Pools tips and best bets for weekend of March 2-3

Ten draws: Brighton v Huddersfield, Burnley v Crystal Palace, Tottenham v Arsenal, Hull v Birmingham, Doncaster v Charlton, Southend v Barnsley, Crewe v Northampton, Exeter v Tranmere, Oldham v Stevenage, Albion v Berwick.

Best draws: Brighton v Huddersfield, Tottenham v Arsenal, Hull v Birmingham, Oldham v Stevenage, Albion v Berwick.

Best weekend away bets: Manchester City, Chelsea, Norwich, Blackburn, Nottingham Forest, Carlisle.

Best weekend home bets: Watford, Wolves, Ipswich, Swansea, Oxford, Portsmouth, Sunderland, MK Dons, Notts County, Annan.

Pick of the draws: Bottom-of-the-table Huddersfield's last-gasp Premier League home win over Wolves in midweek should give them hope at Brighton, who are in free-fall. Until their last two visits, Wembley was a happy hunting ground for Arsenal, including three FA Cup final wins in the past five years. It's remarkable that their hosts, Tottenham, have gone 27 league games without drawing but I think that sequence will end on Saturday. Birmingham improved their Championship play-off hopes by defeating Bristol City away in midweek but Hull are no easy touch themselves these days, especially at home. Paul Scholes has had a difficult introduction as manager of League Two Oldham and the visit of Stevenage probably won't make things easier for him. Bottom club Albion are surely doomed to relegation from Scottish League Two but I'll be surprised if they lose to Berwick, whose recent form is just as bad.

Away days: It is impossible to ignore the claims of second-placed Manchester City at injury-hit Bournemouth. Although all is clearly not well at Chelsea, the plight of Fulham, their lowly opponents on Sunday, is far worse and I expect the Blues to prevail. Championship leaders Norwich are scoring for fun and I'm taking them to increase Millwall's relegation worries. Blackburn have tailed off recently but they should come out on top at relegation-haunted Rotherham. Nottingham Forest, who have drawn 10 away fixtures this season, are capable of going one better at Stoke, who continue to struggle. Carlisle can climb into the League Two play-off positions with a victory at Newport, who are suffering a hangover after their FA Cup exploits.

Homes sweet homes: Ipswich have almost resigned themselves to League One football next season but they can beat Reading, who are just above the relegation zone and poor travellers. A merited away win against Blackpool last Saturday enabled Oxford to climb out of the League One drop zone and I'm backing them to make further progress against Scunthorpe. Notts County, bottom of League Two, are in desperate need of a lift and I think they'll get one against Port Vale, who are falling like a stone.

Pools info: Leeds v West Brom (No 15 on coupon) has been brought forward to Friday and is therefore void. Sheffield Wednesday v Sheffield United (19) has been switched to Monday and will be assessed by the pools panel. Five of my ten draw selections were correct last weekend: Bournemouth v Wolves, Stoke v Aston Villa, Accrington v Southend, Colchester v Carlisle and Crawley v Macclesfield.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 23-24

Ten draws: Bournemouth v Wolves, Leicester v Crystal Palace, Brentford v Hull, Norwich v Bristol City, Stoke v Aston Villa, Accrington v Southend, Colchester v Carlisle, Crawley v Macclesfield, Yeovil v Cambridge, St Johnstone v Aberdeen.

Best draws: Leicester v Crystal Palace, Norwich v Bristol City, Stoke v Aston Villa, Colchester v Carlisle, Yeovil v Cambridge.

Best weekend away bets: Tottenham, Swansea, Sunderland, Doncaster, Kilmarnock, Elgin.

Best weekend home bets: Manchester United, Newcastle, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Wigan, Blackpool, Burton, Portsmouth, Bury, Hearts.

Pick of the draws: Although Leicester are higher in the Premier League than Crystal Palace, having gained five more points, the visitors are in better form and can continue their move away from the relegation zone by sharing the spoils here. I expect Championship leaders Norwich to be fully tested by Bristol City, who have won nine consecutive league games and seemed a shade unlucky to go out of the FA Cup to Wolves last Sunday. Stoke v Aston Villa is a clash between two sides who have fallen short of expectations. Both teams have also clocked up an unusual number of draws and I predict another one on Saturday. Colchester are genuine promotion contenders from League Two, as are Carlisle, one place below them, and deadlock is the likeliest outcome. At the other end of the table, Yeovil are having a rotten time but they should at least take a point from fellow strugglers Cambridge, who are poor travellers.

Away days: Tottenham, third in the Premier League, are finding a way to win close matches and I believe they'll come out on top at Burnley, who still have work to do to avoid relegation. Swansea, mid-table in the Championship, have been boosted by their progress to the last eight in the FA Cup and I fancy them at Sheffield Wednesday, who have shown nothing special under Steve Bruce. Sunderland cannot afford to drop many more points if they want automatic promotion from League One and I think they'll respond positively at lowly Bristol Rovers. Now that Doncaster are out of the FA Cup, they can concentrate on trying to gain promotion and are worth a punt at Scunthorpe. Kilmarnock, fourth in the Scottish Premiership, are tipped to succeed at Livingston, who seem in free-fall, and Elgin, in League Two, should be backed at second-from-bottom Berwick.

Homes sweet homes: Manchester United were ominously good when winning at Chelsea in the FA Cup on Monday and I can see them inflicting only Liverpool's second Premier League defeat of the season on Sunday. League One Burton, who held promotion-chasing Barnsley to a goalless draw at Oakwell in midweek, can go one better when they host Fleetwood. In the same division, Portsmouth have hit the wall at the moment but I've a hunch that the visit of second-placed Barnsley will bring the best out of them.


