The FA Cup third round wasn’t exactly inspiring for most neutral football fans, but we did see a few shock draws. That’s set up a few interesting replays in midweek, but will they give us a few surprises too? Plymouth are looking to go one better than they managed at Anfield when they host Liverpool, a game which is live on BT Sport. Can the League Two side pull off a massive shock? The bookies think not.
Norwich claiming a 2-2 draw against a Southampton side with their focus elsewhere wasn’t exactly a massive shock. That’s forced a replay at St Mary’s, and there is every chance the Saints will be more focused this time around. Elsewhere Bolton travel to Selhurst Park, and National League Lincoln host Ipswich, having come close to a shock win 10 days ago.
Tuesday 17th January 2017
Lincoln v Ipswich (19:45) – Lincoln or Draw (3/4 with Bet365)
Ipswich needed a late goal to send this tie to a replay, with National League leaders Lincoln coming close to booking a place in the fourth round. With home advantage in the replay, they could yet continue their FA Cup run, especially with Ipswich in really inconsistent form. They haven’t recorded back to back results of any kind since drawing two in a row in August last year. Form is basically out the window when it comes to Mick McCarthy’s Tractor Boys. It’s no surprise that their inconsistency has left them 16th in the Championship table.
Ipswich do have some form worth looking at ahead of this game, but it doesn’t make great reading for their fans. They’ve failed to make it out of the FA Cup third round in their last six attempts, going out at their first hurdle in every single one. To make things even more promising for Lincoln, the Tractor Boys have made a habit of third round replays. The last three seasons have seen them go to a replay, before exiting the competition. We’re backing more misfortune for them here, as we’re backing an upset from Lincoln. We’re going with the hosts to win or draw, since Ipswich have one away cup win in the last 10 years. That bet is priced at 3/4 with Bet365.
Crystal Palace v Bolton (19:45) – Under 2.5 goals (Evens with Coral)
Sam Allardyce had very little joy on his return to Bolton, although the League One Trotters probably enjoyed their 0-0 against Premier League opposition. The Eagles are looking for Big Sam to take them to league safety, but he has to follow Alan Pardew’s successful record in this competition. He guided Palace to the final last season, which resulted in that now infamous dance. Will the Eagles be able to repeat that, minus Big Sam’s awkward dancing hopefully, or will they fall at the first hurdle?
Bolton will be coming here looking to frustrate Palace, and they’re likely to be boosted by the Eagles’ team selection. If the FA Cup third round is cumbersome to managers, playing a replay in between two Premier League fixtures mustn’t be an appealing idea. That’s why we see Palace fielding an understrength side, against a Bolton team who will look to defend deep and frustrate them. To us, that points to a low scoring affair, so we’re going with under 2.5 total goals at Selhurst Park, which is priced at evens with Coral.
Wednesday 18th January 2017
Plymouth v Liverpool (19:45) – Under 2.5 goals (6/4 with Bet365)
Jurgen Klopp has already confirmed that he’s going with his young side once again here. He’s not bowing to the pressure of those demanding he respects the cup, even though his side are hardy pressed for games. A couple extra EFL Cup outings on their plate can’t be that demanding. If they are, then why bother entering next season’s Champions League, should they qualify. Of course, this game is light years away from the biggest club competition in the world, so European talk can be dropped for now. The Reds head to League Two Plymouth, where they should get quite a reception.
We can’t see home advantage forcing Plymouth out of their shells, they’ll be aiming to keep this game tight. They can expect to frustrate this Liverpool side, especially as it’s going to be a very young line-up who rarely play together. The senior side are looking short on goals of late, so it’s hard to see their young guns being clinical, even against a League Two side. That’s why we’re backing a tight game in this meeting, with under 2.5 goals our main betting tip here. That’s very well priced at 6/4 with Bet365.
Southampton v Norwich (19:45) – Both teams to score (8/11 with Sky Bet)
It’s easy to see the FA Cup as being well down Southampton’s list of ambitions. They’ve already played in Europe this season, plus they’ve made a strong run in the EFL Cup. While they’re worrying about a strong Premier League finish, they’ll also be looking to save their star players for their League Cup semi-final second leg at Anfield. With a 1-0 lead to protect at the high scoring Reds, they’re bound to face a tough night in a few weeks’ time. A third round replay against Norwich probably doesn’t matter to much to a side who are 90 minutes from Wembley as things stand.
That’s why we give the Canaries a chance here, plus they’ve scored in seven of their last eight trips to St Mary’s. Saints should still have a few big names up front, you’d expect their rotated forward line should still be able to get a goal when they host Championship opposition. However, the visitors have already won at Everton in the EFL Cup, so they’re likely to come here full of confidence, especially after that 2-2 recently. That’s why we see both teams to score as the best bet here, it’s priced at 8/11 with Sky Bet.