere, Aberdeen.

Best weekend home bets: Manchester City, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Ipswich, Swansea, Doncaster, Sunderland, Cambridge, Northampton, Rangers.

Pick of the draws: Huddersfield have scored only 10 Premier League goals this season while their opponents on Saturday, Newcastle, have managed just 13. It all points to this relegation clash being a stalemate and probably a goalless one. Middlesbrough have gone off the boil in the Championship recently and I can't see them getting more than a point at QPR, whose dreadful start to the season is well behind them. Although League One leaders Portsmouth suffered only their second defeat of the season in midweek - 2-1 at home to Charlton - they have enough about them to share the spoils at high-scoring Barnsley. With their creditable 2-2 draw at Peterborough last Saturday, Oxford moved five points clear of the League One drop zone. I reckon they'll gain their first home draw of the season against Blackpool, who are challenging for the play-off places. Macclesfield, now managed by former England defender Sol Campbell, are six points from safety at the foot of League Two but can take advantage of Crawley's bad away record.

Away days: Chelsea received an enormous boost by inflicting Manchester City's first Premier League loss of the season last weekend. I fancy them to follow that up by winning at Brighton. Consecutive victories over Newcastle (3-0) and Crystal Palace (3-2) have put an extra spring in West Ham's step and I'm backing them to make it a hat-trick at bottom club Fulham, who can't stop leaking goals. I feel that Birmingham's home defeat by Bristol City last Saturday was just a blip and they can return to winning ways at Blackburn. Leeds, second in the Championship, look a sure thing at Bolton, who are second last. In League Two I expect Tranmere to pile more misery on relegation-threatened Notts County and believe Aberdeen will assert their superiority over St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.

Homes sweet homes: Ipswich, rock bottom in the Championship and without a home win all season, can rectify that by beating Wigan, who have lost eight out of 10 away games. I'm tipping Cambridge, third last in League Two, to leap-frog ailing Yeovil by beating them on Saturday and improving Northampton are well worth a punt against inconsistent Stevenage.

Pools info: Sheffield United v West Bromwich (No 20 on coupon) and Livingston v Hearts (47) have been brought forward to Friday and are therefore void.

Betting info: With Sunderland's match at Accrington abandoned last Saturday, four of my five away selections were correct: Wolves, Doncaster, Northampton and Forest Green. I was also one of the few pundits to tip Chelsea to beat the previously undefeated Manchester City.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of December 8-9

Ten draws: Burnley v Brighton, Leicester v Tottenham, Brentford v Swansea, Millwall v Hull, Sheffield Wednesday v Rotherham, Burton v Shrewsbury, Wycombe v Barnsley, Stevenage v Lincoln, Swindon v Newport, Hamilton v Hibernian.

Best draws: Burnley v Brighton, Brentford v Swansea, Burton v Shrewsbury, Wycombe v Barnsley, Stevenage v Lincoln.

Best weekend away bets: Wolves, Sunderland, Doncaster, Grimsby, Northampton, Forest Green.

Best weekend home bets: Chelsea, West Ham, Birmingham, Leeds, Stoke, Wimbledon, Colchester, Tranmere, Falkirk, Barrow.

Pick of the draws: A tremendous effort by Brighton in midweek - beating Crystal Palace 3-1 at home despite being a man short for over half the match - may catch up with them at Burnley, who badly need points to boost their hopes of Premier League survival. Brentford halted their slide down the Championship by holding West Bromwich Albion to a draw at The Hawthorns on Monday. Don't discount another stalemate when mid-table Swansea visit west London on Saturday. Shrewsbury have climbed away from the League One relegation zone and will be disappointed not to get something from their trip to Burton, who are immediately below them. Promoted Wycombe have adapted very well to a higher division and can frustrate the promotion-seeking and free-scoring Barnsley. Lincoln, hot favourites to go up from League Two, have a tough task at Stevenage, who beat leaders MK Dons at home recently and lie just below the play-off places.

Away days: Wolves, who halted their slump by defeating Chelsea at home in midweek, are better than their hosts Newcastle and I expect them to show that on Sunday against a team who have already lost six matches at St James' Park. Sunderland, second in League One with only one defeat to their name, should overcome Accrington, who have slipped down the table. Doncaster's 2-0 victory at Charlton in last weekend's FA Cup second round was well deserved. This weekend Doncaster appear to have an easier assignment at relegation-threatened Bristol Rovers. League Two Grimsby are suddenly finding the net after a barren run in front of goal and will fancy themselves at lowly Cheltenham. Northampton, who have markedly improved under Keith Curle, are worth a punt at Crawley while successful travellers Forest Green are highly recommended at Yeovil.

Homes sweet homes: If any team can inflict Manchester City's first Premier League defeat of the season it's Chelsea, who are difficult to contain when in full flow. League One strugglers Wimbledon have a new manager in Wally Downes and can celebrate his appointment by beating erratic Rochdale. Falkirk, second from bottom in the Scottish Championship, were surprise 3-2 winners at Inverness last Saturday. That should encourage them to break their duck at home, especially when their opponents are fellow strugglers Alloa.