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Chelsea, Fulham, Birmingham City & Portsmouth have already earned their places in the Quarter Finals of the F.A. Cup but there are still 4 places up for grabs & 8 teams still chasing them.
This week sees four F.A. Cup 5th round replays taking place & we have had a good look at the fixtures to see how we think they will work out & the value betting options we feel are worth consideration.

Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace – (Wednesday 8.00pm)

These two sides produced a cracking game in the first match at Selhurst Park so hopefully Aston Villa & Crystal Palace go for it again here and give us another match to enjoy.

Aston Villa were delighted to get away from Selhurst Park with a draw because they did not perform to their best & were certainly given a tough time by Crystal Palace so they have to be thankful they are still in the cup.

Aston Villa have already achieved a place in a Wembley final with the Carling Cup Final coming up 4 days after this match but Martin O’Neill will be totally focused on this match & we are expecting Aston Villa to really go for this match.

Rock solid home form has been a vital part of Aston Villa’s season so far & home advantage is a massive feature of this game & they come into this match on the back of a 5-2 home win against Burnley so that should give the Aston Villa players a massive confidence boost for this one.

Crystal Palace gave absolutely everything in the first match, matching Aston Villa on the day with fantastic commitment, determination & a fair degree of quality with goals that were well worked & well executed so they will come into this match determined to go for it again.

Crystal Palace have massive off field problems with their desperate financial problems & massive on field problems with relegation now a major concern as well but this cup tie is a great opportunity for their players to forget that for 90 minutes & have a real go so we are expecting a similarly determined, high energy performance that they produced in the first match.

Given that we expect both Aston Villa & Crystal Palace to have a go, this should be an open, attacking match which will suit Aston Villa more & their extra quality combined with their strength at home makes them appeal as a rock solid bet to prove too strong for Palace & win this match.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Aston Villa to win

Correct Score options: Aston Villa to win 3-0/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Agbonlohar/Milner/Heskey

Scorecast options: Agbonlohar/Milner/Heskey score 1st & Aston Villa win 3-0/3-1

Double Result: Aston Villa H/T & F/T

Tottenham vs Bolton – (Wednesday 8.00pm)

A competitive, physically intense battle resulted in a 1-1 draw in the first match & Tottenham and Bolton will both be fully committed for this one as well so prospects are for a decent game.

Tottenham were a team of two halves in the first match as they were quite poor in the first half & probably lucky only to be 1-0 down but they turned that completely around in the 2nd half & should have actually won the match.

That improved 2nd half performance from the first match showed the real quality Tottenham have with Bale excellent at attacking from full back, good quality in midfield from Palacios & Huddlestone & then of course the predatory Defoe to convert any chance that comes his way and we expect much the same here.

Harry Redknapp has stated that winning the F.A. Cup is as important as finishing 4th so you can expect a full strength Tottenham side here & we are also expecting a positive, attacking performance right from the start as Tottenham will want to make home advantage & extra quality pay.

Owen Coyle brings his Bolton side into this match on the back of a disastrous result in losing 3-0 to local rivals Blackburn Rovers which has badly damaged their relegation survival hopes & must surely have a negative impact on team belief & confidence.

The positive for Owen Coyle is that this match should be a welcome distraction from the troubles of the league & the first half performance against Tottenham from the last game should give the Bolton players the confidence to try & reproduce that here but Bolton’s poor away record does temper confidence in that actually happening.

This should be a good, entertaining match because it has to be won on the night & we expect both Tottenham & Bolton to go for this one but in terms of a result we cannot see past a Tottenham win given their strength at home & their obvious advantage in terms of quality so a comfortable home win looks a bet worth taking here.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Tottenham to win

Correct Score options: Tottenham to win 3-0/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Defoe/Crouch/Krancjar

Scorecast options: Defoe/Crouch/Krancjar score 1st & Tottenham win 3-0/3-1

Double Result: Tottenham H/T & F/T

Stoke City vs Manchester City – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

This will be the third time Stoke City & Man City have clashed in the space of 10 days & having already shared two 1-1 draws, this looks set to be another intensely competitive battle.

Stoke City & Man City were well matched in the previous two games with Stoke City’s physical, combative approach with a touch of quality well controlled by Man City’s defensive approach but equally both sides have had chances to win the matches so this really is another tight game to call.

Tony Pulis & Stoke City have no fears of relegation as thanks to another great season they are well placed in mid table & so they know they can go all out for this one & we are expecting the amazing Stoke City faithful to be fully up for this one.

The atmosphere inside the ground should be fantastic for this match & Stoke City are so powerful at home they will believe they have a great chance of winning this match & we are expecting a positive aproach from them.

