Pools tips for this weekend February 5-6

Treble chance (home teams): Stoke, Burnley, Portsmouth, Peterborough, Sheffield Wednesday, Yeovil, Hereford, Morecambe, Stevenage, Altrincham.


Best draws: Portsmouth, Peterborough, Sheffield Wednesday, Yeovil, Hereford.


Aways: Arsenal, Manchester United, Huddersfield, Rochdale, Bradford City.


Homes: Chelsea, Tottenham, Leeds, Leicester, Swansea, Preston, Carlisle, Bury, Gillingham.




Pick of the draws: The Championship match at Fratton Park on Saturday is between teams on a downward spiral - Portsmouth and Derby. I cannot see either gaining anything more than a point each. By contrast, Peterborough and Southampton are sides on the up in League One. Peterborough have scored more than 40 goals at home while fellow promotion contenders Southampton will be encouraged by their battling display against Manchester United in the FA Cup last Saturday. Deadlock is the likeliest outcome. Sheffield Wednesday have had some poor results and I expect MK Dons to hold them at Hillsborough. On-form Yeovil have moved out of the relegation zone and can deny Charlton victory. Although in the bottom half of League Two, Hereford and Lincoln are on long unbeaten runs. Expect that sequence to continue when they meet on Saturday.


Away days: Arsenal, unbeaten in the league since mid-December, look a good bet to prevail at Newcastle, who will probably suffer from the sale of their England striker Andy Carroll. Huddersfield gave the Gunners a scare in the FA Cup last Sunday and should boost their League One promotion challenge by winning at Exeter. Rochdale are coping well with life in a higher division and are worth a punt at Swindon, who have slipped into the bottom four. Bradford City are underachieving in League Two, but I am tipping them to halt their slide at Macclesfield. 


Homes sweet homes: Chelsea, with new £50 million signing Fernando Torres set to make his debut, must be fancied to beat his former club Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Fifth-placed Tottenham have an injury crisis, but they should still have too much in their locker for Bolton, who have gone off the boil since Christmas. In the Championship, I am backing Swansea to complete a league double over their fellow promotion contenders Cardiff and bottom club Preston to gain three much-needed points at the expense of Bristol City. Gillingham should continue their League Two ascent against Oxford. 


   

Pools tips for this weekend January 29-30

Treble chance (home teams): Aston Villa, Everton, Carlisle, Swindon, Barnet, Lincoln, Darlington, Peterhead, East Stirling, Stranraer.


Best draws: Aston Villa, Everton, Swindon, Lincoln, Darlington.


Aways: Bournemouth, Bristol Rovers, Wrexham, York, Dundee.


Homes: Burnley, Fulham, Scunthorpe, Brentford, Crewe, Rangers, Dundee United, Hearts, Partick.




Pick of the draws: Aston Villa are in much better heart after two wins in four days, but Blackburn are doing well under Steve Kean and are capable of forcing an FA Cup fourth-round replay. Everton can beat the best and lose to the worst. They held Chelsea to a draw at Stamford Bridge last month and the same result is likely at Goodison Park, although Chelsea returned to form with a vengeance at Bolton on Monday. Swindon are having a poor season in League One and I cannot see them gaining more than a point against Exeter. In League Two, Port Vale's promotion push has faltered since the departure of manager Mickey Adams and relegation-threatened Lincoln may take advantage at Sincil Bank. Kettering are better away than at home in the Blue Square Bet Premier and equipped to take a point at Darlington.


Away days: Bournemouth should strengthen their League One promotion challenge at mid-table Plymouth. Bristol Rovers made a welcome return to form against Swindon on Saturday and I expect them to continue in a winning vein at bottom-of-the table Walsall. In the Blue Square Bet Premier, Wrexham are thriving under manager Dean Saunders, especially on their travels, and are worth backing against Mansfield, who are erratic. York also deserve support at Southport, who are battling relegation. A 25-point deduction has put Dundee in a false position at the bottom of the Scottish first division and they must be fancied to beat Cowdenbeath.


