FA Cup-Holders to Lose Grasp on Trophy
The weekends cup matches kick off tonight (Friday) with the match between Derby and Nottingham Forest. Nottingham Forest are definitely in better current form than Derby and they look a reasonable price at 2/1 (Skybet) to get a win.
We’re going for cup holders Portsmouth to be on the wrong end of a cup shock in their home match against Swansea. Portsmouth have been far from convincing lately and they will find it tough against a Swansea side who have gone seven games on the road without defeat.
Swansea are 7/2 (Paddypower) and at that price we think they are worth backing.
We’re going for Swansea to cause an upset and win 2-1 14/1 (Partybets).
Chelsea may have needed two games to overcome Southend, but we can’t see them making the same mistakes against Ipswich. Chelsea are 1/8 (Bodog) with Ipswich quoted at 16/1 (Bet365). This looks like a comfortable win for the Blues and we’re predicting a 3-0 Chelsea win 13/2 (Coral).
Hull seem to have lost their early season sparkle and are now finding wins hard to come by in the Premier League. They do look likely to beat Millwall however and at 5/8 (Partybets) we think they’re a good enough price to be taking. Millwall are going well enough in League One, but we think this is a tough task for them.
Our prediction is a 3-1 win for Hull 13/1 (Partybets)
Hartlepool caused an upset in the last round when they beat Stoke, but we don’t think they’ll be celebrating taking another Premier League scalp after their match with West Ham.
West Ham have been very good on their travels and are unbeaten in their last six away games. The Hammers have averaged just under 3 goals per game in their last five matches and we’re sure they will find the net more than once against Hartlepool.
West Ham look worth backing at 5/7 (Bodog) and the correct score of 4-1 40/1 (Skybet) could be worth chancing. Carlton Cole at 9/2 (Ladbrokes)
Wolves at 7/5 (Bodog) have to be worth backing against a Middlesbrough side who haven’t won in over two months. Middlesbrough look a poor lot at present and we can’t see them getting a win against the Championship leaders. We’re going for the 2-1 correct score to Wolves at 19/2 (Betfair).
Arsenal won’t find Cardiff any easy place to go and get a result and they will have to fight and scrap for everything they get. It wouldn’t surprise us if this game went to a replay and we’re tipping the draw 5/2 (Partybets). A bet on the 1-1 correct score could prove worthwhile at 15/2 (Skybet).
Draws could also be the outcome in the matches between Liverpool v Everton 5/2 (Paddypower), Watford v Crystal Palace 23/10 (Bodog) Sunderland v Blackburn 9/4 (Bodog).and West Brom v Burnley 5/2 (VCbet).
We don’t think there will be any fairytale results at non league Torquay or Kettering. We’re taking Fulham 4/11 (Ladbrokes) to win comfortably at Kettering and we think Coventry 21/10 (Partybets) will win 2-1 7/1 (Coral) at Torquay.
Manchester United are 4/15 to get the win against Spurs and we can’t see this match ending up in anything other than a win for United. We’re going for a 2-0 correct score 5/1 (VCbet).
Charlton have gone 18 league matches without a win and with Sheffield United unbeaten in their last three home games we can only see this match going the way of Sheffield.
Sheffield look a banker bet at 5/8 (Partybets).