Football Betting Previews

FA Cup - Quarter-Finals Preview by Matthew Chapple (7-8 March 2009) (Thursday, March 05, 2009)

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 Bet Labels: FA Cup, FA Cup Betting, FA Cup preview, FA Cup quarter finals Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 9:01 AM

FA Cup Fifth Round Preview by Matthew Chapple (14-15 February 2009) (Thursday, February 12, 2009)

FA Cup Previews 14th / 15th February 2009 Everton V Aston Villa Sunday 14:30 The FA Cup makes yet another appearance this weekend and what a tie the draw has thrown up here with Aston Villa doing all the travelling as they visit Merseyside to take on Everton at Goodison Park. With the exception of current league leaders Manchester United. These two are in the Premiership's in-form sides and it would take a brave punter to try and separate the two and highlight a possible winner. Everton didn't get out of the blocks and made a stuttering start to their 2008-2009 season. The loss of Yakubu early on was a huge blow for David Moyes and Everton but you wouldn't of noticed his absence in recent weeks with Everton, some would say, over achieving right now. They were without a recognised front man for some time but were still chipping in with some positive results. Their two draws and one win over Liverpool in the space of just over a week showed just how resilient Everton are and we fancy 'The Toffees' to put in yet another spirited performance. It was very pleasing to see Moyes giving some of the younger players, within his small squad, the chance to show themselves. Both Jack Rodwell and Dan Gosling made appearances in their last round clash with Liverpool at Goodison with the latter eventually scoring the winner in a rather bizarre fashion. They have also been joined by their new Brazilian signing with Man City's Jo joining on loan until the end of the season. Jo failed to nail down a starting place in Mark Hughes squad but with Jo scoring twice on his Everton debut. It would appear he is already a firm favourite with David Moyes. Instead of compiling a list of all the positives in regards to Aston Villa right now. We will simply set a challenge down to everyone who thinks they can find something negative to say about them right now. Eight wins from their last ten league fixtures, unbeaten in thirteen matches in the Premiership and have now gone above Chelsea into third position in the league table. It would be safe to say that not many would have predicted that Villa would be doing as well as they currently are but this run of superb results is fully deserved. Aston Villa set a club record on Saturday by winning their seventh consecutive away league match, beating Blackburn in a comfortable manner winning 2-0 at Ewood Park. That was their tenth away win this season and with Villa only losing three of their thirteen away fixtures this season, you would think Martin O'Neill and his team stand a very good chance of progression into the Quarter-Finals of the FA Cup. They have had fairly easy opposition up until now so this will be their first real test. Match odds - Everton 6/4 Boylesports Draw 23/10 Boylesports Aston Villa 2/1 Bet365 Prediction - Draw Derby County V Manchester United Sunday 16:30 Round three of the Derby County V Manchester United trilogy. It is currently 1-1 after both sides won at home in their two legged Carling Cup tie but with Manchester United out scoring Derby to book a place in the final. Derby will be out for revenge but may once again have to settle for another respectable scoreline with United simply looking to good on paper not to back going into this fairly generous fifth round tie. The Nigel Clough factor appears to working magic at Derby. With Paul Jewell resigning, Nigel Clough has took over the reigns of the Rams and has already guided them to very respectable victories in the Championship. His first came at Pride Park where they narrowly managed to see of Coventry City winning 2-1. His second came straight after with the Rams equalling their best league result this season winning 3-0 down at Plymouth. They have now notched up back-to-back league wins and will be looking to continue their good run of results. Derby's recent form will come as a relief to the the chairman who was starting to forget what a league victory actually felt like. Before their two recent success, they had only managed to win one of their previous eleven league fixtures. A poor run of results which included eight defeats. Unsurprisingly, Derby are in the bottom half of the table and where it not for those two wins, they might be sat in the drop zone as we speak. Many at Derby will prioritise the league and despite the magic of the cup, we can't see past an away win today. Everything is going right for Manchester United right now. They are still in every domestic competition, their champions league tie with Inter Milan is just over the horizon while they have a comfortable lead at the top of the Premiership. What more could the Scotsman in chrage want? Possibly not an away tie with Derby County. A fixture they have already lost once this season. It would be an under statement to say that United are doing well at the moment but despite 'The Red Devils' notching up some very positive results. They have still failed to impress me. They secured their eighth consecutive league win at the weekend beating West Ham United 