FA Cup Third Round Saturday 4th January / Sunday 5th January
The FA Cup takes centre stage this weekend as all the big guns enter the fray in a competition that is over 130 years old. The FA Cup is also the most prestigious trophy as far as English domestic competitions go with every side in the country desperate to make the trip to Wembley and get their hands on that elusive trophy.
Last year's competition threw up many surprise with Havant & Waterlooville pushing Liverpool all the way at Anfield, Barnsley taking the scalp of both Chelsea and Liverpool and Portsmouth managed to crush Manchester United's hopes of a rare treble winning opportunity. Harry's Pompey side did eventually go on to lift the trophy at Wembley at the expense of West Brom in a close fought final.
The FA Cup has fans all across the globe with it's consistent upsets the biggest attraction. One of the underdogs always prevails against one of the big and mighty Premiership sides and it could turn into a guessing game as to which tie could produce something out of the ordinary this weekend.
There are a few potential banana skins for some of the bigger sides in English football with 7 time winners Liverpool travelling to Preston while last season winners could face an early exit if local rivals Bristol City produce their very best.
The FA Cup has a lot to live up to and we fancy this seasons competition to live up to all the hype.
Tottenham Hotspur V Wigan Athletic Friday 20:00 Setanta Sports
Possibly one of the hardest ties of the third round to predict as Tottenham seek to book a place in the next round of the competition at the expense of their Premiership rivals, Wigan. The pair have already met at White Hart Lane earlier in the season and they couldn't be separated in a boring 0-0 draw. The game will be live on Setanta this Friday so for our sakes, i hope we get a more enjoyable match this time around.
Everyone was singing Harry Redknapp's praises when he first took over at the club. Spurs were at the foot of the table when he took charge of his very first game with West Brom and they went home 3-0 winners. But, although he has managed to get them out of the drop zone he has yet to produce a side that are capable of winning on a regular basis. They certainly have the players to do so with the Spurs squad full to brim of talent. With the money they have spent you would think so.
Tottenham have been very inconsistent at home this season with a home record of 3-3-4 at White Hart Lane. Their last victory at home was against a poor Blackburn side that couldn't buy a win at that time. Even that was done by the skin of their teeth winning by a goal to nil. Scoring at home is a major concern. Just 7 goals at the Lane with both Darren Bent and Roman Pavlychenko finding the net on rare occasions. Even the likes of Jamie O'Hara and Ledley King have had to chip in with goals. Picking a goalscorer for Spurs is a challenge in itself.
Steve Bruce will certainly have been the happier manager over Christmas after Wigan won both of their festive fixtures and are now a run of three successive wins in the league. They were slightly fortunate in their previous match at Bolton as the home side did have several chances to level. Wigan held firm though and recorded yet another win and those three points have pushed them into the upper half of the table.
Wigan find themselves in a much comfortable league position then their opponents and are currently 8 points head of Spurs with a game in hand. They have also managed more goals on the road (13 in total) than Tottenham have at their own ground. They also posses strikers that can actually score with Zaki scoring in his previous two league matches and Heskey chipping in every now and again.
This is probably Wigan's strongest ever side and it is hard to see them being relegated this season. They have players who posses a great deal of strength and endeavour with the likes of Wilson Palacios and Antonio Valencia down the wings and the powerhouse that is Emile Heskey upfront. Amr Zaki gives Wigan another option in the final third and the Egyptian can certainly finish. If Wigan can take their recent momentum into this fixture then they could be too strong for Harry and his Tottenham side despite this being an away tie for Wigan.
Match odds -
Tottenham Hotspur 10/11 Coral
Draw 5/2 Bet365
Wigan Athletic 7/2 Paddypower
Prediction - Wigan Athletic
Portsmouth V Bristol City Saturday 15:00
Many of the Premiership sides involved in the FA Cup have been given generous ties but Portsmouth weren't that lucky. They have been given a tough tie and one that could potentially see the current holders exit at the very first stage. This will be Tony Adam's first FA Cup fixture as manager and I'm certain he will do everything in his power to ensure he is the manager celebrating come Saturday night.
Portsmouth are under the cosh right now after going on a run that has seen them lose four successive league fixtures. The embarrassing run does contain two home defeats and heavy ones at that. 3-0 against Newcastle and 4-1 to West Ham now means they have conceded 7 in just two outings at Fratton park in the Premiership. They did show promise in their final fixture of the 2008 calendar but the 1-0 defeat at Arsenal meant Pompey had nothing to show for their efforts.
Tony Adam's home coming didn't go all to plan last Sunday but it could have been all so different if Pompey had taken some of the rare chances they created. Peter Crouch came close hitting the woodwork but they did show very little in front of goal . Despite that, they didn't deserve to lose and it was 'Calamity James' who came back to haunt Portsmouth once more. His error lead to William Gallas heading home the winner and that crucial mistake will only hinder the keepers confidence.