Homes sweet homes: Fulham host Tottenham in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday. It's worth taking a chance on the Cottagers, who played their best football of the season in defeating Stoke last Saturday. Scunthorpe ended their wretched run of home results with a gutsy draw against Burnley and can go one better against Preston, the bottom club in the Championship. Brentford have had a lean time lately in League One, but I am tipping them to arrest their slump against struggling Yeovil. In League Two, promotion-chasing Crewe have won four home games in a row. They are a good bet to make it five against Accrington.

Pools tips for this weekend January 22-23

Treble chance (home teams):  Blackburn, Cardiff, Leicester, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Leyton Orient, Yeovil, Macclesfield, Northampton, Dundee. 


Best draws: Leicester, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Leyton Orient, Dundee. 


Aways: Swansea, Burnley, Norwich, MK Dons, Burton. 


Homes: Arsenal, Blackpool, Everton, Crystal Palace, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Charlton, Huddersfield, Notts County. 


Pick of the draws: Stalemate looks the likeliest option at Leicester, where Millwall are the visitors. Both teams are on good runs in the Championship and they are evenly matched, with Millwall three points and four places better off. Portsmouth have been playing better than their recent results suggest, which is why I think they will hold Leeds at Fratton Park. Leeds may also feel the effects of this week’s FA Cup third-round replay against Arsenal. Promotion contenders Bournemouth have lost their astute young manager, Eddie Howe, to Burnley but are still good enough to share the spoils with League One leaders Brighton. At the other end of the table, improving Leyton Orient can take a step towards safety by denying Sheffield Wednesday victory at Brisbane Road. A deduction of 25 points for going into administration has sent Dundee to the foot of the Scottish first division, but I am backing them to get something from their home fixture against fading Falkirk. 


Away days: High-flying Swansea must be strongly fancied to win at Barnsley in the Championship. Burnley, under their newly appointed manager Eddie Howe, seem an even better bet to triumph at lowly Scunthorpe, who have already lost eight home games. Norwich are formidable on the road and should have the beating of Sheffield United, who are one place off the relegation zone. In League One, play-off contenders MK Dons will never have a better chance of improving their poor away record when they visit relegation strugglers Dagenham & Redbridge. In League Two, take a chance on Burton, shock FA Cup conquerors of Middlesbrough, winning at Bradford City, who are still flattering to deceive. 


Homes sweet homes: The visit of Sunderland should hold no fears for Ian Holloway’s Blackpool, whose Premier League achievements this season include a double over Liverpool. Crystal Palace’s low league placing (22nd) cannot be blamed on their home form and they can scramble clear of the Championship relegation zone by beating Bristol City. Ipswich will want to go into next week’s Carling Cup semi-final second leg against Arsenal with a good result behind them. Now under new manager Paul Jewell, I believe they will get it against Doncaster, who have conceded eight goals in their last two games. Paul Ince’s Notts County are the form side in League One - including a praiseworthy goalless draw at Southampton last Saturday - and I expect them to continue their climb up the table at the expense of Carlisle. 

Pools tips for this weekend January 15-16

Treble chance (home teams): Birmingham, Liverpool, Stoke, West Bromwich, Burnley, Rochdale, Swindon, Cheltenham, Dundee United, Dunfermline. 


Best draws: Liverpool, West Bromwich, Burnley, Rochdale, Swindon. 


Aways: Manchester United, Arsenal, Fulham, Reading, Leicester. Homes: Manchester City, Sunderland, Coventry, Leeds, Norwich, Watford, Hartlepool, MK Dons, Crewe. 


