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

Ten draws: Burnley v Bournemouth, Fulham v Brighton, Stoke v Middlesbrough, Swansea v Blackburn, Fleetwood v Wigan, Wycombe v Barnsley, Grimsby v Forest Green, Salford v Gillingham, Dundee v Kilmarnock, St Johnstone v Livingston. 

Best draws: Burnley v Bournemouth, Fulham v Brighton, Swansea v Blackburn, Wycombe v Barnsley, Grimsby v Forest Green.

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Aston Villa, Liverpool, Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday, Blackpool, Mansfield.

Weekend's best football bets: Ten homes: Manchester City, Leicester, Millwall, Bolton, Cheltenham, Derby, Crewe, Bradford City, Rangers, Falkirk.

Pick of the draws: Although Burnley are surely doomed to relegation, the goals and wins have also dried up for Bournemouth, who are sliding back down the Premier League. Bournemouth's home midweek FA Cup defeat by Championship leaders Leicester, cannot have helped their cause. Brighton have bravely battled through an injury crisis and are capable of avoiding defeat at Fulham, despite the Cottagers' 2-1 deserved victory at Manchester United last weekend. Swansea's display in their 2-1 Championship win at Sunderland last Saturday was almost as good as Blackburn's performance in defeat against Newcastle in their midweek FA Cup tie and a fine, close match is in prospect. Barnsley's superb away record in League One will make them favourites at Wycombe but Wycombe's 10 men were only beaten 1-0 at promotion-seeking Stevenage last Saturday. Forest Green, fighting relegation from League Two, have revived since appointing Steve Cotterill as manager and can deny Grimsby, who are one place above them.

Away days: Aston Villa, fourth in the Premier League, will be disappointed if they don't take advantage of Luton's recent lapses at home. Leaders Liverpool are on such a high after their League Cup final triumph at Wembley last Sunday that I cannot see Nottingham Forest, hovering just outside the relegation zone, stopping them. Three successive wins have helped Championship promotion hopefuls Ipswich to get back on course and I'm tipping them at Plymouth. Sheffield Wednesday can at last see an escape route from relegation and winning at Rotherham, who are bottom, will give them even more belief. Blackpool, 4-1 home winners over Bolton in League One last weekend, are worth backing at Shrewsbury, who are inconsistent. League Two leaders Mansfield have scored 67 goals this season, most of them away. I believe they'll score a few more at Newport. 

Homes sweet homes: Neil Harris, back as manager at struggling Millwall, celebrated his return with a shock 2-1 win at Southampton in the Championship last Saturday. He'll need a repeat against Watford if the Lions are to stay clear of the drop zone and I think his team will do it. Despite Cheltenham, being near the foot of League One, they have a good opportunity to take maximum points against Burton, who have lost consecutive home fixtures. Although Bradford City have done nothing special in League Two, they are worth a punt against Notts County, who have collapsed and are tumbling down the table.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 24-25

 Ten draws: Blackburn v Norwich, Cardiff v Stoke, Sheffield Wednesday v Bristol City, Burton v Northampton, Charlton v Portsmouth, Oxford v Leyton Orient, Notts County v Crewe, Hibernian v Dundee, Ross v Livingston, Arbroath v Inverness. 

Best draws: Cardiff v Stoke, Charlton v Portsmouth, Oxford v Leyton Orient, Notts County v Crewe, Ross v Livingston. 

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Lincoln, Tranmere, Colchester, Raith, Falkirk, Aldershot. 

Ten homes: Arsenal, Brighton, Wolves, Middlesbrough, Queens Park Rangers, Southampton, Sunderland, Bristol Rovers, Partick (Friday), Barnet.

Pick of the draws: Cardiff are in a bit of a rut and cannot be guaranteed to beat Stoke, who are suffering themselves and too near the Championship relegation zone for comfort. At first glance, the League One fixture between Charlton (20th) and Portsmouth (1st) looks an away banker. Charlton are without a win in 17 games but they have a new manager in Nathan Jones and, against all the odds, drew 3-3 at high-flying  Bolton last Saturday. I've a hunch they'll spring another surprise this weekend. Oxford have dropped too many points recently and I believe they'll drop another couple when they host Leyton Orient, who have done well away. Automatic promotion from League Two now seems beyond free-scoring Notts County. They face fourth-placed Crewe, who have tightened up defensively. Ross (11th) and Livingston (12th) occupy the last two places in the Scottish Premiership. Of the two, Livingston are in better form and can gain a point.

