There is a very rare break for some clubs this weekend. All those who were knocked out of the FA Cup at the third round stage can put their feet up while the fourth round ties take place. For the sides still in the competition, there is a lot of work to put in before they can start dreaming about Wembley and cup glory. We’ve got the chance to capitalise on that hard work by having a crack at landing some winning trebles. Here are our choice of the best bets of the upcoming weekend.
Easy Winner – 9/10 (Sky Bet)
- Middlesbrough to beat Accrington Stanley (4/11) – Aitor Karanka upset a lot of Middlesbrough fans by criticising the atmosphere they created against West Ham last weekend. He, and Boro, need a win, which they should secure when Accrington Stanley visit the Riverside.
- Chelsea to beat Brentford (2/11) – Brentford fans will make the short trip to Stamford Bridge in their thousands for the chance to witness an upset in this west London derby. Unfortunately for the Bees, Chelsea are in imperious form and will surely progress to the fifth round.
- Man Utd to beat Wigan (2/11) – A club of Man Utd’s standing should be fighting for trophies on multiple fronts and that’s certainly what they are doing under Jose Mourinho. Wigan will enjoy their day out at Old Trafford even if they don’t enjoy the result, which should be very one sided.
Medium Risk – 10/1 (Sky Bet)
- Man City to beat Crystal Palace and both teams to score (11/5) – Man City were much improved against Tottenham last weekend but their poor defence cost them once again. City should beat this terrible Crystal Palace side but it’ll be hard to keep a clean sheet at Selhurst Park.
- Huddersfield to beat Rochdale (6/5) – Huddersfield have bounced back after a poor run to get themselves right back in the hunt for automatic promotion from the Championship. David Wagner’s side should have enough to see off the challenge of Rochdale on Saturday.
- Over 2.5 goals in Liverpool v Wolves (8/15) – Wolves will sense an upset given Liverpool’s poor current form. The Wanderers may be able to get on the scoresheet and with Liverpool’s unpredictable form, backing goals is the way to go.
Long Shot – 53/1 (Bet365)
- Derby to beat Leicester to nil (10/3) – There is no sign of Leicester snapping out of their funk any time soon. Claudio Ranieri’s side were appalling last weekend which will give Derby great encouragement. Steve McClaren’s side may be able not only to win but to keep a clean sheet when doing so.
- Arsenal to beat Southampton and over 2.5 goals (21/10) – The combination of Arsenal’s attacking prowess and the tired legs in the Southampton ranks could result in a big win for the Gunners at St Mary’s on Saturday evening.
- Fulham to beat Hull and both teams to score (3/1) – Hull have already had a cup run this season and may find it tough to get motivated for their trip to Craven Cottage. The Tigers can score but they may not avoid defeat against an improving Fulham side.