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It was a hectic day in the North-East as the January transfer window drew to a close, with Andy Carroll leaving Newcastle United in an astonishing £35m move to Liverpool.

The 22-year old, having played just half a season in the top flight, moved to Anfield late on Monday under questionable circumstances, after reportedly handing in a transfer request at St James’ Park. However, Carroll insisted he was forced to make that request by chairman Derek Llambias when the offer for him reached astronomical levels.

However the club deny it was them who instigated the move, saying Carroll and his agent discussed the matter before putting in a formal request which enabled the 6ft 3in striker to replace Fernando Torres.

Speaking at a news conference, initially scheduled for yesterday before being delayed and then cancelled, Alan Pardew says he’s gutted to have lost the striker, whilst the lack of time available meant Newcastle United struggled to find a replacement.

Stephen Ireland was brought in on loan from Aston Villa, but two bids to bring Charles N’Zogbia back to the club from Wigan failed.

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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

Two Premiership teams were beaten by clubs from lower leagues in the 3rd round last year…..Stoke who lost 0-2 at Hartlepool whilst the shock of the round was when Forest beat Manchester City away via a 0-3 scoreline.

Five Premier clubs failed to make it through to the fourth round via three other all-Premiership encounters. The full list of 3rd round results involving Premier sides:

Sheffield Wednesday 1 Fulham 2

Tottenham 3 Wigan 1

Hartlepool 2 Stoke 0

Portsmouth 0 Bristol City 0 (Portsmouth won the replay 2-0)

West Ham 3 Barnsley 0

Hull 0 Newcastle 0 (Hull won the replay 1-0)

Chelsea 1 Southend 1 (Chelsea won the replay 4-1)

Manchester City 0 Nottingham Forest 3

WBA 1 Peterborough 1 (WBA won the replay 2-0)

Middlesbrough 2 Barrow 1

Arsenal 3 Plymouth 1

Macclesfield 0 Everton 1

Sunderland 2 Bolton 1

Preston 0 Liverpool 2

Gillingham 1 Aston Villa 2

Southampton 0 Manchester United 3

Blythe Spartans 0 Blackburn 1

Top ten all time Cup winners:

11–Manchester United

10–Arsenal

8–Tottenham

7–Liverpool

7–Aston Villa

6–Blackburn

6–Newcastle

5–Chelsea

5–Everton

5–WBA

Most appearances in the final:

18–Manchester United

17–Arsenal

13–Newcastle

13–Liverpool

13–Everton

10–Aston Villa

10–WBA

9–Chelsea

9–Tottenham

Look out for more stats later in the week!

Newcastle VS Leicester

These two teams last met up at this (Championship) level seventeen years ago when Newcastle thrashed Leicester 7-1.

This game was crying out to be covered given the size and importance of it with regards to it being a clash of the 2 strongest favourites to win The Championship and regain promotion.

A vital key to early season form for any side is what type of preparation and build up they have experienced before the first game takes place and it is quite clear that both West Brom and Newcastle United have experienced vastly different preparations. West Brom approach this season with a new manager, with Roberto Di Matteo replacing Tony Mowbray and it does appear that the transition has been very smooth. They have also line up with a very strong squad and confidence that they can succeed. The story with Newcastle United could not be more different with the club looking for new owners, no manager in place, players leaving, no new players coming and basically the whole club appears to be a complete shambles.

With such contrasting preparations, we can’t recommend backing Newcastle United until their situation is sorted out and for us, West Brom look a sound bet to get a very important home win in a game which should set the standard for the Championship.

Bet Recommendations

Outright Match Betting:- West Brom to win

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Correct Score Options:- West Brom to win 2-0 or 2-1

First Goalscorer (each way)/Player to Score Anytime:- Chris Brunt

Scorecast:- Brunt score 1st + West Brom 2-0/2-1

Double Result:- West Brom Half Time & Full Time