1-0 at Upton Park. That was however their ninth 1-0 victory in the league this season whilst it was their fifth away 1-0 score, So United are still failing to impose themselves. As long as United are picking up the right results, no one will dare criticise them but Fergie surely can't be totally happy with what he is seeing on the pitch in recent weeks? The wins are always pleasing to every football manager but United still show an air of vulnerability about them. Mainly due to their reluctance to put the ball in the back of the net. With the exception of their thumping of West Brom, United have yet to score more then one goal away from home. A surprising statistic you don't normally associate with a side like Manchester United. Match odds - Derby County 10/1 Skybet Draw 7/2 Boylesports Manchester United 2/5 Stanjames Prediction - Manchester United Watford V Chelsea Saturday 17:30 Chelsea were handed yet another generous draw but unlike all their other ties, this one will be played away from Stamford Bridge. A sigh of relief will sound out around London as Chelsea have been very disappointing at home this season. A lot has happened at Chelsea within the last few weeks and a defeat at Vicarage Road this Saturday would be a drastic result for the club. Watford also have their issues and we're sure they will appreciate the break from Championship action. Watford manager Brendan Rogers really does have a very tough task on his hands at Vicarage Road. Watford were once battling for their Premiership status not so long ago but they now have a fight on their hands just to stay in the Championship. They currently occupy the last relegation spot and look decent value for the drop with their recent form not good. Watford have only managed to win eight league games this season and with that in mind, it comes as no surprise that they are struggling. They have however notched up seven of those eight wins at home so they will be thankful that the draw presented them with a home tie although they won't be too pleased with receiving Chelsea. They have won just one of their last seven league fixtures but that was at home to an in form Burnley. One of their better performance came against Burnley in that match and they will need to improve on that if they are to give Chelsea a real game. What a turbulent few weeks it has been for Chelsea. Results haven't gone their way since Christmas with defeats at both Old Trafford and Anfield. Their draw at home with Hill City have now left them seven points behind league leaders Manchester United and left United with a game in hand. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will feel he had no other option but to send Phil Scolari on his way but the blues are now manager-less for this crucial FA Cup fixture. Steve Clarke will take over on a temporary basis and this is a good chance for him to stake a claim for the vacant managerial position. He couldn't of asked for a better first game, with Chelsea possessing a decent away record this term. Chelsea's away from this season stands at 8-2-2 which does look impressive at first glance but Chelsea haven't won on the road in their last four league visits with their last away win coming at Southend in the FA Cup. They do posses a strong away goalscoring record of 23-8 and with Watford in the mist, you would fancy Chelsea to book their place in the next round despite all the off-pitch drama. Match odds - Watford 10/1 Skybet Draw 4/1 VC Bet Chelsea 4/11 Ladbrokes Prediction - Chelsea Sheffield United V Hull City Saturday 15:00 A match that really could go either way here as Phil Brown takes his Hull side to Hillsborough this weekend with Sheffield United waiting to pounce on Hull's poor run of league results. Sheffield themselves have hardly been firing on all cylinders recently so both sides will see this as a match they really could win. Bramall Lane is the venue in what we hope is a lively affair. Sheffield United will appreciate the fact that they have been granted a home tie but their recent home form is far from impressive. Manager Kevin Blackwell has seen his side lose two straight home fixtures with defeats to Doncaster and Sheffield Wednesday. The latter will be a result that will remain on both the players and fans minds for some time as no one likes to lose a derby. None more so then the Sheffield pair. Sheffield United have had an inconsistent season but they still occupy one of the play-off spots so they are roughly where they wanted to be before the season kicked off. Their home record of 7-4-5 will hardly strike fear into their opponents eyes but with the Sheffield faithful behind them, they should go close. They will be desperate to make up for their weekend defeat to local rivals Sheffield Wednesday and a win over Hull this Saturday would go some way to putting that right. Phil Brown is another manager that will enjoy his mini break away from life in the Premiership. His side have struggled in recent weeks so the pressure of attaining a good league results will disappear for this week at least. Hull are without a league win nine matches and are just four behind Middlesborough who haven't won in thirteen league matches. Their draw at home to West Brom was a disappointing result as it was certainly a match they could and really ought to have won. Hull's win less run does include some very poor away results with the 'Tigers' losing