Roberto Mancini came under pressure the minute he took over as Man City boss & although things went well for him to start with including a home win over Stoke City, the pressure & intensity is really rising now and worryling it does appear to be affecting the team as well.

Manchester City have been really poor in recent weeks & only shown flashes of the quality they actually possess and that has to be a major concern for Mancini who knows he cannot defeats of any kind & certainly not when the potential to win a trophy remains so this is a massive game for everybody at Manchester City.

That added pressure really does make this a hard task for Manchester City & they know how tough Stoke City are going to be & this will be a real test of the character within the Manchester City squad.

This is a tight game to call but the betting market for this match has Manchester City as favourites & in our opinion that is completely wrong but the bonus is it makes Stoke City an excellent price to win & that does look a bet well worth taking here.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Stoke City to win

Correct Score options: Stoke City to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Fuller/Shawcross/Sidibe

Scorecast options: Fuller/Shawcross/Sidibe score 1st & Stoke City win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Stoke City H/T & F/T

West Brom vs Reading – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

Bigger, more important targets than a place in the F.A. Cup quarter finals are in place for both West Brom & Reading but that is unlikely to affect this match & we are expecting a very open, entertaining match here.

The first match between these two sides produced a really entertaining, action packed 2-2 draw which could have gone either way & with both teams committed to playing attacking football this match should go the same way & goals could flow.

West Brom are chasing automatic promotion to the Premier League which clearly is their number one focus for the season but that won’t concern West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo who has a real connection to the F.A. Cup & he will want his side to show quality & win this match.

West Brom have to bounce back from the disappointment of losing 2-1 away at Bristol City but they are a positive, attack minded side & we are expecting them to go all out for the win here and with the likes of Bednar, Brunt & Dorrans they have the quality to do so.

Reading’s major concern for the remainder of the season is to try & avoid relegation so the Championship is what really matters but they have been one of the great stories of this years F.A. Cup and we are expecting them to have a real go in this one.

Indeed, impressive victories in the F.A. Cup over Liverpool & Burnley played a major part in Brian McDermott being named permanent Reading manager so his pride will determine that Reading are fully committed to winning this match & those results prove they can do it.

This should be an absolutely cracking game because both sides have nothing to lose & we are expecting West Brom & Reading to go all out for a win which should see plenty of goals & we like the look of West Brom getting the most goals to win through here.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: West Brom to win

Correct Score options: West Brom to win 3-1/3-2

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Dorrans/Brunt/Bednar

Scorecast options: Dorrans/Brunt/Bednar score 1st & West Brom win 3-1/3-2

Double Result: West Brom H/T & F/T

Last years’ eight ties produced:

2 home wins

4 draws

2 away wins

Coventry produced the only ‘shock’ of the round when beating Blackburn.

26 goals were scored in the 8 matches = 3.25 per game

Every team except Burnley (at Arsenal) scored at least one goal

Home teams won all four replays

Teams involved this year that contested the 5th round last year:

Chelsea (beat Watford twelve months ago)

Fulham (beat Swansea after a replay)

Aston Villa (lost at Everton)

Derby (beaten by Man Utd at home)

The dream of a Wembley Cup Final draws ever closer this weekend as the F.A. Cup 5th round ties take place & there are certainly plenty of fascinating games to get stuck into.
Every one of the eight 5th round ties has a fascinating story or twist to it & after having a good look at those matches, here are views on each game & the value betting options we feel are worth consideration:

Chelsea vs Cardiff City – (Saturday 12.00pm)

This should be a fantastic cup tie with the prospects of Chelsea & Cardiff going into battle on the pitch & an atmosphere to match.

Chelsea are strong favourites for this match & deservedly so when you compare the relative strengths of each squad & Chelsea’s formidable home record commands massive respect but we still expect Cardiff City to go there & have a real go.

Carlo Ancelotti will make changes to the Chelsea squad with John Terry missing & Ashley Cole out injured so with Chelsea’s clear targets to win the Premier League & Champions League it will be fascinating to see exactly what team Chelsea play.

The big bonus for Chelsea is that they don’t have a midweek fixture next week so we still expect Ancelotti to field a very strong side with the likes of Drogba, Anelka & Lampard likely to want to play.

Cardiff City’s main aim for this season is promotion to the Premier League but Dave Jones is a very proud man who will want to make sure Cardiff City give it their best shot & on their best form they have a chance to cause to Chelsea real problems.