Away days: Lincoln, mid-table in League One, can inflict more misery on relegation-threatened Port Vale, who have lost their last two. Tranmere's 4-0 home triumph over League Two leaders Stockport was probably the biggest upset of last Saturday. They have far less to fear from Forest Green, who are second bottom and woefully off form. Bottom-of-the table Sutton keep losing and seem beyond redemption. They host Colchester, who have a much better chance of avoiding relegation. Raith, second in the Scottish Championship, are recommended at Ayr and in Scottish League One it's hard to ignore runaway leaders Falkirk, who visit Kelty Hearts. Aldershot, right in the mix for promotion from the National League, beat Altrincham (2-0, home) last Saturday and Barnet (1-0, home) in midweek. Don't rule out them making it a hat-trick of wins at Southend on Saturday.

Homes sweet homes: Arsenal, the outsiders in a three-horse race for the Premier League title, felt robbed when they lost to a controversial goal at Newcastle last November and with five consecutive wins behind them, they are in the mood for revenge. Middlesbrough shocked the Championship leaders Leicester by beating them 2-1 at the King Power Stadium last Saturday. Although inconsistency has been Boro's downfall this season, they should still have enough to defeat Plymouth, who are fading. It's important that Sunderland, who dismissed manager Michael Beale in midweek, keep in touch with the play-off contenders and they'll be trying to take advantage of Swansea's fragile state. 

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 17-18

 Ten draws: Nottingham Forest v West Ham, Birmingham v Sunderland, Preston v Blackburn, Stoke v Coventry, Carlisle v Cambridge, Northampton v Bristol Rovers, Peterborough v Blackpool, Shrewsbury v Wigan, Colchester v Accrington, Airdrieonians v Ayr.

Best draws: Nottingham Forest v West Ham, Birmingham v Sunderland, Preston v Blackburn, Northampton v Bristol Rovers, Airdrieonians v Ayr.

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Arsenal, Manchester United, Brighton, Ipswich, Mansfield, Queen of the South.

Weekend's best football bets: Ten homes: Newcastle, Tottenham, Huddersfield, Leicester, Bolton, Leyton Orient, Bradford City, Crewe, Salford, Aberdeen.

Pick of the draws: Surely, West Ham, thrashed 6-0 at home by Arsenal last Sunday, cannot play as badly again and have a chance to partly redeem themselves at Nottingham Forest, who are too close to the Premier League relegation zone for comfort. Tony Mowbray, in charge of struggling Championship side Birmingham, faces Sunderland, the club he used to manage, on Saturday and will be encouraged by Birmingham's midweek home win over Blackburn. The under-appreciated John Eustace is the new manager at Blackburn, who lifted the mood at Ewood Park by beating Stoke 3-1 last weekend. They visit Preston, who are inconsistent. It's almost impossible to predict how Bristol Rovers, mid-table in League One, will fare on any given week. For example, beaten 2-1 at home by Burton last Saturday, they recovered from two goals down to win 3-2 at Stevenage in midweek. Having unexpectedly lost and then won, they are worth backing to draw at Northampton, who are also mid-table. Ayr, of the Scottish Championship, fought pluckily before being defeated 2-0 at Rangers in the Scottish Cup fifth round last weekend. They will be confident of holding Airdrieonians.

Away days: Premier League title challengers Arsenal showed the ruthlessness required in winning 6-0 at West Ham and it's hard to see them slipping up at Burnley, who look doomed to relegation. A fine 2-1 victory at Aston Villa last Sunday suggests that Manchester United may have turned a corner and they should be backed at Luton, whose revival was cut short by a 3-1 home loss to bottom team Sheffield United last Saturday. A goal in the final seconds condemned Brighton to a 2-1 defeat at Tottenham last weekend. On Sunday they visit Sheffield United, who are far less formidable opponents. Ipswich returned to winning ways in the Championship with a 4-0 midweek dismantling of Millwall. The Tractor Boys visit Swansea, who crashed 4-0 at home to Leeds in midweek. Mansfield, second in League Two, went goal crazy at home to Harrogate in midweek, winning 9-2, and will surely score enough against Walsall. Queen of the South, in Scottish League One, look an away banker at Edinburgh City, who prop up the table.

