We take a look at 4 fixtures taking place in the FA Cup 5th round this Wednesday and suggest a bet on each one.
Before we delve into that, let’s first take a look at the outright markets. Man City are favourites to retain the Cup at current odds of 15/8, with the second favourites Liverpool at 3/1. Both Manchester United and Newcastle United are priced at 7/1. League Cup finalists Chelsea are currently offered at 8/1, leaving the rest of the field priced at 12/1 or better.
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CHELSEA v LEEDS – Click here to bet
Having recently lost to Liverpool in the League Cup final, Chelsea will need to muster the strength for a quick turnaround if they are to bounce back. In the previous round, Chelsea faced Aston Villa. After a 0-0 draw in the first leg at home, it was quite surprising to see them comfortably dispose of the Villains 3-1 in the return leg at Villa Park. Enzo Fernandez continued his good run of form in this competition, having scored in all three of the previous rounds for the Blues. Their home form has been impressive, going unbeaten in four of their last five encounters with three wins, one draw, and one loss.
Leeds United enters this round after having disposed of Plymouth in the 4th round. It was a relatively tight affair, given the first leg finished 1-1, setting up a replay that required extra time to eventually separate the two. Leeds United’s class prevailed, ultimately winning 4-1 on the day. Their recent results in the Championship have been superb, winning all five, meaning they enter this tie in fine form with little to no pressure if they are to topple one of the Premier League giants in this round.
Preparation going into this clash would have been far from ideal for Chelsea, knowing that the additional extra time played in the final, along with the loss, would surely have taken its toll on the players. Leeds will be in a position to take advantage of that, and if they play their cards right, could force a result that would favour them.
Recommended Bet: Double chance, Draw or Leeds Utd at 14/10
NOTTINGHAM FOREST v MANCHESTER UNITED – Click here to bet
Nottingham Forest enter this round after securing their place by beating Bristol City 2-1 in the replay. Their run of form leading up to the 5th round is a cause for concern as they attempt to balance a Cup run amidst enduring a relegation battle, finding themselves on the cusp of being dragged into the bottom three of the Premier League. However, they will have the comfort of playing this tie at home. Given there will be no replay, they hope that the home ground advantage can get them over the line despite indifferent results at the City Ground.
Last year’s runners-up, Manchester United made light work of their opponents in the previous round, thumping Newport 4-2 away from home at Rodney Parade. Despite their dominance in the Cup run, they have shown vulnerabilities in other competitions. Leading up to this encounter, Man Utd suffered a 2-1 loss at home to Fulham, which could have a devastating impact on their European ambitions. This emphasizes the importance of the FA Cup, as it could be the only opportunity to obtain success this season. Getting dumped out of a Cup run and not qualifying for Europe would spell disaster for a club of United’s stature.
Forest will have to raise their game if they are to overturn their recent form. Despite finding the net at least once in their last seven home encounters in all competitions, they remain optimistic about making a game of it. United have been guilty of conceding goals on the road, with their last four appearances resulting in nineteen goals at an average 4.75 overall, making for an entertaining game on the cards. Expect fireworks!
Recommended Bet: Totals and both teams to score, over 2.5 and yes at 19/20
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS v BRIGHTON – Click here to bet
Wolves confirmed their place in the 5th round with a comfortable 2-0 away win against West Brom, setting up an intriguing fixture against the Seagulls. Having returned to a bit of form with back-to-back wins in the EPL, Gary O’Neil and his charges will be optimistic of their chances going into this clash. Despite only finding the net once against Sheffield United, it was enough for Wolves to get maximum points in their last outing. Meaning they enter the FA Cup with some much needed momentum.
Brighton has been ruthless in their FA Cup campaign thus far, showing no mercy towards their opponents. They enter this round on the back of a 5-2 thrashing away to Sheffield Utd in the 4th round and will want to continue with that sort of dominance moving forward. Their most recent outing in the EPL resulted in a 1-1 draw against Everton, and they had to claw their way back with a 95th minute equaliser to secure a much needed point.
Both teams enter this game with plenty to prove. Wolves will want to demonstrate that their recent turnaround is no fluke, while the Seagulls will be desperate to showcase their strength yet again. These two recently met in January, finishing in a 0-0 stalemate, suggesting we could see another tight game between the pair. I fancy a draw here, but looking further afield, there might be additional value by adding unders into the mix.
Suggested Bet: Result and totals, Draw and under 3.5 at 9/2
LIVERPOOL v SOUTHAMPTON – Click here to bet
Liverpool enters the 5th round arena on cloud 9, having secured their first piece of silverware this season over the weekend. Despite drawing inspiration from reserves, the Reds overcame a resilient Chelsea team in extra time to claim yet another trophy, adding to their impressive tally. After thumping the Canaries 5-2 in the previous round of the FA Cup, Klopp and his charges seem set for another decent run. However, there is concern about the quick turnaround and whether they can sustain the same intensity required on Sunday, considering the final went into 120 minutes and how much was taken out of the players.
Southampton has made a relatively smooth transition in terms of balance from the Championship to the FA Cup this campaign. Having comfortably beaten Watford 3-0 in the previous round and currently sitting 4th in their respective league, they are positioned to have a full go at Liverpool. Despite entering this encounter as heavy underdogs, which I suspect is due to a few reasons, not only because of the opposition they face but also given their recent blip in form. Having won just twice and lost three times in their last five appearances, the Saints will be hoping to turn things around in quick succession.
With the ever-growing injury concerns on the Liverpool front, more inspiration will be required from their reserves. While I believe they will have just about enough to get over the line here, I anticipate the Saints will make it difficult for them.
Recommended Bet: Result and both teams to score, Liverpool and yes at 7/4
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Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