Cardiff City are a decent side on their best form with Jay Bothroyd, Michael Chopra, Peter Whittingham & Chris Burke all capable of causing problems for Chelsea & Cardiff’s best chance of success in this match will be to take the game to Chelsea & put pressure on their defence.

This looks a proper cup tie & we are expecting it to be competitive & physically intense with Cardiff City likely to have a real go but Chelsea are so strong at home & have so much quality in their squad that they are impossible to oppose & look a solid bet to win this.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Chelsea to win

Correct Score Options: Chelsea to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Drogba/Anelka/Lampard

Scorecast options: Drogba/Anelka/Lampard score 1st & Chelsea win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Chelsea H/T & F/T

Derby County vs Birmingham City – (Saturday 3.00pm)

Another Premier League versus Championship battle here with a rejuvenated Derby County welcoming Birmingham City to Pride Park for what looks set to be a good, competitive battle.

A few weeks ago, Derby manager Nigel Clough would have probably said the last thing Derby wanted was to play Birmingham City as Derby were struggling badly for form & confidence but all that has changed in recent weeks.

Three excellent performances to beat high flying Nottingham Forest & Newcastle United at home and to draw away at Sheffield United have given the Derby County squad a massive lift in belief & confidence which they are now bound to take into this game.

Derby County always do get fantastic support & the fact their form has returned should mean there will be a fantastic atmosphere inside Pride Park & we expect Derby County to have a real go at this.

The added spice to this match is the fact Derby County captain Robbie Savage is taking on his former team & he is bound to be fully charged up for this clash which is certain to get physical.

Alex McCleish brings his Birmingham City side to Derby County having suffered a blip in form after what was a sensational unbeaten run so it will be very interesting to see how Birmingham City react here.

Birmingham City were surprisingly poor in their 2-0 away defeat at West Ham United & Alex McCleish will want to make sure that Birmingham City bounce back from that & take this game very seriously indeed.

The key for Birmingham City will be get control of the game by keeping it defensively solid which is their real strength & then look to the likes of Jerome, Bowyer & McFadden to create the quality & goals.

The cup tie element certainly makes this tough to call & we have massive respect for Derby at home having beaten Newcastle United & Nottinhgam Forest recently but Birmingham City are a better, stronger team & they look worth a bet to edge this on the day.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Birmingham City to win

Correct Score Options: Birmingham City to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Jerome/McFadden/Benitez

Scorecast options: Jerome/McFadden/Benitez score 1st & Birmingham City win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Birmingham City H/T & F/T

Reading vs West Brom – (Saturday 3.00pm)

All Championship clash here with Reading welcoming West Brom to what should be a cracking, competitive game of football.

The F.A. Cup is not a priority for either Reading of West Brom with Reading fighting to improve & move away from the relegation zone & West Brom intent on getting promoted to the Premier League but we expect all thoughts of the league to be put to one side here.

Reading have already made their mark on the F.A. Cup this season with famous wins over Liverpool & Burnley and the prospect of another home tie will give them the belief they can progress further.

Indeed the F.A. Cup form seems to have pushed Reading to improve their allround performances & results and they now look a decent, confident side with a determination to win so we are expecting a decent, attacking performance from Reading here.

West Brom come into this match on an excellent run of form which has helped to take them back to the top of the Championship so we expect them to arrive here confident & ready to go for the win.

West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo has a special affinity with the F.A. Cup having scored in the Final itself & we do expect West Brom to be totally up for this one & they will believe they can go to Reading and win.

This should be a really entertaining match as both Reading & West Brom like to play positive, attacking football & neither manager will want a replay so we expect both teams to go for it which should give West Brom the chance to make their extra quality pay & they look well worth a bet to win this tie.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: West Brom to win

Correct Score Options: West Brom to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Brunt/Dorrans/Bednar

Scorecast options: Brunt/Dorrans/Bednar score 1st & West Brom win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: West Brom H/T & F/T

Southampton vs Portsmouth – (Saturday 12.30pm)

The people of Southampton & Portsmouth have been waiting for this ever since the 5th round draw took place & this really should be a cracking match.

The football world has got Real Madrid vs Barcelona, Man City vs Man United, Inter vs AC Milan & even Celtic vs Rangers, but to those connected to Southampton & Portsmouth this is the big match for them.

Southampton & Portsmouth have both suffered in recent years with massive off the field financial problems & obviously Portsmouth’s very own existence hangs by a thread but that will be forgotten for 90 minutes as these two do battle.

If you look the basic facts of relative league positions first then Southampton in League 1 taking on Portsmouth from the Premier League looks like a one sided battle but current status doesn’t count for anything here & it really is a level playing field with everything to play for.

