Home comforts should open the door to FA Cup progress
Ben Cleminson and Bill Esdaile with the best football and racing bets
WHO says the FA Cup has lost its magic? This weekend the Premier League’s top four are all in action – against each other.
Heavyweights Manchester City and Chelsea clash in tomorrow’s tea time kick-off and Manuel Pellegrini’s charges will want revenge after the Blues left the Etihad Stadium with all three points in the top flight earlier this month.
That damaged City’s title aspirations but I think they will still be fighting on all four fronts after this game.
Pellegrini might have bigger fish to fry on Tuesday when Barcelona come to town for the Champions League last 16 showdown but, aside from the Chelsea reverse, their home record is incredible and the favourites should be backed at 23/20 with Star Sports.
City’s 11 other Premier League games reaped 33 points and they have flawless form in the domestic cups having notched four wins, scored 20 and conceded just twice.
Chelsea might have lifted the trophy four times in six years, but they have not travelled as well lately as the result on their last visit here suggests.
There were Premier League draws at Old Trafford, White Hart Lane and the Emirates but defeats at Goodison Park, St James’ Park and the Britannia Stadium, while they were eliminated from the League Cup at Sunderland.
City also came out on top in last season’s FA Cup semi-final between the pair and had won four straight at home in the league before this campaign.
City’s 39 games in all competitions have produced an amazing 156 goals so far but I expect this contest will follow the blueprint laid out in the teams’ most recent clash, when a single strike settled the game, so sell total goals at 2.75 with Sporting Index.
Arsenal can also take vengeance following the bloodbath at Anfield last Saturday when they welcome Liverpool to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. A week after the 5-1 drubbing, this is a game of huge significance.
More than eight years-worth of dust has settled on the Gunners’ trophy cabinet and this competition is a massive chance for Arsene Wenger to end that famine.
A good result will also provide a timely boost in the title run-in and my money is on Star Sports’ 5/1 second-favourites in the outright market to take a step closer to Wembley.
The same firm’s 6/4 is a decent price for Arsenal to progress at the first time of asking.
Home advantage should be decisive and although the Reds smashed Tottenham 5-0 at White Hart Lane, they lost at Arsenal, City and Chelsea in the league and at Old Trafford in the League Cup.
Pointers…
Man City to beat Chelsea at 23/20 with Star Sports
Man City v Chelsea – sell total goals at 2.75 with Sporting Index
Arsenal to beat Liverpool at 6/4 with Star Sports