three of their previous four away fixtures. Albeit that they were against some very good Premiership sides but those poor results will only knock their confidence. Hull have also failed to score in any of their previous away league fixtures so goals as well as points are starting to dry up at Hull. Were they to rekindle their early league form which seen them reach fourth in the Premiership table, they would push Sheffield close but Hull have shown very little recently. Match Odds - Sheffield United 13/8 Skybet Draw 23/10 Bet365 Hull City 7/4 Bet365 Prediction -Sheffield United Swansea City V Fulham Saturday 12:45 The Cottagers make the lengthy trip to Wales this weekend as they prepare to face Swansea City at The Liberty Stadium. Fulham are notorious for having a poor away record but they have already won twice away from home in this competition so they have every chance of completing a hat-trick this Saturday. Swansea will be having other ideas though and we expect them put up a fight for their right to go into the draw for the Quarter-finals. Swansea manager Roberto Martinez has done a tremendous job at the club this season and their comfortable 3-0 win over Ipswich on Saturday lifted them up into 7th position. They are now just two points away from breaking into the play-off spots and their recent results would indicate that they are on the verge of doing just that. Since Christmas they have won four of their five league fixtures and emphatically dumped Portsmouth out of the FA Cup at Fratton Park so the confidence is obviously at an all time high right now. Swansea have lost just once at home this season and that came back in November when they lost 3-2 to Birmingham City. Since then they have gone unbeaten and haven't lost in thirteen league fixtures, home and away. Unfortunately, that run does include an awful lot of draws with just four of those games being wins. They do have an impressive home goalscoring record of 31-15 though so Swansea merit a lot of respect going into Saturdays tie. Fulham have also enjoyed their season and have finally broke into the top ten after weeks of trying. Many fancied them to go down but they have proved us all wrong and look safe for the time being. They are only seven points above the drop zone though so they cannot afford to get complacent. Roy Hodgeson will be there to ensure that his sides performance levels don't drop. Fulham still have that away voodoo hanging over them with regards to the league. They have failed to win any of their twelve away fixtures in the league and have shown very little in their recent away games to show that their away burden will be lifted. In this competition though they have already won twice away from craven Cottage beating both Sheffield Wednesday and Kettering Town. Both were inferior sides and Swansea are no different. Despite Fulham's poor away league form, we still fancy them to make it three straight away wins in the FA Cup this Saturday. Match odds - Swansea City 13/8 Skybet Draw 12/5 Boylesports Fulham 15/8 Boylesports Prediction - Fulham Labels: FA Cup, FA Cup Betting, FA Cup fifth round, FA Cup preview Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 8:21 AM

FA Cup Fourth Round Preview by Matthew Chapple (24-25 January 2009) (Thursday, January 22, 2009)

FA Cup Previews 24th / 25th January 2009 Chelsea V Ipswich Saturday 15:00 Chelsea were given yet another generous tie when they drew Ipswich County in the fourth round. Once again they were given the advantage of playing at home although they were forced into playing a second round replay after they couldn't see off League Two side Southend at Stamford Bridge in the previous round. Chelsea boss Phil Scolari will be hoping his players can avoid the blushes at the first time of asking when Ipswich come to town on Saturday. The water is certainly not clam under the Stamford Bridge right now. Rumours are circulating that their Russian Billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, could be selling the club. He is obviously not impressed with matters on the pitch and while this is an off the field matter. It could have massive implications on Chelsea's on-pitch performances. Since the new year they have drawn with Southend in the FA Cup, lost 3-1 to bitter rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford, unconvincingly managed to beat Southend in the replay and scraped past a poor Stoke side at the weekend. It is fairly clear to see that Chelsea are not in top gear. They have now slipped to 3rd in the league table and were close to losing yet more ground with Stoke leading at Stamford Bridge up until the 88th minute. Frank Lampard scored the winner late into injury time in a result that could give the Chelsea players the kick up the backside they so needed. The 'Chelski' have been very inconsistent at home this season and have a home record of 5-4-2. Those two defeats were to Arsenal and Liverpool but they have still showed that they are surprisingly vulnerable at home. We personally feel that this isn't the best time to be playing Chelsea but Ipswich will certainly be thinking otherwise. Ipswich probably won't be as happy as Chelsea might be with the tie as they would have liked to progressed further in the competition but that doesn't mean the result is a formality. Ipswich do play in the league below and it is fair to say that they have had a poor season in the Championship. They currently find themselves in 11th position and are already 6 points off those in the play-off spots. If the Ipswich manager was to be brutally honest, he would probably say that this fixture is a bit of a distraction although they will still have one eye on trying to progress. They are massive outsiders to make it into the draw for the next round and that is understandable when you take a look at their poor away record. 