Alan Pardew has done a tremendous job since taking over as Southampton manager guiding his team to overcome a points deficit to push Southampton up the table & in general looking like a very good side at that level.

Southampton have already proven their cup pedigree this season as they are already proudly through to the Johnson’s Paint Trophy Final & this home tie against local rivals Portsmouth is another fantastic opportunitiy so we expect Southampton to have a real go.

Southampton play very good, attacking football and with the likes of Lambert, Lallana, Waigo + many other attacked minded players in their side they definitely have the ability to cause Portsmouth problems & score goals.

Avram Grant, the Portsmouth players & indeed everybody connected to Portsmouth don’t even know if Portsmouth will be around for the next round if they make it through which is obviously a massive problem but Portsmouth have shown real fight in recent weeks & we expect more of the same here.

Portsmouth look absolutely certain to get relegated from the Premier League & really their season cannot get any worse than it already has with the clubs existence at stake but nevertheless defeat against Southampton is something the players will want to do their best to avoid & they will be up for this one.

The atmosphere for this one is going to be fantastic & hopefully both teams will see the match as a welcome distraction from the league & really have a go and the chances are they will so there could well be a few goals flying about & we like the look of Southampton being inspired by their home crowd to deliver a famous win here.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Southampton to win

Correct Score Options: Southampton to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Lallana/Lambert/Waigo

Scorecast options: Lallana/Lambert/Waigo score 1st & Southampton win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Southampton H/T & F/T

Manchester City vs Stoke City – (Saturday 5.30pm)

A clash of footballing styles makes this all Premier league contest a fascinating one to call & should have plenty to offer.

Roberto Mancini’s welcome to the Premier League was a home game against Stoke City & so he will already know what to expect from Tony Pulis’s side here.

Manchester City won that game comfortably & admittedly Stoke City were nowhere near their best that day but their style of play would have not been lost on him & he will know this is not going to be easy for Man City.

Roberto Mancini is under pressure to deliver success at Manchester City & while progress in the Premier League & Champions League is the ultimate long range target, success of any kind is necessary & this seasons F.A. Cup represents a fantastic opportunity for Man City to achieve that.

The key for Manchester City coming into this match is that their home form is tremendously strong & that will give them the belief & confidence to continue that here.

Tevez, Adebayor, Bellamy, Ireland, Barry, Wright-Phillips, Petrov etc give Man City more than enough attacking quality to go for the win here but the one area Manchester City have to keep their focus & concentration on his organisation in defence & particularly at set pieces because that will certainly be Stoke City’s biggest threat.

Tony Pulis has one clear aim for Stoke City this season & that is to remain a Premier League side but he is an incredibly proud & determined manager who will the see the chance to have a good cup run as a bonus.

Tactically there are no secrets about the way Stoke City play and quite simply what they do, they do it very well & effectively.

Strong physical presence, hard work, determination, direct football mixed with good football & a real threat from set-pieces are Stoke City’s key strengths & that is what we expect to see from them here.

Tony Pulis knows that Stoke City have not got the players to outplay Man City in terms of flowing, passing football but equally he knows Stoke City’s prowess from set-pieces is a massive threat to Man City’s fragile defence and offers them their best chance of scoring.

The major negative for Stoke City is that their away form is very poor with an inability to score enough goals away from home their major weakness & that could well be a problem in this match.

This should be a very interesting game & Stoke City will set out to make it tough for Manchester City & it is certainly going to be competitive but Manchester City are very strong at home & they do look a good bet to make their extra quality pay here.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Manchester City to win

Correct Score Options: Manchester City to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Tevez/Adebayor/Barry

Scorecast options: Tevez/Adebayor/Barry score 1st & Man City win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Man City H/T & F/T

Bolton vs Tottenham – (Sunday 1.30pm)

Another all Premier League tie between Bolton & Tottenham who both have more important targets to achieve but this should still be a cracking match.

Owen Coyle is desperate to keep Bolton in the Premier League & that is clearly his number one target for Bolton but he is a strongly believer in taking every game seriously & that is what we expect from Bolton here.

Owen Coyle made his name at Burnley by making them a very successful side in cup competitions & we are expecting Owen Coyle to set Bolton up to be really positive & go for the win here.

The negatives for Bolton is that their home form has been poor & they have also struggled to score goals consistently and that clearly makes it much tougher to win matches.

The positive for Bolton is that they do have a good home record against Tottenham & that should boost their confidence.

Harry Redknapp knows that 4th place in the Premier League is Tottenham’s ultimate target for this season but their only chance of success lies in the F.A. Cup & we do expect Tottenham to have a real go here.