Homes sweet homes: Championship strugglers Huddersfield have scored eight goals in their past three  league games. They gave high-flying Southampton a fright before going down 5-3 last Saturday and beat Sunderland at home in midweek. They are worth a wager against play-off contenders Hull. Lowly Salford, of League Two, will fancy themselves against promotion-seeking Barrow, who have gone right off the boil. I've a hunch that Aberdeen, now managed by wily veteran Neil Warnock until the end of the season, will come out on top against Hibernian in their Scottish Premiership clash. 

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Feb 10-11

Ten draws: Aston Villa v Manchester United, Fulham v Bournemouth, Tottenham v Brighton, Cardiff v Preston, Blackpool v Oxford, Lincoln v Fleetwood, Wycombe v Peterborough, Wimbledon v Barrow, Doncaster v Tranmere, Swindon v Salford.

Best draws: Aston Villa v Manchester United, Tottenham v Brighton, Lincoln v Fleetwood, Wycombe v Peterborough, Wimbledon v Barrow.

Weekend's best bets: Six aways: Arsenal, Portsmouth, Bolton, Stevenage, Mansfield, Stockport.

Weekend's best bets: Ten homes: Liverpool, Manchester City, Hull, Ipswich, Leeds, Southampton, Derby, Reading, Crewe, Partick.

Pick of the draws: Aston Villa have lost their last two home games after previously looking impregnable and this is a happy hunting ground for Manchester United, who have picked up recently with victories against Wolves (4-3, away) and West Ham (3-0, home). It's almost impossible to predict what Brighton will do from week to week but at their best they are more than capable of coming away from Tottenham with a point. Consecutive wins over Port Vale (3-0, home) last Saturday and Bristol Rovers (2-0, away) in midweek have given Fleetwood renewed hope of avoiding relegation from League One. I believe they'll get something at mid-table Lincoln, who have already drawn on 11 occasions this season. Peterborough's promotion challenge in League One faltered with a 3-2 home defeat by Wigan last Saturday and a 2-1 away loss to Exeter in midweek. I'm tipping Wycombe to take advantage. Barrow climbed back into the League Two automatic promotion placings by beating MK Dons 1-0 at home last Saturday and can force a draw at Wimbledon.

Away days: A refreshed Arsenal will hope it's third time lucky at West Ham on Sunday. West Ham knocked the Gunners out of the League Cup in November and defeated them 2-0 at the Emirates over Christmas. The way Arsenal played when beating Liverpool 3-1 at home last Sunday suggests that they will gain their revenge. Portsmouth have opened a four-point gap at the top of League One and should be backed at Carlisle, who are bottom. Bolton are the side with the best chance of catching Pompey and will travel to Northampton with confidence. Stevenage's away form has kept them in the promotion race and ought to help them at Port Vale, who have dropped into the relegation zone. Mansfield, second in League Two, and Stockport, who lead the division, are likely winners at Forest Green and Grimsby respectively.

Homes sweet homes: Although Ipswich were sensationally knocked out of the FA Cup by non-League Maidstone and have fallen out of the automatic promotion places in the Championship, they still have  much to offer and are worth a wager against fellow promotion seekers, West Bromwich Albion, in the early Saturday kick-off. Crisis-club Reading, shock 1-0 away winners at Stevenage in midweek, have moved clear of the League One drop zone and I'm tipping them to continue that upward trend when they host an ailing Charlton. It's the fifth round of the Scottish Cup this weekend and a win for Partick, third in the Championship, over Livingston, bottom of the Premiership, won't be that much of an upset.

Betting info: I scored five out of six with my away selections last weekend. The successful teams were Aston Villa, Southampton, Leicester, Plymouth and Chesterfield.