5-4-5 means they have won just just 1/3 of their away fixtures this season. They are however on a run of two straight away wins so they will look to take that away momentum into this very tricky cup tie. Match odds - Chelsea 9/50 VC Bet Draw 6/1 Centrebet Ipswich 16/1 Bet365 Prediction - Chelsea Sunderland V Blackburn Rovers Saturday 15:00 One of the few all Premiership ties sees Sam Allardyce take his rejuvenated Blackburn side to the Stadium of Light this Saturday with a place in the fourth round up for grabs. The two sides have already met twice in the league this season with Blackburn failing to win either. Sunderland beat Blackburn at Ewood Park but could only manage a 0-0 draw at home on Boxing Day. The law of averages would say that Blackburn are due a win but Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia will beg to differ. Ricky Sbragia hasn't enjoyed his start as Sunderland manager as much as he would have wanted. He has yet to experience what a win in the Premiership feels like with the 'Black Cats' failing to win none of their four games with Sbragia in charge. That win less run does include a home draw with their opponents on Boxing Day. Sunderland haven't faired too well at home this season winning just three of their opening eleven home matches. They have also won just one of their previous six home matches so returning to their beloved stadium won't be as much of an advantage as the Sunderland fans might of hoped. Their preferred striking partnership of Djibril Cisse and Kenwyne Jones has been a fairly successful one with the pair scoring 13 goals between them. They both have the talent to score goals regularly but they lack someone in the centre of the park that can carve out chances for the pair week in, week out. Big Sam notched up just his second league win at charge of Blackburn at the weekend when his team brushed a-side Newcastle with ease winning 3-0 at Ewood Park. That win did come at though and Rovers are still burdened by their run of 7 away matches without winning. It would take a brave man to bet on Blackburn ending that run this weekend with Sam's team showing very little in their recent away matches to think that they can put that unfortunate poor run to bed. They have also failed to score in 180 minutes playing away from home and with Santa Cruz consistently being linked with a move away from Lancashire, it doesn't look optimistic for the white and blues. Their away record this season is a poor one at 2-3-5 but Allardyce will be happy with the fact that none of his players came out of their weekend clash with Newcastle with any knocks so he should field a similar side in a bid to achieve a similar result. Match odds - Sunderland 13/10 VC Bet Draw 23/10 Paddypower Blackburn Rovers 23/10 Paddypower Prediction - Draw Wolves V Middlesborough Saturday 15:00 This is a hard one for the bookies to price up as Premiership side Middlesborough make the trip to Molineux this weekend with Wolves waiting in the mist. This is possibly one of the ironic ties of the fourth round as Middlesborough look a good bet for relegation in the Championship while Wolves look a sure thing for promotion to the Premiership. There is only one winner if it came down to recent from and it would appear that Middlesborough have it all to do. Wolves have enforced a five point gap on their nearest pursuers but their recent form will only please the visiting side. They have been by fat the most consistent side in the Championship this season but they have hit a flat spot as far as winning is concerned. It was five games ago when Wolves last won in the league when they beat an inconsistent Doncaster side 1-0. Since then, they have drawn three and lost their previous four league fixtures. That defeat did come at home which was a tad surprisingly considering that Wolves have been very impressive at home this season. They have an impressive record of 10-2-2 at the Molineux this season but they have failed to win their in two outings. They have only failed to score once at home this season and that came in a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Reading. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake has scored 16 goals while Chris Iwelumo has netted on 13 occasions so Middlesborough have their work cut out if they are to stop Wolves main goal threats. Wolves have been priced up on the short side when you take into consideration that they are in the league below but they performances throughout the season would indicate that they should push Middlesborough close this Saturday. That ever ticking clock inside Gareth Southgate's head will be ticking ever faster now that his side have stretched their win less run in the Premiership to ten games. Just two matches away from bettering Blackburn's season record of going eleven matches without a win. Judging by their recent performances, they stand a good chance of achieving that unwanted record. Their attack lacks