Harry Redknapp was incredibly frustrated & disappointed after Tottenham’s incredibly poor display in losing 1-0 at Wolves in midweek & so the Tottenham players will be under great pressure to put that right with a good performance because Harry Redknapp will not tolerate that again.

Tottenham were so disappointing & flat against Wolves it was hard to believe & the key to this match will how the Tottenham players respond here.

We are expecting the Tottenham players to respond in the right way here & with the likes of Defoe, Crouch, Modric, Krancjar & now Gudjohnsen they have the attacking quality to get the goals they need to win this.

This is a tough match to call with it likely to be very competitive & any result is possible but we are going to give Tottenham a chance to show their true quality and they look a value bet to just edge this on the day.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Tottenham to win

Correct Score Options: Tottenham to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Defoe/Crouch/Krancjar

Scorecast options: Defoe/Crouch/Krancjar score 1st & Tottenham win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Tottenham H/T & F/T

Fulham vs Notts County – (Sunday 3.00pm)

This is what the F.A. Cup is all about with League 2 side Notts County travelling to Premier League Fulham in what should be a fascinating contest.

Roy Hodgson will see this as a fantastic opportunity for Fulham to progress to an F.A. Cup final while Notts County come here boosted by beating Premier League side Wigan in the last round so the game should offer plenty.

Fulham are an absolutely rock solid side at home with their proven formula of solid, organised defending, balanced, passing football which makes it incredibly hard for teams to break them down & we do expect more of the same from Fulham here.

Roy Hodgson will have great respect for Notts County & the threat they carry but he knows his side are very strong at home & he will have great belief that his side will prove too strong for Notts County here.

Fulham did go through a bad patch of form but that has gone now after 3 good results in which they have won 2 & drawn 1 without conceding a goal so the confidence levels within the Fulham squad will be high.

Notts County produced the performance of the last round to outplay Premier League side Wigan twice at home in the 2-2 draw & in their 2-0 away victory which was totally deserved.

That deserved win over Wigan should give Notts County the confidence to go Fulham & have a go but clearly breaking a strong Fulham side down will be much tougher than an inconsistent, weak looking Wigan side.

The cup tie element definitely levels the playing fields somewhat & Notts County will go to Fulham positive but in terms of a result we cannot oppose Fulham here who look a rock solid bet to win this & earn their place in the quarter finals.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Fulham to win

Correct Score Options: Fulham to win 2-0/3-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Murphy/Zamora/Duff

Scorecast options: Murphy/Zamora/Duff score 1st & Fulham win 2-0/3-0

Double Result: Fulham H/T & F/T

Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa – (Sunday 3.45pm)

Neil Warnock at Crystal Palace & Martin O’Neill are two of the most experienced & indeed interesting characters in football so this should be a really fascinating Championship vs Premier League cup tie.

As with all the F.A. Cup ties taking place this weekend, both Crystal Palace & Aston Villa have much more important end of season targets to aim for that success in the F.A. Cup but Neil Warnock & Martin O’Neill are very proud managers who will both put all that to one side & certainly look to win this on the day.

Crystal Palace are involved in a tough struggle off the pitch having been forced into adminstration & the future of the club is at risk but to the great credit of the players, it does not seem to have affected their play in a negative way & if anything it seems to have improved the spirit of the Crystal Palace squad.

Neil Warnock is a vastly experienced manager & is particularly good at motivating teams when situations are against them & clearly his motivational skills are being tested to the full at present but he is a real fighter & that is replicated within his players.

Crystal Palace have been playing really well lately & most notably when comfortably beating Premier League Wolves in the last round so that should give them the confidence to go into this game & have a real go at Aston Villa.

Martin O’Neill’s chief target for this season is to finish 4th in the Premier League but having already taken Aston Villa to the League Cup Final & with a proven record of success in cups, he will certainly be looking for Aston Villa to have a real go at winning the F.A. Cup as well.

Martin O’Neill will have great respect for the threat Crystal Palace pose at home but equally he knows this match represents a fantastic chance for Aston Villa to progress & we are expecting a really positive performance from Aston Villa here.

The key element to this game is that Crystal Palace will want to have a real go at this game for their home fans & to show they can compete so that should suit Aston Villa’s style of counter attacking play and that could ultimately decide the match.

