Ten draws: Blackburn v Cambridge, Hull v Birmingham, Newport v Eastleigh, Peterborough v Leeds, Shrewsbury v Wrexham, Sunderland v Newcastle, Burton v Wycombe, Exeter v Carlisle, Barrow v Tranmere, Peterhead v Spartans.
Best draws: Newport v Eastleigh, Peterborough v Leeds, Shrewsbury v Wrexham, Sunderland v Newcastle, Exeter v Carlisle.
Best weekend football bets: Six aways: Ipswich, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Derby, Doncaster.
Best weekend football bets: Ten homes: Fulham (Friday), Chelsea, Luton, Plymouth, Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke, Swansea, Nottingham Forest, West Ham, Elgin.
Pick of the draws: It's the third round of the FA Cup this weekend. Newport have done nothing special in League Two this season and are vulnerable to a challenge from National League Eastleigh, who scored five goals at Aldershot and another four at home to Dagenham & Redbridge last Saturday. Championship promotion contenders Leeds are not so sure of themselves away from home, having lost at Preston (2-1) and West Bromwich Albion (1-0) recently, and they have a difficult assignment at on-form Peterborough, who are third in League One. Wrexham are well placed to be promoted from League Two and it would be no surprise if they forced a replay at League One Shrewsbury. Sunderland, in the Championship play-off positions, will be relishing a visit from their bitter rivals Newcastle, who have now lost as many Premier League fixtures as they have won. Switching to a League One match between relegation-threatened clubs, I predict that Carlisle will avoid defeat at Exeter, despite one of the longest journeys in the English football calendar.
Away days: Although Ipswich, Championship promotion candidates, are without a win in five, they should still prevail at League Two Wimbledon. Aston Villa have a good chance to improve their away record at Middlesbrough, who have already lost six home games in the Championship. Bournemouth's unbeaten run in the Premier League was ended by Tottenham last weekend but I expect them to bounce straight back against Championship strugglers Queens Park Rangers. In League One, table-topping Portsmouth look a confident bet at lowly Cheltenham while high-flying Derby are equally recommended at Fleetwood, who are bottom. A 1-1 draw at Mansfield and a 3-0 home victory over Milton Keynes Dons in League Two on Monday must have lifted the mood at Doncaster. I'm tipping them to gain maximum points at Harrogate, who are poor at home.
Homes sweet homes: Of the three sides in the Championship drop zone, Sheffield Wednesday seem most likely to escape. They deserved their 1-0 win at Preston last Monday and they'll be looking to knock Cardiff out of the FA Cup on Saturday. I don't see many cup upsets this weekend but one of them could be at Stoke, who host an injury-weakened Brighton from the Premier League. Stoke have not lost a Championship match since they appointed Steven Schumacher as manager. Lowly Elgin unexpectedly beat second-placed Peterhead 2-1 in Scottish League Two last Saturday, so they are worth a punt against mid-table Stranraer.
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