Ian: No Championship team has collected more points in their last eight away matches than Derby side, and they have won on four of the last five occasions they have been on their travels. The Rams can get something in Birmingham. 

James: Six defeats in their last eight games has derailed Stoke City’s promotion push and they could be in for further disappointment when they host in-form Preston North End.

Tom: Manchester United have only kept one clean sheet in their 17 Premier League outings this season, while Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have conceded in 10 consecutive matches in all competitions. Neither side has shown they can defend with any conviction and this should be an end-to-end battle with goals at both ends. 

Aaron A: Norwich would have been frustrated to have conceded an injury-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Preston last time out but they have won back-to-back home league games against QPR and Southampton and can overcome the challenge of Charlton.

Gareth: Blackpool won 2-0 at Wigan last time out and should be able to follow that up by beating out-of-form Doncaster. Rovers have lost their last three games and have struggled on the road all season, losing six of their 10 League One trips.  

Aaron R: Anderlecht have the second-best home record in Belgium’s top flight, winning seven of their first 10 games. Charleroi have scored nine times across their nine trips. They meet an Anderlecht side who concede chances, even at home, so back the visitors to score in another defeat.

Sporting are on a ten-game unbeaten run in the league and have won eight of those. They are chasing down leaders Porto and should take the points, but Vitoria Guimaraes have scored in five of their last seven games and should register.

Tunisia have won all five of their previous meetings with Uganda and they look set to extend that run against a Cranes team who have been dealing with issues off the pitch and have just one win at this tournament since 1978. Uganda can at least register a consolation effort as Tunisia have conceded in six of their last seven games, while Uganda have only failed to score in one of their last six games.

Arsenal are yet to lose at home this season and have won 11 of their 12 assignments here. They face a Crystal Palace side that were hammered at Leeds on Saturday, and they have lost three of their four meetings with the Gunners since Oliver Glasner took charge. Arsenal have won eight of their 12 home games this season without conceding and have scored exactly twice in five of these. They beat the Eagles 1-0 here in October and can go at least one better on Tuesday. 

Nigeria have won five of their last six African Cup of Nations group games. Tanzania tend to struggle going forwards, they netted just one in four World Cup qualifiers this year, and Nigeria should be able to record a win to nil against these opponents.

Colombia international Luis Suarez scored in Sporting’s Taca de Portugal win over Santa Clara on Thursday, taking his tally to three goals in his last two appearances. The 28-year-old forward has netted 15 times in 24 games in his debut season following his summer switch from Almeria and he looks capable of adding to his tally at the expense of Guimaraes.

Nicolas Jackson’s game time has been limited this season, but he has scored nine times for club and country since September despite only completing 90 minutes once. He will be eager to make a run at the Golden Boot and could get his campaign off to a flyer.

Sporting are on a ten-game unbeaten run in the league and have won eight of those. They are chasing down leaders Porto and should take the points, but Vitoria Guimaraes have scored in five of their last seven games and should register.

Both teams have scored in five of Tunisia’s last seven games and they have just one clean sheet themselves during that run. Uganda have only failed to score in one of their last six games so both of these teams should be able to get on the scoresheet.

Arsenal are yet to lose at home this season and have won 11 of their 12 assignments here. They face a Crystal Palace side that were hammered at Leeds on Saturday, and they have lost three of their four meetings with the Gunners since Oliver Glasner took charge. Arsenal have won eight of their 12 home games this season without conceding and have scored exactly twice in five of these. They beat the Eagles 1-0 here in October and can go one better on Tuesday.

Tunisia have won all five of their previous meetings with Uganda and they look set to extend that run against a Cranes team who have been dealing with issues off the pitch and have just one win at this tournament since 1978. Two of Uganda’s last three games have finished 2-1 and a repeat of that scoreline is fancied in this one, with Tunisia taken to come out on top.

Arsenal are yet to lose at home this season and have won 11 of their 12 assignments here. They face a Crystal Palace side that were hammered at Leeds on Saturday, and they have lost three of their four meetings with the Gunners since Oliver Glasner took charge.

It has been a dream year for Crystal Palace fans, but their penultimate game of 2025 may be more of a nightmare as they visit the Emirates in the EFL Cup quarter-final.The Eagles have lost three of their four meetings with Arsenal since Oliver Glasner took charge and were hammered 4-1 at Elland Road on Saturday, while the Premier League leaders have won 11 of their 12 home matches this season, keeping eight clean sheets in the process.

Africa Cup of Nations champions Ivory Coast may not be favourites to defend their title, but the Elephants should get their campaign off to a winning start against underdogs Mozambique.Boasting the likes of Ibrahim Sangare, Amad Diallo, Evann Guessand, and Wilfried Zaha to name a few, they have won three of their last four games and face an Os Mambas side that have never made it past the group stage in this competition.

Two of this season’s new additions to the Saudi top flight lock horns on Christmas Day, with 13 points separating the pair after nine games.Al Najma have picked up just one point from a possible 27, while Neom have lost only three of their outings and can call upon Said Benrahma and Alexandre Lacazette. They won both meetings with the visitors in the second tier last season and can make it three in a row here.

Coventry’s lead in the Championship may have been reduced in recent weeks, but their record at the Ricoh Arena remains impeccable and they can add three points to their burgeoning tally against poor-travellers Swansea.The Sky Blues have won eight of their ten games here, including each of their last seven, while Swansea’s defeat at Stoke earlier this month made it four successive road defeats for the 14th-placed side.

Brentford ended their four-game winless streak at the torrid Wolves on Saturday, and they can follow that success up with another three points against a Bournemouth outfit that haven’t won a game since October.The Cherries have lost three of their last four away games and have only won once on their travels this season. They were beaten 3-2 here last season, and the Bees, despite their recent struggles, have taken ten points from the last 12 available at home.

Sunderland were firm favourites for a swift return to the Championship before the season began, but they look good value to hit 30 points before the halfway point of the campaign when they host Leeds on Sunday.The Black Cats have picked up 18 points from eight home games and are yet to lose at the Stadium of Light, while 16th-placed Leeds have drawn one and lost four of their last five away games.

Sporting are on a ten-game unbeaten run in the league and have won eight of those. They are chasing down leaders Porto and should take the points, but Vitoria Guimaraes have scored in five of their last seven games and should register.

Each of Congo DR’s last five matches produced under 2.5 goals and that pattern could continue against Benin.

Tanzania’s last five competitive games have all gone under 2.5 goals and goals could be in short supply when they face Nigeria.

Benin have only won three of their last 13 games in all competitions and look likely to be outclassed by a Congo DR side who have been in fine form as of late, beating Nigeria and Cameroon.

Senegal were amongst the pre-tournament favourites heading into the Africa Cup of Nations and have won both previous meetings with Botswana without conceding. They have won five of their last six and have kept a clean sheet in four of those victories, while Botswana have drawn one and lost four of their last five games.

Nigeria have won five of their last six African Cup of Nations group games. Tanzania tend to struggle going forwards, they netted just one in four World Cup qualifiers this year, and Nigeria should be able to record a win to nil against these opponents.

Tunisia have won all five of their previous meetings with Uganda and they look set to extend that run against a Cranes team who have been dealing with issues off the pitch and have just one win at this tournament since 1978.