The F.A. Cup is made for ties like this & it should be a really good, competitive contest with Crystal Palace sure to have a go but Aston Villa have a clear advantage in terms of quality in all departments & their superior attacking quality & pace makes them look a rock solid bet to win this & progress to the quarter finals.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Aston Villa to win

Correct Score Options: Aston Villa to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Agbonlohar/Downing/Milner

Scorecast options: Agbonlohar/Downing/Milner score 1st & Aston Villa win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Aston Villa H/T & F/T

There is full midweek programme of games taking place in the Championship and here are our thoughts on the games that caught our eye & the value betting options that we feel are worth consideration:

Peterborough vs Preston – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

Darren Ferguson will be the focus of all the attention going into this one as he takes his new Preston side to play his old Peterborough side whom he left in controversial circumstances & the atmosphere is certain to be charged for this one.

Peterborough have struggled all season in the Championship & are in desperate need for points & wins so they are bound to be totally charged for this one but Darren Ferguson will be fully aware of what to expect & will have side well prepared for that.

Both Peterborough & Preston like to play positive, attacking football & we expect both teams to have a real go here so anything is possible but Preston played very well against Chelsea & they look value to give Darren Ferguson his first win in charge & what a result that would be.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Preston to win

Correct Score options: Preston to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Brown/Parkin/Carter

Ipswich Town vs West Bromwich Albion – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

Very interesting clash here between Roy Keane’s Ipswich & Roberto Di Matteo’s West Brom & a competitive battle looks on the cards.

There is an 18 point gap between these two sides with Ipswich down near the bottom & West Brom 3rd but this match is likely to prove a lot closer than that suggests.

Ipswich Town are hard to beat at home & the fact they have had 13 draws overall proves that & West Brom are very strong away with 6 wins & 5 draws from 12 so it is a tough call but West Brom have more ability in attack & they represent a value bet to prove too strong for Ipswich on the night

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: West Brom to win

Correct Score options: West Brom to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Dorrans/Brunt/Bednar

Nottingham Forest vs QPR – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

A cracking game of open, attacking football looks on the cards here as both Nottingham Forest & QPR look to play positive football & should be a game to enjoy.

Nottingham Forest are the form team in the Championship with their incredible run having taken them to 2nd in the table & looking a solid bet to gain automatic promotion & quite possibly win the Championship outright.

Nottingham Forest are very strong at home & already have 9 home victories to their name so they will go into this one confident & believing they can get another win here.

QPR are admittedly a club in some turmoil with the crazy managerial situation a big distraction for the club off the field & obviously it has been unsettling for the players but QPR are a talented team & can play some great stuff if they hit their best form.

This should prove to be a game well worth watching & there could well be a few goals given how both sides play but in terms of a bet we cannot oppose Nottingham Forest who are in tremendous form right now & look a solid punt to extend that with a win here.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Nottingham Forest to win

Correct Score options: Nottingham Forest to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Blackstock/Earnshaw/Anderson

Other recommendations for the Championship:

SWANSEA to beat Coventry – 2-0/2-1
- Pratley/Pintado/Trundle score 1st/anytime

NEWCASTLE UNITED to beat Crystal Palace – 2-1/3-1 – Carroll/Nolan/Ameobi score 1st/anytime

Round 3 of the F.A. Cup proved there was still plenty of magic left in the competition & this weekend sees the latest round of the F.A. Cup as teams chase their dreams of a Wembley Cup Final in May.
As usual there are loads of very interesting ties for us all to enjoy with plenty of value betting options to consider & here are our views on the matches that caught our eye.

Preston vs Chelsea – (Saturday 12.45pm)

Championship strugglers taking on Premier League leaders might sound like a complete mis-match but this is the cup & Preston will certainly have no fear as they entertain Chelsea in what looks set to be a cracking match.

Preston earned their place in round 4 by producing a fantastic performance to beat Colchester 7-0 & amazingly that was only 3 days after Alan Irvine had left as manager.

Darren Ferguson is the new man in charge & this match against Chelsea represents his first home match as Preston Manager so this is an extra special occasion for him & one that he will be determined to make an immediate impact in.

The first area that Darren Ferguson has committed himself to impacting on is Preston’s defensive problems which were highlighted again in their 4-2 away at Bristol City last weekend & Ferguson knows that they cannot afford to be defensively fragile against Chelsea who come here in top form.

This cup tie is a welcome break from the pressures of the league for Preston & we are expecting Darren Ferguson to send out the Preston players with a very positive attitude & commitment to compete for everything with a high tempo style to prevent Chelsea playing their natural game.

Carlo Ancelotti has made it clear that he wants to win whatever competitions he can & with Manchester United & Liverpool out of the way already, he knows that Chelsea have an excellent opportunity to repeat last seasons win in the F.A. Cup.

