Pools tips and best bets for weekend of May 27, 28, 29

 Ten draws: Aston Villa v Brighton, Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest, St Johnstone v Livingston, Cadiz v Celta Vigo, Inter Milan v Atalanta, Juventus v AC Milan, Salemitana v Udinese, Verona v Empoli, Angers v Troyes, Fortuna Sittard v NEC.

Best draws: Aston Villa v Brighton, Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest, St Johnstone v Livingston, Inter Milan v Atalanta, Juventus v AC Milan.

Best weekend bets: Six aways: Manchester City, Newcastle, Liverpool, Rangers, Villarreal, Sheffield Wednesday (Monday).

Best weekend bets: Ten homes: Arsenal, Everton, Leicester, Manchester United, Celtic, Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona, Lazio, Lens, Marseille.

Pick of the draws: I'm tipping Brighton, assured of Europa League football next season, to confirm their quality by taking a point off Aston Villa, who are immediately below them. Nottingham Forest made sure of staying in the Premier League with a hard-fought home victory over Arsenal. They can relax now and although their away record is terrible, I won't be surprised if they deny Crystal Palace. St Johnstone and Livingston are free from relegation worries in the Scottish Premiership, which is one of the reasons I think this will be a low-key draw. In the Italian League, Inter Milan's thoughts may stray towards their Champions League final against Manchester City, which could benefit the in-form Atalanta. Juventus have been docked 10 points for financial irregularities while AC Milan, their opponents, will be licking their wounds after limply losing to fierce rivals Inter in the Champions League semi-final. Two dispirited sides facing each other.

Away days: Manchester City, Premier League champions for the fifth time in six years and favourites to land the treble, will be eager to avenge their only home defeat of the season when Brentford won 2-1 at the Etihad. City are impossible to back against at the moment. Newcastle, who have qualified for next season's Champions League after a long absence from European football, will be in the mood to celebrate when they visit Chelsea, who can't wait for the end of the season. Liverpool's winning streak was halted by Aston Villa last Saturday but it will be a major upset if they fail to beat relegated Southampton. Villarreal are worth a bet at Rayo Vallecano in the Spanish League and in Monday's League One play-off final I'm going for Sheffield Wednesday, who ended the season third, to edge past Barnsley, who finished fourth, 10 points behind Wednesday.

Homes sweet homes: After their well documented stumbles during the past month, Arsenal will be eager to end a largely successful campaign on a winning note and should do so against Wolves on Sunday. Three points for Everton against Bournemouth will ensure their Premier League safety after an anxiety-ridden season and I believe they'll get them in front of their passionate fans. Leicester, in 18th place, cannot afford to be as defensive as they were in the goalless draw at Newcastle on Monday. I'm sure they won't be as only a win gives them any chance of avoiding relegation. Leicester play West Ham, whose priority may be the forthcoming European Conference final against Fiorentina.

Weekend pools info: Sampdoria v Sassuolo (No.31 on coupon) is being played on Friday and is therefore void.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of May 20-21

 Ten draws: Fulham v Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest v Arsenal, Livingston v Dundee United, Almeria v Mallorca, Lecce v Spezia, Torino v Fiorentina, Werder Bremen v Cologne, Lille v Marseille, Nantes v Montpellier, Excelsior v Fortuna Sittard.

Best draws: Fulham v Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest v Arsenal, Livingston v Dundee United, Lecce v Spezia, Lille v Marseille.

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Manchester United, Leeds, Everton, Rangers, Union Berlin, Rennes.

Weekend's best football bets: Ten homes: Brighton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Celtic, Kilmarnock, Partick (Friday), Albion, Barnsley (Friday), Barcelona, Reims.

Pick of the draws: Crystal Palace have improved markedly since Roy Hodgson was appointed manager and it won't surprise me if they frustrate Fulham, whose Premier League home form is unreliable. Arsenal's shock 3-0 home defeat by Brighton last Sunday will have relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest believing that they can get something from this fixture. Also in Forest's favour is that their last two home games have seen them beat Brighton (3-1) and Southampton (4-3). I think Dundee United, bottom of the Scottish Premiership, will avoid defeat at Livingston on Saturday, although it won't be enough to save them from the drop.

Away days: Although Manchester United's away record has let them down this season, they should have enough in their locker to win at Bournemouth, who seem to have switched off now they are safe from relegation. Victory at West Ham on Sunday will give Leeds a fighting chance of staying in the Premier League. Based on the spirit they showed in their 2-2 home draw against Newcastle last weekend, they are worth a wager. Everton are another side battling for their Premier League lives. If they can play half as well at Wolves as they did when thrashing Brighton 5-1 away last week they'll return home with three points. Rangers, convincing 3-0 home winners over Scottish Premiership champions Celtic last Saturday, will top the 90-point mark if they defeat Hibernian on Sunday.

Homes sweet homes: Even Manchester City, the Premier League champions in waiting, aren't playing better than Liverpool at the moment. The men from Anfield have reeled off seven consecutive victories which puts them within touching distance of a Champions League place. I predict that Aston Villa, no slouches themselves, will be their next victims on Saturday. Partick's astonishing 8-3 aggregate win over Queen's Park in the Scottish Premiership play-off quarter-final has put them in the mood to conquer Ayr in the play-off semi-final, first leg on Friday. Also on Friday, I fancy Barnsley, who finished fourth in League One, to defeat Bolton, who came fifth, in the second leg of their play-off semi-final. The scores are level at 1-1. 

 

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of May 13-14

 Ten draws: Aston Villa v Tottenham, Chelsea v Nottingham Forest, Kilmarnock v Livingston, St Mirren v Hearts, Bologna v Roma, Eintracht Frankfurt v Mainz, Union Berlin v Freiburg, Clermont Foot v Lyon, Montpellier v Lorient, Strasbourg v Nice.

