FA Cup Third Round Draw
The FA Cup third round matches don’t take place until the weekend of the 8th January, but everyone is talking about them already. The Premiership and Championship clubs join the sides still standing from Leagues One, Two and the lower leagues. Chelsea, who host Ipswich, are the reigning champions and they remain the favourite to win the tournament again.
The undisputed highlight of the round is the bitter battle of Premiership rivals Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford. Liverpool couldn’t have received a worse third round draw. United are just behind Chelsea to win the FA Cup and Liverpool’s odds are fading. After Liverpool’s disappointing Premier League season, they are hoping for some silverware in the FA Cup, but a trip to Old Trafford won’t be the easiest start. They lost 3-2 to United earlier in the season off a Dimitar Berbatov hat trick.
One match to watch is Stevenage v Newcastle. It’s a repeat of the 1998 fixture between the League Two clubs. Stevenage, who was playing non-league football in 1998, earned a historic 1-1 draw against the favourite Newcastle. Newcastle went on to win the replay but it was a big deal for Stevenage at the time. Newcastle has decent each way betting value to win the FA Cup, but they have a long road ahead on the lower league side first.
Another notable match will be Leicester City v Manchester City at the Walkers Stadium. Leicester manager Sven Goran Eriksson will face a side that not so long ago infamously dismissed him. It’s a tough one for Eriksson as Man City are tied for third in the odds to take the FA Cup.
If you have a hankering for more Premier League action, former Premiership club Leeds face Arsenal in a repeat of the 2004 third round match. Arsenal won that match 4-1 and will have plenty of confidence again since they are tied for third in the odds to win the tournament. Also, there is an upset watch with Sheffield United hosting Aston Villa, given Villa’s recent struggles.
FA Cup Winner Odds (supplied by Coral)
Chelsea: 4/1
Manchester United: 6/1
Manchester City: 15/2
Arsenal: 15/2
Tottenham Hotspur: 10/1
Everton: 16/1
Aston Villa: 18/1
Liverpool: 18/1
Sunderland: 25/1
Blackburn Rovers: 33/1
Bolton Wanderers: 33/1
Newcastle United: 33/1