We are expecting Chelsea to take this match very seriously & coming off the back of a 5-0 win against Watford in Round 3 & then last weekend’s amazing 7-2 win against Sunderland we do expect Chelsea to go all out for the win here.

Confidence levels within the Chelsea squad are sky high & scoring 12 goals in their last 2 matches proves that Chelsea are playing very well & that all their key players are top form again.

The one aspect that Carlo Ancelotti will remain concerned about is the defence which still seems shaky & that could be a concern if Preston go for the direct approach & gather momentum in this match so the Chelsea defence will have to be solid.

Preston’s last two matches have seen 13 goals go in & Chelsea last 3 matches have seen 17 goals scored so this should be an entertaining match & the goals could fly in but in our view it is more likely to be Chelsea doing the scoring & they look a very solid bet to win here.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Chelsea to win

Correct Score options: Chelsea to win 3-0/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Lampard/Anelka/Ballack

Scorecast options: Lampard/Anelka/Ballack score 1st & Chelsea win 3-0/3-1

Double Result: Chelsea Half Time & Full Time

Reading vs Burnley – (Saturday 12.45pm)

Championship strugglers Reading welcome Premier League strugglers Burnley to what should be a cracking cup tie & fantastic game of open, attacking football.

Clearly Reading & Burnley have bigger, more importants targets of staying in their respective leagues but this F.A. Cup 4th round tie is a welcome break from the weekly pressures of the league & both teams will believe they can progress further.

Reading earned their right to stage this match after deservedly beating Liverpool over 2 matches & the confidence gained from those games should see an improvement in performances from Reading over the coming weeks in the league & of course while they are still in the cup as well.

After the delights of winning at Liverpool, Reading were brought back down to earth by Nottingham Forest who beat them 2-1 but that was not such a big surprise given how much effort the Reading players put into the Liverpool game & we expect them to be much fresher here.

Reading will know what to expect from Burnley in terms of tactics & indeed Burnley’s positive, open style should give Reading the chance to play their own football and if they hit their best form they are clearly capable of beating Burnley here as well.

Brian Laws faced the ultimate task in his first game in charge at Burnley has he took his side to play Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Ultimately Burnley lost that match but they played very well & actually should have scored first so that should have given Brian Laws great confidence that he has the players who can get Burnley out of trouble.

Brian Laws knows that one key area that Burnley have to improve in is their away form & he will see this away cup tie as the perfect opportunity to improve the mentality & confidence of the Burnley players when they play away.

Tactically both Reading & Burnley like to set-up to play open, passing football & always look to create chances but both equally have defensive issues as well so this should be a cracking match & the goals could well go in here.

Reading’s victory over Liverpool makes it tough to ignore their claims & they will be competitive again here but in our view Burnely look a value bet to have the edge on the day & win through to round 5.

Betting Recommendations:

Outrigth Match Result: Burnley to win

Correct Score options: Burnley to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Alexander/Eagles/Nugent

Scorecast options: Alexander/Eagles/Nugent score 1st & Burnley win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Burnley Half Time & Full Time

West Brom vs Newcastle United – (Saturday 3.00pm)

Fascinating battle of two of the three leading lights in the Championship here as 3rd place West Brom welcome Championship leaders Newcastle United to what should be a fantastic, entertaining cup tie.

Amazingly these two sides clash for the 2nd time in 6 days having fought out a cracking 2-2 draw at Newcastle & both sides will believe they can win this so another cracker looks on the cards here.

That 2-2 draw at Newcastle & indeed the 1-1 draw these sides shared on the opening day of the season both proved the quality within each squad & how closely matched they are so there is unlikely to be too much between the sides again here.

The fact that this is a cup tie & not another Championship match should see the pressure lifted off the players as well & that should further encourage them to play more open, attacking football & the prospect for goals is again very high.

Both Roberto Di Mattteo at West Brom & Chris Hughton at Newcastle know that it is promotion to the Premier League that really matters but with this cup tie being against their key rivals, this is a fantastic opportunity for both sides to score at least a psychological victory & we expect both managers to be very positive here.

This could well prove to be on the best & most competitive 4th round ties & should provide great entertainment with any result entirely possible given how closely matched both teams are but ultimately we think home advantage could be the key & West Brom look worth a bet to edge this on the day.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: West Brom to win

Correct Score options: West Brom to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Bednar/Dorrans/Brunt

Scorecast options: Bednar/Dorrans/Brunt score 1st & West Brom win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: West Brom Half Time & Full Time

Accrington Stanley vs Fulham – (Saturday 3.00pm)

Out of all this weekend’s 4th round ties, could this clash of league 2 mid table side Accrington Stanley versus Fulham of the Premier League be the one that provides the shock & the magic we all look for in the F.A. Cup?

