Pools tips and best bets for weekend of August 31-September 1

Ten draws: Ipswich v Fulham, Newcastle v Tottenham, Sheffield United v Watford, Blackpool v Wycombe, Crawley v Barnsley, Peterborough v Wrexham, Shrewsbury v Leyton Orient, Stevenage v Lincoln, Accrington v Colchester, Hearts v Dundee United.

Best draws: Newcastle v Tottenham, Sheffield United v Watford, Blackpool v Wycombe, Peterborough v Wrexham, Shrewsbury v Leyton Orient.

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Liverpool, Manchester City, Bradford City, Newport, Notts County, Ayr. Ten homes: Brentford, Leeds, Luton (Friday), West Bromwich, Birmingham, Bolton, Gillingham, Walsall, Celtic, East Fife.

Pick of the draws: Tottenham must be a shade disappointed not to have maximum points after two Premier League games. Leicester surprisingly denied them on the opening weekend of the season and Newcastle could do the same on Sunday. Watford, second in the Championship, have won every match so far but their perfect sequence may end at Sheffield United, who have also begun the season well. Blackpool, without a win in League One, gained a notable midweek victory at Championship Blackburn in the League Cup, which should encourage them against visitors Wycombe. Wrexham have a good chance of consecutive promotions but their trip to Peterborough will be their hardest test so far this season. Shrewsbury and Leyton Orient are pointless and fill the bottom two places in League One. I don't think either of them will come out on top. 

Away days: Liverpool, with two convincing wins from their first two Premier League fixtures, are a confident selection at the ever-erratic Manchester United on Sunday. Manchester City are only slightly less certain to triumph at West Ham, despite the Hammers' impressive 2-0 win at Crystal Palace last Saturday. In League Two, Bradford City travel to Grimsby, who have conceded nine goals in their past two games. High-riding Newport are also recommended at bottom-of-the table Morecambe and Notts County are forecast to increase the gloom at Swindon. Leaders Ayr, with a maximum haul from their opening four Scottish Championship fixtures, look an away banker at bottom side Dunfermline.

Homes sweet homes: Luton, second last in the Championship, are on a downer. But although they went out of the League Cup on penalties to Queens Park Rangers in midweek, I've a hunch they will gain revenge against the same opponents on Friday. Walsall are among the unexpected front-runners in League Two. Knocking Huddersfield, of League One, out of the League Cup in midweek will have done their confidence a power of good and I fancy them against relegated Cheltenham. I also rate Celtic's chances in the Old Firm derby on Sunday. Rangers thrashed Ross 6-0 at Ibrox last weekend but the Scottish Premiership leaders are a different proposition. 

 

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

 Ten draws: Aston Villa v Arsenal, Bournemouth v Newcastle, Norwich v Sheffield United, Sunderland v Burnley, Cambridge v Blackpool, Wrexham v Reading, Barrow v Port Vale, Cheltenham v Wimbledon, MK Dons v Carlisle, Tranmere v Walsall.

Best draws: Aston Villa v Arsenal, Bournemouth v Newcastle, Cambridge v Blackpool, Wrexham v Reading, Tranmere v Walsall.

Weekend's best bets: Six aways: Luton, Peterborough, Birmingham, Mansfield, Dundee, Celtic. 

Ten homes: Brighton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Middlesbrough, Swansea, Charlton, Huddersfield, Colchester, Doncaster, Sutton. 

Pick of the draws: Aston Villa were the only Premier League team to do the double over Arsenal last season and they also stopped them from scoring in both games. It won't surprise me if they deny the Gunners maximum points on Saturday. Eddie Howe returns to his old club Bournemouth on Sunday when Newcastle are the visitors. Newcastle beat Southampton at home last weekend, despite going down to 10 men but will find the Cherries a tougher proposition. Cambridge and Blackpool are pointless after two League One matches and I don't think either of them will come out on top. Reading have started the season well, unlucky not to win at Birmingham on the opening Saturday and beating Wigan 2-0 at home last weekend. They can frustrate promoted Wrexham. Walsall are the unexpected League Two leaders after their 4-0 romp at Swindon last Saturday. However, I believe Tranmere, the hosts, will offer more resistance. 

Away days: Relegated Luton recovered from their heavy home loss against Burnley when their 10 men held Portsmouth to a goalless draw in the Championship at Fratton Park last Saturday. They are worth a wager at Preston, who are pointless and in disarray. In League One, Peterborough got off the mark with a 4-1 win at Shrewsbury. That should give them the confidence to come away from Exeter with three points. Birmingham's 3-2 victory at Wycombe last Saturday suggests that they are adjusting to a new division and deserve to be backed at struggling Leyton Orient. Promoted Mansfield don't look out of place in League One and could triumph at Lincoln. Dundee, four points from their first two fixtures in the Scottish Premiership, will rate their chances at lowly Hibernian and leaders Celtic will probably be too strong for St Mirren on Sunday.

Homes sweet homes: Brighton, the early Premier League leaders and under a new manager, looked very impressive when winning 3-0 at Everton last Saturday and I tip them to beat Manchester United, who still fail to convince. Charlton are one of four sides with maximum points in League One. Defeating Bolton will be their hardest test yet but this is a hurdle they can overcome. Colchester are showing more promise in  League Two this season and a win over Harrogate will put them in an even stronger position. 

