The Premier League takes a break this weekend as we have the fourth round of the FA Cup. It is a relatively low key set of fixtures truth be told but that isn’t going to stop us trying to make some money by betting on the games we’re planning to watch.
Whilst there are no real crackers to match the Merseyside derby of round three, Yeovil versus Man United is a great way to kick things off on Friday night. We’ll also be taking a look at the all-Premier League matches with Liverpool versus West Brom clash on Saturday and Sunday’s two games, Chelsea v Newcastle and Cardiff versus Man City.
Friday 26th January 2018
Yeovil v Manchester United (19:55) – Man United to win and under 2.5 goals at (3/1 with Betfair)
This is a classic FA Cup tie, with Man United’s millionaires travelling south to take on massive underdogs Yeovil. With the visitors second in the Premier League and the hosts 21st in League Two, this is just about the biggest gulf in class you can get in the professional ladder of English football. Yeovil have caused some famous upsets over the years but if they can eliminate Jose Mourinho’s men here they will write a new chapter in their history.
That is a huge “if” though and we think the away team will win this with relative ease. Both clubs have bigger fish to fry than the FA Cup so we expect changes and that can make for a disjointed game. We expect Man United to win but given their recent results in the cup against lower ranked sides, we aren’t expecting them to blow Yeovil away.
We think the Red Devils will do just enough to make the fifth round and we can see them struggling to break down the home side. 1-0 or 2-0 seem the most likely scores but we’re going a little safer and backing United to win and under 2.5 goals and tasty odds of 3/1.
Saturday 27th January 2018
Liverpool v West Brom (19:45) – Liverpool to win 4-0 (12/1 with Coral)
The gulf in class between these two teams isn’t anywhere near as big as in Friday’s game but we expect a more one-sided match none the less. Liverpool are 27 points ahead of the Baggies in the Premier League table and we think they will romp to yet another big victory in this Saturday night prime time slot.
The kick off time may not suit everyone but for those settling in to watch the game on TV we’re predicting goals and a sparkling Liverpool performance. The Reds have shown both sides of their game in recent days. They were superb in beating Man City 4-3 but then struggled away from home and lost to bottom of the table Swansea 1-0.
In front of the Kop, under the Anfield lights, we expect them to show their good side here and we’re opting for a long odds correct score bet. The pair played out a 0-0 draw in the Premier League a month or so ago but with West Brom 19th in the table, we don’t expect them to be prioritise this one at all and so we predict a big home win.
Sunday 28th January 2018
Chelsea v Newcastle United (13:30) – Chelsea/Chelsea HT/FT (5/4 with Coral)
This is another all-Premier League clash between a home side pressing for a top four finish and an away team simply hoping to secure their top flight survival. Far be it for us to say the magic of the FA Cup is a thing of the past but once more we’re predicting a routine home win in Sunday’s first clash.
Chelsea haven’t been at their best over the last month or so and have found goals hard to come by. They appeared to have turned a corner when they thrashed Brighton 4-0 but then slumped to defeat against Arsenal in the EFL Cup semi final. If a top side gets beaten by the Gunners, something most certainly isn’t right and the Blues will be keen to bounce back here.
A home tie against the Magpies is the perfect chance to do just that. Newcastle rarely deliver the goods in the capital and given they are just one point above the drop zone we don’t expect them to put out an especially strong side here. They don’t have the strength in depth to rotate and we fancy the Blues to take the lead early on and progress to the next round.
Cardiff City v Manchester City (16:00) – Man City to win and BTTS (15/8 with Coral)
Concluding the fourth round we have another clash between one of the Premier League’s best – well, its very best – and a side they would expect to beat nine times out of 10. Champions in-waiting Man City make the journey to South Wales having booked their spot in the EFL Cup final in midweek and there are sure to be plenty of punters backing them for a quadruple this season.
They are certainly favourites here, priced at odds of just 2/7 to win in 90 minutes, with the draw available at 5/1 and the Bluebirds priced at big odds of 11/1. Those prices look about right to us and whilst the home side will give it a real go, we can only see one winner.
Pep Guardiola said he expects his side to face plenty of long balls and there is no doubt that Cardiff boss Neil Warnock will have a plan for this game. The Welsh outfit, who won the FA Cup in 1927, are strong at home and, sitting third in the Championship will have a dangerous blend of confidence and nothing-to-lose fearlessness. We can certainly see them causing City problems but ultimately their attacking élan should see them edge what could be an exciting game.