Best draws: Aston Villa v Tottenham, Kilmarnock v Livingston, St Mirren v Hearts, Clermont Foot v Lyon, Strasbourg v Nice.

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Newcastle, Fulham, Motherwell, Albion, Stockport, Notts County.

Weekend's best football bets: Ten homes: Peterborough (Friday), Arsenal, Manchester United, Sunderland, Dundee United, Hamilton, Clyde, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund.

Pick of the draws: Aston Villa's attempts to qualify for next season's Europa League have been hindered by consecutive away defeats against Manchester United and Wolves, both by 1-0. They host Tottenham, who have shown more spirit in their past three matches, including coming back from 3-0 behind at Liverpool and almost drawing. Spurs will also be mindful of their very good record at Villa Park. Kilmarnock are battling to avoid the drop from the Scottish Premiership and I can't see them getting more than a point from Saturday's visit of Livingston. Hearts, in a far healthier fourth place, may also struggle to gain maximum points at St Mirren, who are only four points adrift of the Edinburgh team.

Away days: Newcastle were given a reality check when they lost 2-0 at home to Arsenal last Sunday. They'll need to recover quickly to ensure a Champions League spot and I think they'll do that at relegation-threatened Leeds, who can't stop leaking goals. Mid-table Fulham put five past Leicester on Monday and they are a confident selection at bottom club Southampton, who seem doomed. Motherwell have done better away than at home in the Scottish Premiership and are worth backing at St Johnstone, who made hard work of beating 10-men Dundee United last weekend. I expect Albion, who finished last in Scottish League Two, to put their woes behind them and defeat Lowland League champions Spartans in the first leg of their play-off final. Stockport narrowly missed automatic promotion from League Two on the final day of the league season but they look better equipped to go up than Salford, who they visit in the first leg of the League Two play-off semi-final on Saturday. It will be a crime if Notts County, having finished 23 points in front of third-placed Chesterfield in the National League, don't return to the Football League. They have to contend with a play-off final on Saturday at Wembley, where I believe they will assert their superiority against Chesterfield.

Homes sweet homes: Peterborough's unexpected 2-0 victory at Barnsley last Sunday put them in the League One play-offs instead of Derby. The momentum is with them now and they are worth a punt against favourites Sheffield Wednesday in the first leg of their play-off semi-final on Friday. A similar late surge saw Sunderland make the Championship play-offs and they should at least win the first leg of their semi-final against Luton on Saturday. A home win for Dundee United, who are 10th, against bottom side Ross will probably guarantee them Scottish Premiership football next season 

 

Pools tips and best bets for the weekend of May 6-8

 Ten draws: Newcastle v Arsenal, Swansea v West Bromwich, Wigan v Rotherham, Bristol Rovers v Bolton, Burton v MK Dons, Cheltenham v Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday v Derby, Colchester v Mansfield, Tranmere v Northampton, Edinburgh v Airdrie.

Best draws: Newcastle v Arsenal, Swansea v West Bromwich, Burton v MK Dons, Sheffield Wednesday v Derby, Tranmere v Northampton. 

Weekend's best bets: Six aways: Aston Villa (Saturday), Sheffield United (Monday), Sunderland (Monday), Ipswich (Sunday), Carlisle (Monday), Falkirk (Saturday).

Weekend's best bets: Ten homes: Brighton (Saturday), Nottingham Forest (Monday), Burnley (Monday), Huddersfield (Monday), Cambridge (Sunday), Oxford (Sunday), Harrogate (Monday), Salford (Monday), Stockport (Monday), Inverness (Friday).

Pick of the draws: Arsenal probably need maximum points from their remaining four matches to stay in the title race but Newcastle, one place below the Gunners, have lost only once at home in the Premier League this season, which suggests that they can take at least a point. West Bromwich's last-ditch attempt to qualify for the Championship play-offs may fall short at Swansea, who have been in such impressive form. I'll be surprised if MK Dons, fighting relegation from League One, get more than a draw at Burton, who are safe. Sheffield Wednesday, by coming third in League One, are guaranteed a play-off place. They may be tempted to lose focus on Sunday, which should help Derby, who can still be pipped for that final play-off spot. Northampton missed automatic promotion from League Two in the most agonising circumstances last season. I believe they'll suffer a repeat next Monday after they have played Tranmere.

Away days: Aston Villa's winning Premier League run was ended by Manchester United last Sunday but I'm tipping them to bounce straight back at Wolves, who were hammered 6-0 at Brighton the day before. Sheffield United, promoted to the top tier after an outstanding season, have an excellent chance of gaining their 12th away win at Birmingham, who languish in the bottom half of the Championship. Sunderland need a victory to scrape into the Championship play-offs and I think they'll get it at Preston, who seem to have switched off. I'm confident that Ipswich, promoted from League One, will end their campaign in style by beating Fleetwood and reaching 100 points. Carlisle only need a draw to be in the League Two play-offs but I believe they'll go one better by defeating Sutton, who are out of sorts. Falkirk, second in Scottish League One, look an away banker at relegated Peterhead.

Homes sweet homes: Nottingham Forest, third last in the Premier League, haven't beaten many teams recently, so they should grasp this opportunity against bottom side Southampton, who have a mountain to climb if they are to stay up. Huddersfield, revived by veteran manager Neil Warnock, have avoided relegation to League One and are in the mood to celebrate against Reading, who have gone down instead. Congratulations to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, mid-table in the Scottish Championship, who have reached the Scottish Cup final, where they face Celtic, the Scottish Premiership champions. I reckon they'll prepare for the occasion by beating Ayr on Friday.