Pools info: Three of my five best draws were correct last weekend: Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth, West Bromwich v Leeds and Accrington v Harrogate. 

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

Ten draws: Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth, Derby v Middlesbrough, Sunderland v Sheffield Wednesday, West Bromwich v Leeds, Cambridge v Crawley, Shrewsbury v Peterborough, Accrington v Harrogate, Bromley v Wimbledon, Grimsby v Cheltenham, Dundee United v St Mirren.

Best draws: Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth, Sunderland v Sheffield Wednesday, West Bromwich v Leeds, Accrington v Harrogate, Grimsby v Cheltenham.

Weekend's best bets: Six aways: Crystal Palace, Manchester City, Blackburn, Hull, Gillingham, Doncaster.

Ten homes: Arsenal, Newcastle, West Ham, Burnley, Watford, Portsmouth, Huddersfield, Bradford City, Aberdeen, Dundee.

Pick of the draws: Bournemouth have a good Premier League record against Nottingham Forest and despite selling leading scorer Dominic Solanke to Tottenham last week, I fancy them to deny Forest again. Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday made encouraging starts to their Championship campaign - Sunderland winning 2-0 at Cardiff and Wednesday beating Plymouth 4-0 at home. I believe they will cancel each other out on Sunday. Although Leeds dropped two home points to Portsmouth in their opening game, they showed enough attacking flair to worry West Brom, who proved their quality with a 3-1 win at Queens Park Rangers. Accrington have suffered consecutive heavy away defeats in the past few days but they are a different proposition at home and can gain their first League Two point of the season against Harrogate. Still in League Two, relegated Cheltenham may have to settle for parity at Grimsby, who are stubborn at home.

Away days: Crystal Palace finished last season like an express train and I think they'll continue in that vein at Brentford on Sunday. Premier League champions Manchester City often take a while to get going but they should still be good enough to take maximum points at Chelsea. Blackburn, 10 goals in their first two games, are well worth a punt at Norwich, who slumped 2-0 at promoted Oxford in the Championship last weekend. I'll be surprised if Hull don't come away from Plymouth, battered 4-0 last Sunday, with three points. Gillingham are one of the favourites for promotion from League Two and I expect them to win at Morecambe. Doncaster, 4-1 home winners over Accrington last Saturday, are another fancied side and will feel confident of beating Newport.

Homes sweet homes: West Ham appear to have made some shrewd close-season signings and I'm tipping them to come out on top in their Premier League encounter with Aston Villa, who have had an unsettling summer. Watford, two victories and eight goals in their opening two matches, will be in the mood to make it a hat-trick of wins when Stoke visit on Saturday. That 3-3 draw at Leeds last weekend will have encouraged Portsmouth, who were promoted to the Championship last season. They host relegated Luton, who crashed 4-1 at home to Burnley on Monday.

 

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

 Ten draws: Cardiff v Sunderland, Millwall v Watford, Leyton Orient v Bolton, Peterborough v Huddersfield, Wimbledon v Colchester, Cheltenham v Newport, MK Dons v Bradford City, Tranmere v Notts County, Aberdeen v St Mirren, Kelty Hearts v Stenhousemuir.

Best draws: Cardiff v Sunderland, Leyton Orient v Bolton, Wimbledon v Colchester, MK Dons v Bradford City, Aberdeen v St Mirren.

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Norwich, Lincoln, Blackpool, Rotherham, Charlton, Celtic.

Ten homes: Manchester City, Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham, Stockport, Wrexham, Doncaster, Gillingham, Walsall, Rangers.

Pick of the draws: It's unlikely that Sunderland will struggle as much as they did last season in the Championship and on the opening weekend of the campaign they should be able to leave Cardiff with a point. Bolton's failure to gain promotion from League One was a big disappointment and that may still be on their minds when they visit Leyton Orient. I expect Colchester, with the Cowley brothers in charge, to fare better in League Two this term and I rate their chances of gaining a point at Wimbledon. Last season ended in anti-climax for MK Dons and their opponents Bradford City. Both are a sound bet to improve over the next nine months and my money is on a stalemate. Aberdeen and St Mirren enjoyed good results - St Johnstone 1 Aberdeen 2, St Mirren 3 Hibernian 0 - on the opening weekend of the Scottish Premiership and face each other this Sunday. 

Away days: I tip Norwich to get three Championship points at promoted Oxford, who may take time to adjust to a higher division. Lincoln, who finished last season like an express train in League One, should have enough to beat Burton, who narrowly escaped relegation. In the same division, Blackpool are a confident selection at Crawley, who have lost several of the players who won them their unexpected promotion. Relegated Rotherham, now managed by the successful Steve Evans, will fancy their chances at Exeter, as will Charlton at Wigan. Once again, Celtic look the side to beat in the Scottish Premiership. Having defeated Kilmarnock 4-0 at home last Sunday, they will relish going to Hibernian, who lost 3-0 at St Mirren last Saturday.

Homes sweet homes: I believe the feel-good factor at Stockport, last season's League Two champions, will continue after they have played Cambridge on Saturday. Ditto Wrexham, the League Two runners-up, who host Wycombe. Indeed, I'll be surprised if Stockport and Wrexham don't thrive in the higher division. A more settled Gillingham, under their new manager, Mark Bonner, will probably be more of a force in League Two this season and I think they'll come out on top against relegated Carlisle.