The defeat was disappointing but they did show promise. It was one of the better performance of late and if they could reproduce something similar this Saturday, they could be too hard to beat.
Bristol City surprised most last season when they not only thwarted peoples expectations of relegation but they went on and to grab an elusive play-off spot. They were close to taking one of the automatic promotion spots but they won't want to dwell on what might have been.
They started the 2008-2009 Championship season in similar vein but they have been far more inconsistent this time around. City have lost 5 of their 13 away fixtures this season and were on a four match win less run on the road before they went and won at Watford a fortnight ago. A concern will be their lack of goals away from Ashton Gate. Their away goal tally of 14 may look OK at first glance but they have failed to score on 6 occasions away from home. That is just under half of their away fixtures this term.
Their current run of two consecutive wins in the league has to be a massive plus for the players confidence's and they will go into this fixture without fear. They are capable of springing a surprise but they will need to be at their very best if they are to do so.
Match odds -
Portsmouth 8/11 Coral
Draw 13/5 Bet365
Bristol City 11/2 Centrebet
Prediction - Draw
Arsenal V Plymouth Argyle Saturday 15:00
Plymouth were given an illustrious tie for the Third round when they were handed an away trip to The Emirates to face the notorious Gunners. The Pilgrims will take several thousand supporters up to London with them in a bid to take Arsenal down at the very first hurdle. However, the last time these two sides met in the FA Cup was back in 1987 and Arsenal won in a comfortable manner winning 6-1 at Highbury. Both sides have come a long way since then so Plymouth will be hoping to get a lot closer to the Gunners this time around.
Arsene Wenger won't want to exit the FA Cup in the Third Round so will field a strong side. He may however give a few of the younger squad members a run out as they do posses some real talent within the highly rated Arsenal Youth system. Aaron Ramsey and Jack Whiltshire have already made several first team appearance for the gunners this season while Carlos Vela had a successful Carling Cup campaign this season. All three have a strong chance of featuring in this match especially as their club captain, Cesc Fabregas, is out for some time.
Arsenal have hardly been setting the Premiership alight this season and they have already found themselves ten points off the pace at the top of the table. They are also inconsistent at the Emirates this season losing twice already at home. Those defeats were of course to better sides then the team they face on Saturday but it shows that Arsenal are capable of putting in a poor display.
Plymouth are no mugs and caution should be advised when choosing a side to face them on Saturday. I can't help but think that he will experiment a tad with this fixture and it could lead to their downfall if they produce yet another poor performance.
Plymouth Argyle must have had every lucky charm in their possession when the draw for the Third round was made as they never usually draw one of the big four or any big side in the Premiership for that matter. They even went all the way to the Semi-Finals two seasons back and didn't face a single top flight side other then a woeful Watford side that was at the foot of the table at the time.
There are of course many incentives for Plymouth for winning this tie. Bragging rights would be high up on the list but they would also receive £75,000 for their troubles if they were to spring a surprise at The Emirates. Another massive lure will be the possibility of them bringing back Arsenal to Home Park if they were to hold on for a draw in Arsenal. They would certainly welcome the revenue that would come from such a fixture.
Plymouth are having a mediocre season to date and they have currently hit a flat spot losing 5 of their previous 7 league matches. The away defeat in their most recent match won't help matters but Plymouth are capable of competing on the road. They did notch up two away wins on the bounce very early on in the season beating both Watford and Crystal palace at their respective grounds.
They will need to reproduce a performance of similar stature and then some if they are to take the scalp of one of the tournament favourites.
Match odds -
Arsenal 11/50 Paddypower
Draw 5/1 Bet365
Plymouth Argyle 14/1 William Hill
Prediction - Arsenal
Chelsea V Southend Saturday 15:00
It is hard to tell which party will be the happier with this tie. Chelsea fans will see this as a safe passage into the next round while the Southend fans will see this fixture as a day out. The players on the other hand won't settle for anything other than a win. Yes, even the Southend players. They have it all to do if they are to take anything from Stamford Bridge but I'm sure the Southend players will find this an easy fixture to get fired up for.
Phil Scolari is new to the FA Cup but I'm sure the Chelsea board and players will explain how important it is that they go far in this competition. Something they have done on a consistent basis in recent season and most recently got the Semi-Finals before they were knock out by none other then giant-killers Barnsley. I'm sure that game will live long in the memory of the Chelsea players as it was a glorious opportunity for them to pick up yet more silverware.