The answer in our view is it could well be just that & this tie certainly does look to have that classic David vs Goliath look to it that only the F.A. Cup can produce.

Accrington Stanley currently sit 11th in League 2, are a side who like to play attacking football & for them this is a fantastic opportunity for the club to show what they are about & indeed bring a much needed boost to the finances of the club.

Accrington Stanley have been relatively strong at home this season & win, lose or draw they always make sure they give their opponents a real test at the Crown Ground & that it what we expect against Fulham in this match.

A 1-0 home win over League 1 side Gillingham in round 3 on tuesday saw them progress to this 4th round tie & that win should give them the confidence to have a real go here & Fulham’s poor away record gives them a chance of getting something from the match.

Roy Hodgson is knowlegable & experienced enough to know that this match at Accrington Stanley is going to be a real test for his players & he will know what to expect.

Roy Hogson knows that he has a talented squad who have superior technique & skills to that of the Accrington players but equally he knows that Accrington Stanley will be be totally pumped up for this one & Fulham will have to be very competive & organised here.

Fulham have struggled away from home this season & indeed come into this match with 3 defeats from their last 4 games so team confidence is bound to be affected by that & that could be a problem here.

Ordinarily we would all expect Fulham to win this match but they are struggling a little at present & the F.A. Cup is a great leveller so we are taking Accrington Stanley as a value bet to win this & provide more F.A. Cup magic.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Accrington Stanley to win

Correct Score options: Accrington Stanley to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Miles/Symes/Grant

Scorecast options: Miles/Symes/Grant to score 1st & Accrington Stanley to win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Accrington Stanley Half Time & Full Time

Notts County vs Wigan – (Saturday 3.00pm)

Having beaten non-league Forest Green in round 3, Notts County now come up against Premier league side Wigan in what should be another fascinating cup tie.

Just as with the Accrington Stanley vs Fulham game, this is another case of League 2 vs Premier League which adds to the interest & certainly provides plenty for us to get interested in.

Notts County currently sit 8th in League 2 & have had a steady season so far with their home form particularly strong which will give them confidence ahead of this match.

Notts County won here in the cup on wednesday & have only lost once in 11 home league matches which illustrates how tough they are to play at home & certainly does give them a chance of getting a positive result here.

Positive, attacking football is what Notts County like to play & certainly they have a capacity to score goals which should give them the confidence & belief to take the game to Wigan & give it their best shot.

Roberto Martinez’s Wigan side have been on a roller coaster all season with massive ups & downs and nobody knows from week to week what to expect from Wigan which does make it tough to assess them.

The one consistent factor with Wigan is Roberto Martinez’s belief in playing positive, passing football & we certainly expect Wigan to play that way here as well.

The Wigan squad should come into this match confident after a very important 2-0 away win at Wolves & indeed the fact this is a cup tie should take the pressures away & Wigan certainly have the attacking quality to cause Notts County real problems.

We are expecting this to be a fascinating & indeed entertaining match with any result possible given how both sides play but for a fun, value bet we are taking Notts County to make home advantage pay & make their own F.A. Cup history.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Notts County to win

Correct Score options: Notts County to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Hawley/Hughes/Rodgers

Scorecast options: Hawley/Hughes/Rodgers score 1st & Notts County win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Notts County Half Time & Full Time

Other F.A. Cup Recommendations:

Everton vs Birmingham City:
Everton to win 2-0/2-1
- Fellaini/Cahill/Saha e/w 1st goalscorer /score anytime

Stoke City vs Arsenal:
Stoke City to win 2-0/2-1
- Fuller/Shawcross/Tuncay e/w 1st goalscorer/score anytime

Portsmouth vs Sunderland:
Sunderland to win 2-1/3-1
- Bent/Malbranque/Jones e/w 1st goalscorer/score antyime

Tottenham vs Leeds United:
Tottenham to win 3-0/3-1
- Defoe/Keane/Modric e/w 1st goalscorer/score anytime

Derby County vs Doncaster Rovers:
Doncaster Rovers to win 2-0/2-1
- shiels/Coppinger/Sharp e/w 1st goalscorer/score anytime

Wolves vs Crystal Palace:
Crystal Palace win 2-1/3-1
- Moses/Ambrose/Danns e/w 1st goalscorer/score anytime

Manchester City visit Crystal Palace tonight in the televised Carling Cup match.

City have lost to lower league opposition in their opening Carling Cup matches in three of the last four years, albeit they are hot favourites to win tonight under the ‘new regime’.