FA Cup - Quarter-Finals - March 7th / 8th
Coventry City V Chelsea Saturday 12:30
The first of the weekends FA Cup quarter-finals sees Chris Coleman meets a familiar foe as Chelsea make their way up to the Rico Arena to take on an average Coventry City team. It comes as no surprise that the bookies are heavily favouring the away side for the win but despite 'The Chelski' having an expense squad, Coventry aren't without a chance going into this very tough home cup tie.
Coventry haven't had the best of seasons in the Championship and are currently stranded in 13th position. They look safe enough for the time being but were they to start getting complacent, they could start free falling into an unnecessary relegation fight. They have hit some decent form though winning three of their previous four league fixtures. Two of those were very impressive wins over current league leaders Wolves and the other against promotion chasing Birmingham City.
Their two victories over Wolves and Birmingham did come at home and Coventry have enjoyed themselves at The Rico Arena in recent home games winning four of their last five home fixtures and have lost just one of their previous eight home matches. They will however need to produce the performance of their life's if they are to overcome firm favourites Chelsea but they aren't without hope.
Chelsea made it three from three when they overcame a resilient Portsmouth side at Fratton park on Tuesday night. It was yet another shaky performance and they were far from convincing. Their midfield failed to control the game and Portsmouth had several good goalscoring opportunities. Chelsea went unpunished though and are now level on points with Liverpool.
On the road Chelsea have done OK and have actually beaten two similar sides away from home in this competition. They eventually beat Southend 4-1 while Watford gave them a scare but still went down 3-1 to the former Premiership winners. Both did manage to get on the score sheet which is quite alarming for all you Chelsea fans. Chelsea also went out at the Semi-Final stage to similar opposition last season so Chelsea may be hit with a case of Deja Vu this weekend.
Match Odds -
Coventry City 13/2 Skybet
Draw 3/1 Paddypower
Chelsea 4/7 Blue Square
Prediction - Chelsea
Fulham V Manchester United Saturday 17:15
One of two all Premiership ties which sees Manchester United make the trip down to London to take on Fulham at Craven Cottage. The pair did meet three weeks ago and Fulham were comfortably beaten 3-0. That was however at Old Trafford and what is worth mentioning is that none of the big four this season have gone to the 'Cottage' and walked away with all three points. They beat Arsenal 1-0 while they held Chelsea to a 2-2 draw back in London.
Fulham have been drastic on the road this season and will be breathing a sigh of relief that they draw dealt them a home tie despite it being a very tricky one on paper against current leaders Manchester United. Their home form looks very impressive at 8-3-1 while their goal record at home stands at 21-9 which is half decent by anyone's standards.
Fulham did manage to pick up a huge point at the weekend when they drew with Arsenal at The Emirates. Their previous home game seen them beat a poor West Brom side 2-0 while they beat Portsmouth 3-1 the game before to notch up back-to-back home wins. Fulham have played some decent football at home and haven't lost at Craven Cottage in nine league games so Manchester United certainly have a game on their hands.
World Club Championship - Check, Carling Cup - Check, FA Cup - Pending. United are still in every competition and have already added two pieces of silverware to their prestigious trophy cabinet. Surely the FA Cup isn't going back to Manchester for a record 12th time, can it? Where they to make it to the final it would be their 19th appearance in an FA Cup final and many are touting them as short favourites to go the distance.
We wouldn't put anyone off backing United to go all the way as they are in scintillating form right now. They are top of the Premiership after going on a run of 12 straight wins while the players will be in buoyant mood after securing the Carling Cup last Sunday. United fear no one on their travels and haven't lost away from Old Trafford since their visit to Arsenal, eight league games ago. They have since won five of their last seven away league games and have kept a clean sheet in their previous seven away matches. This is starting to look more like a formality the more you look at it to be brutally honest.
Match Odds -
Fulham 7/2 Betfred
Draw 12/5 Sportingbet
Manchester United 10/11 Skybet
Prediction - Manchester United
Arsenal V Burnley Sunday 13:30
Burnley will be looking to continue their impressive run in cup competitions this Sunday as they prepare to face an out of form Arsenal at The Emirates in London. Burnley themselves have also been stuttering of late so you would have to edge towards Arsene Wenger and his 'Gunners' side booking a place in the Semi-Final.
Arsenal really have hit a flat spot in regards to the league. They secured just first victory in the league in five games beating a poor West Brom side 3-1 at The Hawthorns. Before that win Arsenal had drawn their previous five league fixtures with three of those being dull 0-0 affairs at The Emirates stadium.