inspiration while their defence looks fully capable of conceding any amount of goals.. They are currently sat in 18th position and are a club in real trouble. I'm glad that Southgate hasn't been given the boot like so many others in a similar situation but you can't help but fear that his exit is imminent. Their squad on the whole is far from being world beaters but they have several world class players that simply aren't pulling their weight. Alfonso Alves cost the club in the region of £12 million but he has failed to make an impression during his first season and a bit at Middlesborough. The main problem is their front line. Alves, Tuncay and Aliadere simply aren't going to score on a regular basis and it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see one of more of the threesome to move on during the summer. Middlesborough have been largely very poor away from home this season, winning just two of their eleven away matches. Put that together with their poor away goal scoring tally of eight and you would assume that the Championship side have the upper hand going into this intriguing fourth round tie. Match odds - Wolves 7/5 Centrebet Draw 12/5 Paddypower Middlesborough 19/10 Bet365 Prediction - Wolves Manchester United V Tottenham Hotspur Saturday 17:15 This is certainly a tie to wet the appetite as Harry Redknapp meets a familiar foe in Sir Alex Ferguson on Saturday. The Red Devils are deservedly the clear favourites to win the match and the advantage of playing at Old Trafford should play a key part in ITV's live coverage. The two teams met earlier this season at White Hart Lane and the pair couldn't be separated. You can't help but feel that a draw on Saturday would be a terrible result for both sides with neither wanting to play a replyin what would be an extra fixture to their already busy football calendar. . Manchester United are certainly the in form side in the Premiership right now. They are haven't suffered defeat in ten games and are on a run of five successive wins. A run which has helped them regain the top spot in the table. They are now three points clear of long time leaders Liverpool and look worthy favourites to life the trophy at the end of the season. Their form at Old Trafford this season has been nothing short of sublime winning nine of their ten home matches this term. The other was a 1-1 draw with Newcastle on the opening day of the season so no side has overturned United at home all season. Their defensive record at home is also very impressive, conceding just four league goals. Funnily enough, Derby County made the trip to Old Trafford on Tuesday and scored twice in 4 minutes so maybe United's defence is breach-able after all. Sir Alex fielded an ordinary side in the last round when they comfortably saw off Championship side Southampton at ST. Mary's winning 3-0. Spurs will be a much sterner test though so 'Fergie' cannot afford to experiment and we expect him to select all the big guns for this live encounter with Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham could potentially secure a treble this season providing they see off United, twice. They beat Burnley on Wednesday to book their place in the final of the Carling Cup where they will face United for the trophy. They were far from convincing though and they had to score two goals in Extra-Time to secure progression into the final. If they were to spring a surprise this Saturday and knock out the tournament favourites, then you would have to feel that Spurs are serious FA Cup contenders this season. It is a tough ask though with United yet to taste defeat at home this season, in all competitions. Add that to the fact that Tottenham are on a terrible run of form and it doesn't bode well for their chances. They haven't won in six outings in the league with their last taste of victory coming against Burnley in the Carling Cup so they do have the ability to come good in domestic competitions. Spurs have been very poor on the road though this season winning just two of their eleven away league fixtures. They have however managed to score five more goals on the road then they have done at White Hart Lane so they don't tend to have problems finding the away net. They will be facing a side with the best home defensive record in the Premiership though and their away goal scoring tally of 13 isn't fantastic so it would take a brave punter to lump on Spurs this Saturday. Match odds - Manchester United 4/11 Skybet Draw 9/2 Paddypower Tottenham Hotspur 9/1 Blue Square Prediction - Manchester United Liverpool V Everton Sunday 16:00 Setanta Sports 1 Part three of the Merseyside trilogy and once again it is Everton who make the short trip across to Anfield. The two teams have met twice already this season with Liverpool winning at Goodison Park 2-0, but the pair met last Monday in the league whenTim Cahill scored late on to take a share of the spoils back to Everton. The law of averages would say that Everton are now due a win over their bitter derby rivals but the Anfield faithful will certainly be thinking otherwise. Rafeal Benitez will be fully aware that their 1-1 draw with the Toffee's on Monday was a huge setback as far as their hopes for securing their first league title in 18 years . Steven Gerrard scored a wonderful goal just after the hour mark but it was that little Australian who had the last say when he scored a scrappy