Pools info: Three of my five best draws selections were correct last weekend: Preston v Nottingham Forest, Shrewsbury v Burton and Cambridge v Tranmere.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 16-17

Ten draws: Blackburn v Middlesbrough, Preston v Nottingham Forest, Bradford City v Plymouth, Fleetwood v Luton, Shrewsbury v Burton, Cambridge v Tranmere, Port Vale v Morecambe, Livingston v Dundee, Boreham Wood v Hartlepool, Harrogate v Ebbsfleet.

Best draws: Preston v Nottingham Forest, Fleetwood v Luton, Shrewsbury v Burton, Cambridge v Tranmere, Livingston v Dundee.

Best weekend away bets: Millwall, Crystal Palace, Stoke, Portsmouth, Colchester, Wrexham.

Best weekend home bets: Brighton, Queens Park Rangers (Friday), Sheffield United, Barnsley, Sunderland (Friday), Exeter, Aberdeen, Motherwell, Bromley, Leyton Orient.


Pick of the draws: Nottingham Forest have perked up since Martin O'Neill became manager and gained a well merited draw at West Bromwich Albion in midweek. However, Preston's recent progress in the Championship cannot be discounted. As they have drawn seven at home and Forest have drawn nine away, deadlock is the likeliest outcome. Luton's run since mid-October has been sensational as they have surged to the top of League One but they may be held at Fleetwood, who have had some good results themselves lately, beating Charlton at home and Bradford City away. Shrewsbury look too good to be in the League One drop zone for long but they will face resistance from Burton, who are still punching above their weight. Cambridge have moved seven points clear of the League Two relegation zone and in the mood to frustrate Tranmere's efforts to make the play-offs. Livingston are a side on the slide in the Scottish Premiership, which gives second-from-bottom Dundee a genuine chance.

Away days: It's FA Cup fifth-round weekend and I can't see Millwall making the same mistake as West Ham, who in the previous round paid the price for underestimating Wimbledon, bottom of League One. Crystal Palace should really have more Premier League points than they have managed and, provided they don't rest too many players, are a confident selection at League One Doncaster. Although Stoke have been a letdown in the Championship, they should still have enough in the tank to beat Ipswich, who look doomed to relegation. Portsmouth are anxious to make up lost ground in the League One promotion race and get my backing at Southend, who have already lost nine at home. Colchester, fifth in League Two, returned to form with a 3-0 home success against Cheltenham last Saturday and must fancy themselves at struggling Macclesfield. High-flying Wrexham in the National League are due a good result on the road and I think they'll get it at Havant & Waterlooville.

Homes sweet homes: If there's an upset in the FA Cup this weekend it may come at Championship club Queens Park Rangers, who host Watford on Friday. Although eighth in the Premier League, Watford weren't at their best against Everton last Saturday and were lucky to escape defeat at Brighton the previous week. Exeter, one place outside the League Two play-offs and strong at home, are worth a punt against third-placed Bury, who are perhaps due a setback. In-form Motherwell have their sights set on the top half of the Scottish Premiership and victory over Hearts will help their cause.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 9-10

Ten draws: Brighton v Burnley, Blackburn v Bristol City, Nottingham Forest v Brentford, Stoke v West Brom, Doncaster v Peterborough, Plymouth v Portsmouth, Rochdale v Coventry, Crawley v Oldham, Barrow v Bromley, Ebbsfleet v Solihull Moors.

Best draws: Blackburn v Bristol City, Stoke v West Brom, Doncaster v Peterborough, Rochdale v Coventry, Ebbsfleet v Solihull Moors.

Best weekend away bets: Arsenal, Wigan, Sunderland, Bury, Grimsby, Salford.

Best weekend home bets: Crystal Palace, Watford, Bolton, Sheffield Wednesday, Bradford City, Colchester, Forest Green, Lincoln, MK Dons, Gateshead.

Pick of the draws: Bristol City, who have climbed into the Championship play-off positions, are slightly better away than at home and can come away from Blackburn with a point. West Brom lost ground in the promotion race when Middlesbrough beat them 3-2 at The Hawthorns last weekend but they have a chance to recover at Stoke, who have not done as well as expected in a lower division. Peterborough, in the League One play-offs, will probably get a second wind after reappointing Darren Ferguson as manager and I'm taking them to avoid defeat at Doncaster, who are just below them. At the other end of the table, Rochdale's wretched home form should encourage Coventry while Solihull Moors, contesting automatic promotion from the National League, face a tricky trip to Ebbsfleet.

Away days: Arsenal have not won away in the Premier League since November but they will never have a better chance than at Huddersfield, who are cut adrift at the foot of the table. Wigan have been playing better than their recent Championship results indicate and I believe they'll gain only their second away victory of the season at Rotherham, who hover just above the drop zone. Sunderland have slipped to fourth in League One but have games in hand over the teams above them. They'll be clear favourites to win at relegation-threatened Oxford. Free-scoring Bury, third in League Two, will surely be too strong for lowly Morecambe and on-form Grimsby have my backing at struggling Yeovil. Salford, second only to Leyton Orient in the National League, look an away banker at bottom club Braintree.

Homes sweet homes: Crystal Palace seem capable of staying clear of the Premier League relegation zone and are worth a wager against West Ham, who, their midweek draw with Liverpool excepted, have lapsed back into mediocrity. Bolton, second from bottom of the Championship, have been right out of luck recently. They are overdue a break and I think they'll get it when they host Preston on Saturday. Bradford City, fighting hard to avoid the drop into League Two, gained a merited draw at Wycombe last Saturday and can go one better against Joey Barton's Fleetwood.

Pools info: Five of my 10 draws were correct last weekend, including two of the matches assessed by the pools panel. The successful five were: Brighton v Watford, Burnley v Southampton, Coventry v Gillingham, Crewe v Carlisle and Port Vale v Tranmere.