Wednesday, 5 February 2025

Pools tips and best football bets for weekend of February 8-9

 Ten draws: Brighton v Chelsea, Everton v Bournemouth, Preston v Wycombe, Charlton v Stevenage, Huddersfield v Reading, Barrow v Gillingham, Colchester v Walsall, Fleetwood v Cheltenham, Swindon v Port Vale, Clyde v Stranraer.

Five best draws: Everton v Bournemouth, Preston v Wycombe, Charlton v Stevenage, Colchester v Walsall, Swindon v Port Vale.

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Newcastle, Wolves, Fulham, Wimbledon, Southend, Gateshead. Ten homes: Leeds, Southampton, Stoke, Sunderland, Bolton, Stockport, Bradford City, Crewe, MK Dons, Notts County. 

Pick of the draws: Everton have been transformed since the return of David Moyes as manager and can take their FA Cup fourth-round tie against Bournemouth into extra time. Bournemouth are no slouches themselves, as they have shown against Newcastle (won 4-1 away) and Nottingham Forest (won 5-0 at home) recently. In the same competition, Wycombe, League One promotion contenders, won't be fazed by a trip to Preston, Championship draw specialists. Stevenage, with three successive League One victories behind them, will be aiming for at least a point at Charlton. League Two leaders Walsall have stumbled lately, unlike their hosts Colchester, who have run into form and are climbing the table. Swindon's outstanding 5-1 win at Carlisle last Saturday has put them in the mood to play Port Vale, who fill one of the play-off places. 

Away days: League Cup finalists Newcastle, seeking their first FA Cup triumph since 1955, should see off the challenge of League One leaders Birmingham. Because they are not involved in a desperate scramble for points this weekend, Wolves ought to be able to relax a bit more and I'm taking them to end Blackburn's interest in the FA Cup. Fulham have been good travellers this season, which should serve them well when they visit Wigan, of League One, on Saturday. Wimbledon, among the favourites to gain promotion from League Two, are recommended at lowly Accrington. In the National League, Southend are worth backing at relegation-threatened Maidenhead, who were lucky to lose only 3-0 at Barnet two weeks ago. I fancy high-fliers Gateshead to collect all three points at struggling Wealdstone.

Homes sweet homes: Southampton, rock bottom of the Premier League, badly need an FA Cup run to improve morale and they have a chance to go further in the competition when they host Burnley, whose priority is promotion from the Championship. It may take a while for Cardiff to forget the 7-0 battering they received at Leeds in the Championship last weekend. That's one reason why I believe Stoke, 2-1 winners at Hull last Saturday, will beat them and book their place in the fifth round. Stockport, fourth in League One and convincing 1-0 victors at Leyton Orient last Saturday, have regained their balance after a few falls and I'm confident they will cope with fast-fading Barnsley. 

Pools info: Mansfield v Northampton (No.23 on coupon) has been brought forward to Friday and is therefore void. A void match is worth two points.

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