goal in the 87th minute to take home a massive point, as far as Everton are concerned. The goal was a scrappy one but it was just one of many poor goals that Liverpool have conceded at home and it was yet another game they failed to win at Anfield. Liverpool are one of just two sides who have yet to lose at home this season but their home form is very poor in the league. They have dropped points in five matches at home and they were all to sides that on paper, they should have beaten. Hull City, Fulham, West Ham, Stoke City and Everton have all taken something away from Anfield with them and it is clear that Anfield is not the fortress it once was. At least in their Premiership games. No side has scored more then once at Anfield this season so for Everton to progress you would think that they would have to score at least twice which is somewhat unlikely. Xabi Alonso has returned from his injury while Fernando Torres is still gaining match fitness but he should be primed and fit for Sundays live clash with Everton and we fancy him to make it onto the score sheet and help his side progress into the fifth round draw. Everton's mid-week result against Liverpool will be just what they needed going into the same match but with different expectations. If you was to offer David Moyes a point before they played Liverpool on Monday. I'm sure he would have taken it with glee. Give him the same offer on Sunday and I'm pretty sure you would get a different answer. No top flight manager wants to play an extra fixture so Everton will have no choice but to play attacking football and this could lead to their downfall. Everton are one of several sides this season to have a better away record then their home. Their form away from home is impressive at 7-2-2 but they haven't won at Anfield in sometime and with them lacking quality up front. It is hard to predict an Everton win. They are undefeated in six league matches though so they do have some momentum going into this crucial away fixture. We just doubt it will be enough for them to progress. Match odds - Liverpool 7/10 VC Bet Draw 5/2 Bet365 Everton 11/2 Skybet Prediction - Liverpool Cardiff City V Arsenal Sunday 13:00 Setanta Sports 1 An intriguing tie in prospect here as Arsenal make the trip to Wales where they take on Champions ship side Cardiff City at Ninian Park. Both sides are in decent form but only one can make it into the draw for the fifth round which will take place straight after this game. Cardiff made it all the way to the final last season but they have it all to do if they are to repeat that feat this time around. Cardiff manager Dave Jones will only have promotion on his mind throughout the course of this season but Cardiff did enjoy their time in the FA Cup last season so they will want to at least try and repeat the success they enjoyed during 2008. They have been dealt one of the hardest draws possible though but will have the advantage of playing at home. 8-3-2 is their record at Ninian Park this season with Wolves and Birmingham being the only two sides to have beaten Cardiff at home in the league. They are undefeated at home in five matches and are on a run of 9 matches without defeat so confidence will be high within the Cardiff camp. They are also well in touch with the main pack as far as achieving a play-off spot goes. They are currently sixth in the Championship table but they are already nine points adrift of those occupying the automatic promotion positions. Cardiff have won their previous three home matches in the league and have failed to score in just one of their thirteen home matches this season so Cardiff do have the statistics behind them, but they will have to perform to their full potential if they are to cause an upset on Sunday. Arsene Wenger also takes his side into this fourth round match on an unbeaten run. The Gunners haven't lost in eight league matches. A run that includes a respectable draw away at Villa and a fantastic 2-1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. They have however done better at home and their away record of 5-3-3 will hardly strike fear into the oppositions eyes. Their last victory did come on the road though when they beat Hull City 3-1 at The KC stadium and we all know that Arsenal are capable of getting a result at any venue so playing at Ninian Park won't be a major issue. Arsenal have already seen off a Championship side in this competition when they beat Plymouth Argyle in the previous round, 3-1. This is a generous draw for them despite Cardiff being undefeated in nine matches. The likes of Van Persie and Adebayor should find the back of the Cardiff net fairly easy providing they get the opportunities. The absence of Cesc Fabregas is a huge loss still but they have proved that they can cope without him. Samir Nasri will be a key player on Sunday and he is our one player to watch in this match. Match odds - Cardiff City 11/2 Paddypower Draw 3/1 Boylesports Arsenal 4/6 VC Bet Prediction - Arsenal Labels: FA Cup, FA Cup Betting, FA Cup fourth round, FA Cup preview Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 9:14 AM

FA Cup Third Round Preview by Matthew Chapple (3-4 January) (Tuesday, December 30, 2008)

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 United Labels: FA Cup, FA Cup Betting, FA Cup preview, FA Cup third round Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 8:35 AM