They are the 4/1 favourites to go on and lift the trophy in May but they will need to go one better then last season if they are to do so. They couldn't of asked for a better tie as they should walk through this home match with League one opposition in Southend United. It is highly unlikely that 'Big Phil' will field a weak side for this fixture despite them being strong favourites. His line-up's in the Carling Cup were fairly strong and that was cup that not many care too much about. They will b without Florent Malouda though after he limped off with a thigh injury while Paulo Ferreirais also a doubt although Ricardo Carvalho has recovered from a long time injury and should start in his place.
Chelsea have been inconsistent at the Bridge this season. They have got several draws against some of the poorer sides in the Premiership. West Ham and Newcastle have both walker away with a share of the spoils while both Liverpool and Arsenal have beaten the blues at home this season.
This is however a home tie against far weaker opponents and despite their poor vein of form at home this season. They should comfortable progress into the fourth round.
Everyone involved with Southend will have been delighted with the draw for the third round. Many of the smaller sides in the English leagues are desperate to land an away trip to one of the bigger clubs in the country as the cash reward for playing will pay the player wages for several weeks.
We think the money is all they can look forward to as they are well out of the depth in this match. They have had a poor seasons by their standards in league one and already find themselves well adrift of the automatic promotion places and 11 points off those in the play-off spots. Their away form has also been poor this term winning just two of their 12 away fixtures. They also have the unwanted statistic of having the second worst away defensive record in League one with 27 goals shipped in just 12 away fixtures.
This will be a great day out for the lads but that swill be all they can hope for. They have been very poor this season especially on the road and it would be the shock of the competition if they were to knock Chelsea out on Saturday.
Match odds -
Chelsea 1/9 Paddypower
Draw 15/2 Centrebet
Southend United 25/1 Bet365
Prediction - Chelsea
Hull City V Newcastle United Saturday 15:00
This is just one of two all Premiership ties in the third round and it is Hull who have the pleasure of playing host to Newcastle United this Saturday. Joe Kinnear takes his Newcastle side to the KC Stadium of the back of a hiding while Hull will still have the 5-1 mauling by Manchester City in the back of their minds. Neither side can claim any sort of momentum going into this tricky fixture so a place in the fourth round is there for the taking for both sides.
The Hull party bus has certainly come to a stern halt as Hull succumbed to yet another league defeat. A heavy one at that. They were thumped 4-1 in front of their home fans against Sunderland a fortnight ago and were then slaughtered by Manchester City in Manchester last weekend. Not the sort of form you need going into a tough Fa Cup fixture.
Their league position is on a downward spiral after dropping down from 4th to 8th in recent weeks. A massive blow mentally will be the fact that Hull have won just once in their last ten league fixtures. That was a 2-1 win over Middlesborough who are also struggling to pick up wins.
These two have already met earlier on in the season and it went the way of Hull in a 2-1 victory in Newcastle. That was when they were on a high and it is difficult to predict which Hull side will turn up on Saturday. If they return to the sort of form that seen them rise to fourth in the table then they could walk this game. If they play like they did in Manchester then they could see yet another embarrassing defeat.
It is hard to find any positives from Newcastle's last fixture with Liverpool. They went into the match at St. James Park in buoyant mood after hearing the news that owner Mike Ashley confirmed that the club wasn't up for sale any more. The bubbly was put on ice though as Liverpool proved to be the 'party poopers' in a 5-1 spanking for the Toon. Steven Gerrard scored a brace while Newcastle gifted most of Liverpool's goals. Their defending was awful and at times was laughable.
Joe Kinnear had a lot on his plate when he first took the reigns at Newcastle but he has got straight down to it and has done extremely well to turn the clubs fortunes around. They are still in the bottom half of the table and hovering just above the drop zone but their results in the league have improved dramatically and they were on a 7 match unbeaten run before losing two on the bounce to Wigan and Liverpool.
The defeat at home to Liverpool will have been morale crushing for many of the players and it is hard to tell whether that result will play some part mentally in this fixture. A defeat that heavy is often hard to forget and put to one side.
Match odds -
Hull City 29/20 Centrebet
Draw 12/5 Bet365
Newcastle United 19/10 William Hill
Prediction - Newcastle United
Preston North End V Liverpool Saturday 17:25 ITV1
We start with one fixture that is live on ITV1 and a match that is sure to be entertaining to all. One of the competition favourites heads down to Preston with progression into the fourth round draw up for grabs. A lot will be at stake for both sides with Liverpool looking to win their 8th FA Cup while bragging rights and revenue is there for the taking for Preston.
Preston finished 2008 on a mini high after they took a point away from Oakwell in a 1-1 draw with Barnsley. Ross Wallace rescued a point with a superb Free-Kick mid way through the second half to share the spoils. A result which has left them in 7th position in the Championship and in close proximity to the play-off's.