Pick of the draws: The Premier League looks the best place for draws this weekend and one of the more confident bets is the Merseyside derby. Liverpool have been boosted by Kenny Dalglish being installed as caretaker manager, but Everton are at least their equals based on this season’s results, and they won at second-placed Manchester City last month. West Brom are in a terrible run and will be stretched to get more than a point off Blackpool, who are better away from home. Championship leaders Queens Park Rangers have lost their striker, Jamie Mackie, for the rest of the season to a double leg fracture. Burnley can take advantage of their misfortune in the match at Turf Moor. I predict that Leyton Orient’s terrific victory over Norwich in the FA Cup third round on Saturday will enable them to share the spoils with in-form Rochdale in League One. Yeovil are making a spirited attempt to avoid relegation and can hold Swindon. 


Away days: Premier League leaders Manchester United to extend their unbeaten run to 21 matches at Tottenham, who continually come up short against them. Third-placed Arsenal are a confident selection to prevail at bottom club West Ham, who undid their recent good work by losing 5-0 against Newcastle. Fulham laid their away bogey by beating Stoke and will fancy their chances against next-to-bottom Wigan. In the Championship, take a chance on Reading, who eliminated West Brom from the FA Cup, to follow that up by winning at Doncaster while Leicester are expected to increase Preston’s anxiety at the foot of the table. 


Homes sweet homes: Despite their shock FA Cup defeat by Notts County, Sunderland are determined to avenge a 6-1 loss against fierce north-east rivals Newcastle in October. Meanwhile, Newcastle are reeling from their own Cup exit at the hands of League Two Stevenage. Norwich, who host fellow Championship promotion contenders Cardiff, are resilient enough to recover from their surprising loss to Leyton Orient in the FA Cup third round. Go with Watford to strengthen their promotion challenge against out-of-sorts Derby and free-scoring Crewe to do likewise against Port Vale in League Two.   

Pools tips for this weekend January 8-9

Treble chance (home teams): Blackburn, Hull, Reading, Southampton, Stoke, Exeter, Accrington, Wrexham, Dundee, Falkirk.

Best draws: Blackburn, Southampton, Exeter, Wrexham, Dundee.

Aways: Sheffield Wednesday, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Rochdale, Gillingham.

Homes: Chelsea, Doncaster, Millwall, Swansea, Torquay, West Ham, Tranmere, Bradford City, Shrewsbury.


Pick of the draws: Blackburn are still adjusting to the unexpected sacking of manager Sam Allardyce, while their visitors in the FA Cup third round, Queens Park Rangers, seem a good bet for promotion to the Premier League. A draw looks the likeliest result. Ian Holloway's Blackpool have been a revelation in the Premier League this season, yet will be hard-pushed to overcome Southampton, who are second in League One and scoring for fun under Nigel Adkins. MK Dons, without an away draw in League One this season, are tipped to break their habit at mid-table Exeter. In the Blue Square Bet Premier, Wrexham, formidable at home, host Grimsby, who have scored 13 goals in their past two matches. In the Scottish Cup fourth round, Dundee, unbeaten at home in the first division, can hold Premier side Motherwell, who have floundered since the departure of manager Craig Brown.

Away days: League One promotion contenders Sheffield Wednesday to spring an FA Cup shock against Bristol City, despite the latter's improvement in the Championship. Managerless Crystal Palace may be in the Championship relegation zone but take a chance on them winning at Coventry, who are tumbling down the table. Aston Villa gained enormous heart from their 3-3 draw with Chelsea and will approach Saturday's cup tie at Sheffield United in a positive frame of mind. Rochdale look too strong for Dagenham & Redbridge in League One while in League Two, Gillingham will surely prevail at lowly Stockport.

Homes sweet homes: There are bound to be the usual FA Cup surprises and Doncaster, of the Championship, look good for an upset against Wolves, whose away form is atrocious. Birmingham are also abysmal on the road and could easily fall at Millwall, who, like Doncaster, are enjoying a good season in the Championship. League One side Carlisle are tipped to come unstuck after the long journey to League Two team Torquay, and a much-improved West Ham should send Barnsley packing.