FA Cup
Goals Galore & Premier League Sides Downed In FA Cup Fourth Round
The Fourth Round of the FA Cup takes place this weekend. For some teams, it’s welcome respite from the rigours of league football, while others will view this as no more than a distraction.
Here are previews and picks for some of the biggest matches across the Fourth Round this weekend:
Manchester City vs Salford City
It’s a nine-mile drive from Salford City’s home ground to the Etihad. This is a rare form of a Greater Manchester derby, with the League Two outfit priced as massive betting underdogs for their trip across the city.
Salford have lost two of their last three yet are still sitting sixth in the fourth tier. Manchester City prepared for this match with a 3-0 hammering of Fulham on Wednesday after a dramatic comeback against Liverpool at the weekend.
There’s no avoiding the fact this is a complete mismatch. The FA Cup isn’t City’s priority, but we’ve already seen City beat Exeter 10-1 and a similar drubbing is expected here.
Pick: Manchester City -3 (7/10)
Aston Villa vs Newcastle United
Both teams will hope midweek wins can get their seasons back on track. Newcastle won against Spurs in dramatic fashion, while Aston Villa found a way to overcome Brighton.
Champions League commitments are all that could put Villa or Newcastle off a cup run. Neither team has a realistic hope of silverware elsewhere, though, so you’d hope they each field their strongest possible teams, even with the Magpies facing Qarabag in a few days’ time.
We have hopes for a proper, old-fashioned cup tie at Villa Park. Expect an end-to-end encounter with plenty of goals.
Pick: BTTS and over 2.5 goals (17/20)
Liverpool vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Liverpool notched a narrow win at Sunderland in midweek, while Brighton suffered defeat to Villa. The Seagulls are on a six-match winless run in the Premier League, but defeated Manchester United in the last round of this competition.
This fixture ended in a 2-0 home win earlier in the campaign. Brighton have a good track record against the top teams, but they are not the same team this year. Languishing in the bottom-half of the Premier League table, it’s no surprise they are heavy underdogs at Anfield.
While it’s hard to trust Liverpool this season, their win at the Stadium of Light showed some vital resilience. We fancy a routine win for the Reds.
Pick: Liverpool -2 (3/1)
Birmingham City vs Leeds United
Coming off an emphatic win over Nottingham Forest and a come-from-behind draw at Stamford Bridge, Leeds’ confidence couldn’t be much higher. The question, though, is how much energy they want to invest in the FA Cup.
Birmingham City are a formidable opponent, boasting an eight-match unbeaten run across the Championship and FA Cup. They are within touching distance of a playoff berth.
This match could come down to which team takes this match the most seriously. Both have bigger fish to fry and there’s not a massive amount to choose between the sides.
Pick: Birmingham +1 (3/4)
Stoke City vs Fulham
Stoke haven’t won a match since they knocked Coventry out of this competition last month. Fulham’s form isn’t much better, with three consecutive league defeats.
Tied for the joint-best defensive record in the Championship, Stoke should be able to frustrate their more talented opponents. Fulham’s backline has leaked goals lately, but Stoke lack firepower, and have only scored two goals in their last six matches.
The under tends to be a good option when the Potters are involved. One goal either way could decide this one.
Pick: Under 2.5 goals (10/11)
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*
