Pools tips and best bets for weekend of January 18-19

Ten draws: Arsenal v Sheffield United, West Ham v Everton, Derby v Hull, Huddersfield v Brentford, Preston v Charlton, Doncaster v Coventry, Gillingham v Oxford, Lincoln v Blackpool, Walsall v Crawley, Barrow v Bromley.

Best draws: Arsenal v Sheffield United, Preston v Charlton, Doncaster v Coventry, Gillingham v Oxford, Walsall v Crawley.

Weekend's best bets: Six aways: Leicester, Chelsea, Cardiff, Portsmouth, Ipswich, Harrogate.

Weekend's best bets: Ten homes: Norwich, Sheffield Wednesday, Swansea, Accrington, Rotherham, Wycombe, Newport, Northampton, Plymouth, Dundee United.

Pick of the draws: Sheffield United's only two away defeats in the Premier League this season have been at Liverpool and Manchester City. They deserve to be in the top six and will be confident of maintaining that record at Arsenal, who are still adjusting to a new manager and will be without their leading scorer Aubameyang, who is suspended. Preston have fallen away badly in the Championship, whereas Charlton, their visitors, appear to have arrested their slump. They played well in their 2-2 home draw with leaders West Bromwich Albion last Saturday. Seven draws show that Coventry are a tough nut to crack away from home in League One and I tip them to pinch another point at improving Doncaster. Oxford's promotion charge has been halted recently and Gillingham have the credentials to frustrate them again. Crawley's 2-1 home success against promotion-chasing Bradford City last Saturday will have boosted morale and they can share the spoils at Walsall, who are mid-table in League Two.

Away days: Leicester, third in the Premier League, surprisingly lost at home to Southampton last weekend but they have a good opportunity to return to winning ways on Sunday at Burnley, who are slipping closer to the relegation zone. Only Liverpool are doing better away than Chelsea, who will be firm favourites to beat the injury-ravaged Newcastle. Birmingham's poor record at St Andrew's in the Championship will encourage visitors Cardiff, who need three points to enter the promotion reckoning. Portsmouth, just outside the League One play-off positions, look an away banker at doomed Bolton, while third-placed Ipswich will fancy their chances at struggling Tranmere. Harrogate, who are thriving in the National League, are recommended at lowly Ebbsfleet.

Homes sweet homes: Maximum points are essential for Norwich if they are not to be cast adrift at the foot of the Premier League and I think they'll get them against fellow strugglers Bournemouth, who are having a terrible run of results, including a 3-0 home loss to Watford last Sunday. Two consecutive wins suggest that Newport are reviving and they are worth a wager against League Two leaders Swindon. The Scottish Cup always provides plenty of upsets and I believe Dundee United, the runaway Championship leaders, are worth backing against Hibernian, of the Premiership, on Sunday.

Pools info: Fulham v Middlesbrough (No 10 on coupon) has been brought forward to Friday and is therefore void. Three of my five best draws were correct last weekend: Middlesbrough v Derby (2-2), Peterborough v Gillingham (0-0) and Leyton Orient v Grimsby (1-1).