It doesn't take a genius to pinpoint the main problem for Arsenal and that is their lack of goals. They simply aren't creating enough clear cut chances and if you don't supply the strikers enough, they won't score, simple. You have to go all the way back to the 8th November when Arsenal last scored more then once at home. That was nine home games ago against league leaders United but their fine performance that day has yet to be repeated since. They have been given a fairly generous home tie but we mustn't forget that Burnley did beat Arsenal earlier this season in the Carling Cup.
Burnley have had the time of their life's in the cups this season having reached the Semi-Final of the Carling Cup and were just two minutes away from a final at Wembley. That result appears to still be hurting the Burnley players with Owen Coyle's side failing to win their previous three league fixtures. They were also smashed 4-2 at Plainmoor at the weekend by an average Sheffield Wednesday side and that result could seriously crush the team morale.
Their away form is mediocre to say the least at 5-5-7 and Burnley haven't won a game away from home since their surprising 2-1 victory at Bristol City. Their matches away from home do tend to be high scoring affairs with 64% of their away league fixtures ending with 3 or more goals. Burnley don't often defend in numbers and this game has the potential to be a goal feast.
Match Odds -
Arsenal 9/20 Sportingbet
Draw 10/3 ToteSport
Burnley 7/1 Skybet
Prediction - Arsenal
Everton V Middlesborough Sunday 16:00
The second all Premiership tie and one which neither manager will be totally satisfied with. Everton have so many players in the injury room so an ideal fixture would have been a lower league side while Middlesborough are struggling for wins in the league so facing a Premiership side won't be what they wished for. These two have already met twice in the league this season with Everton winning at The Riverside but only managing a draw at home. A draw would be a poor result for both sides so we expect both sides to do their utmost to secure a win.
Everton have been plagued with injuries since the start of the 2008/2009 season and will have to do without some crucial players this Sunday. Yakubu is still out for some time with a ruptured Achilles while Mikel Arteta, Victor Anichebe, Tony Hibbert, James Vaughan and Nuno Valente all miss this weekend's FA Cup tie. Once again David Moyes will have to select a few of his younger players with Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell looking the likely replacements.
With the injuries a-side, Everton done very well considering their difficult circumstances. They haven't lost at Goodison Park in six matches in the league while they beat both Liverpool and Aston Villa in this competition to get to this stage. The latter result against Aston Villa was their most impressive winning 3-1. They showed a lot of vigour going forward and were they to reproduce a similar performance this Sunday, they would be hard to beat.
Middlesborough's league position is a precarious one as the northerners occupy 18th position. Their win at the weekend over title chasing Liverpool did come as major surprise but Middlesborough have now won two games on the trot with Boro beating West Ham in a FA Cup replay last Wednesday to book this tie with Everton at Goodison.
Middlesborough have produced two of their best team displays for some time within the space of a week. They were in emphatic mood against West Ham last Wednesday while they showed a lot of character beating a slightly weakened Liverpool side. Those were both at home though and Middlesborough have still yet to win away from The Riverside in seven league games. They have also scored just eight away goals this season so if they are going to progress they will need to keep Everton at bay.
Match Odds -
Everton 4/5 Blue Square
Draw 5/2 Boylesports
Middlesborough 9/2 Boylesports
Prediction - Draw
With Manchester United in formidable form of late, it comes as no surprise that the bookies have priced them up as short favourites to lift the trophy come May. They will need to win the competition were they to secure an unheard of quadruple and tear apart the record books. Chelsea should be there or thereabouts with the amount of talent they have at the club while Arsene Wenger's Arsenal are certainly in with a shout of lifting the prestigious trophy for an 11th time.
Championship sides Burnley and Coventry are big odds to go all the way but we don't see any value in backing them with both facing tricky opposition this weekend. Middlesborough look a tasty bet at around 22/1 but will have to overcome an injury filled Everton side on Sunday. The value of the lot appears to be with the Gunners who are a massive 4/1 with many firms to lift the Trophy in May. For a side that has made 17 FA Cup final appearances, they look way overpriced and they are our pick for this years competition.
Outright Betting:
Manchester United - 7/4 Bet365
Chelsea - 16/5 Boylesports
Arsenal - 4/1 VC Bet
Everton - 6/1 Ladbrokes
Middlesborough - 22/1 VC Bet
Fulham - 25/1 VC Bet
Hull City - 33/1 VC Bet
Coventry City - 80/1 ToteSport
Burnley - 100/1 Skybet
Our Tip - Arsenal at a massive 4/1 with VC BetLabels: FA Cup, FA Cup Betting, FA Cup preview, FA Cup quarter finals
Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 9:01 AM
 
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