Without stating the obvious to most, Preston are in the league below and will be facing their biggest test of the season by far. Preston will take heart with the fact that they have played all of last seasons relegated sides from the Premiership at Deepdale and beaten all three. So they will feel they have the pedigree to compete with Liverpool at Deepdale. Their season so far has been fairly good with form coming in patches. Their home form, on the whole, has been good and they are undefeated at Deepdale in five matches. They have also gone 13 home matches without a draw so it is unlikely that this will end in a return trip to Liverpool. Preston have no fresh injuries and Neil Mellor could potentially face his former employers if he is given a starting berth.
Despite Liverpool being firm favourites for this match, they won't under estimate their opponents. Rafeal Benitez will return to the side lines after missing the festive fixtures due to having surgery on kidney Stones. He is fully aware that this could potentially be a tricky tie for his side and he won't want to go out of the competition after just one game. The last time he rested a few key players in the FA Cup they were sent crashing out by Burnley three seasons ago. He will hoping he doesn't get a case of Deja Vu at Preston.
Liverpool were simply sublime over the Christmas period and managed back-to-back wins over Bolton and Newcastle. They have also notched up an impressive goal tally scoring eight in two matches. They also posses a decent away record this season losing on just one occasion, away at Tottenham. Even that match was unfortunate as Liverpool dominated the proceedings.
The reds were emphatic against Newcastle last Sunday and the 5-1 scoreline wasn't a fair reflection in what could have been a double figured score in Liverpool's favour. Steven Gerrard ran the show and he will undoubtedly be the danger man as far as Preston are concerned. A scary thought is that Liverpool have been playing tremendously well without their best striker. Fernando Torres, who has been out for some time now but could play some part in this crucial fixture if fit.
Liverpool have too many match winners in their squad to be even considering backing against them. Preston won't roll over but Liverpool should progress without too many scares.
Match odds -
Preston NE 13/2 Bet365
Draw 10/3 Bet365
Liverpool 9/25 Bet365
Prediction - Liverpool
Southampton V Manchester United Sunday 16:00
A few years ago this was a regular Premiership fixture for both sides but my how Southampton have fallen since. The two teams have met on no less then 71 times during the many years football has existed and Manchester United have always had the upper hand. United have won the previous four meetings between the two sides including a 4-0 win at Southampton in the FA Cup back in 2005. We wouldn't put anyone off backing a similar scoreline this Sunday at St Mary's.
Jan Poortvliet has one of the hardest job's in football right now and that is attempting to get his struggling Saints out of the rut they are in and away from the foot of the Championship. They only just managed to scrape survival last season when they secured Championship status on the very last day of the 2007-2008 season. They are close to odds on to go down this season and it wouldn't be much of a surprise if they were to do just that.
They have made a dreadful start to their Championship campaign and are already occupying one of the three relegation positions. The Saints also find themselves on a run of 8 matches without a win. Funnily enough their very last win in the league came against a very good Reading side. Since then they have managed just four goals in 8 matches and have shipped 12 in return. Hardly the sort of material you need to know if you're a Southampton faithful.
The truth does tend to hurt though and it doesn't get more painful then this for the saints. Their performances of late have been nothing short of abysmal and the home advantage on Sunday won't mean anything when they sail out of the FA Cup at the first time of asking.
Sir Alex won't mind too much who he draws in the FA Cup but he couldn't of got much easier then an out of sorts Southampton side for their first FA Cup fixture. If they were not to win on Sunday it would be a major disappointment as Saints have showed very little of late to indicate that they could make a match of this.
Manchester United don't exactly go into this game with a lot of momentum as their displays recently have been average to say the least. They narrowly seen off Middlesborough at Old Trafford in their last ever fixture in 2008 winning 1-0 but they were hardly impressive. They have a knack of creating a lot of chances but have a big problem with converting them. They had a dozen or so clear cut chances against Middlesborough and missed all but one. J Park's miss from 2 yards summed up their poor finishing.
Despite their poor performances they are still grinding out the right results and are currently third in the table and well in touch with those above providing they win their games in hand. Scoring away from home has been a concern this season with United scoring just nine on the road all season. That's an average of 0.90 a game. Hardly Premiership winning material. They will be facing a far inferior side on Sunday though so they should enjoy themselves in front of goal. It could be a guessing game as to who will start up front with Carlos Tevez the more likely choice with Wayne Rooney probably settling for a place on the bench after he took a knock in the match with Middlesborough.
Match odds -
Southampton 10/1 Bet365
Draw 9/2 ToteSport
Manchester United 3/10 Coral
Prediction - Manchester UnitedLabels: FA Cup, FA Cup Betting, FA Cup preview, FA Cup third round
Posted by football-betting.co.uk @ 8:35 AM
 
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