The F.A. Cup returns this week and in a rare move due to a tight schedule, takes place in the middle of the week. With eight ties featuring 12 Premier League sides, at least four will be out of the cup by the time the 5th Round is over.
The question is… whose hopes will be gone by Thursday night?
Below, we’ve listed five tips for the F.A. Cup 5th Round, which takes place between Tuesday and Thursday this week.
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West Ham to Win and Both Teams to Score – 7/1
A very tough game for Manchester United arrives just at the wrong time, with an injury to Paul Pogba threatening the progress that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have made so far in 2020/21.
An F.A. Cup run would be good for Manchester United, but it would be terrific for West Ham and could possibly lead to a major trophy for the first time since they won the F.A. Cup in 1980. Former United manager David Moyes will scent blood at Old Trafford and at a ground where several teams have won already this year, the chances of The Hammers pulling off a relatively minor shock should never have odds this long.
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Ferran Torres to Score at Any Time – 17/10
With the precocious Spanish winger highly likely to start having missed out an Anfield, he’s a lip-smacking odds-against to find the net in what should be an open game at the Liberty Stadium as Swansea host Manchester City.
Swansea have performed brilliantly in The Championship so far this season, including a 2-0 win against leaders Norwich on Saturday which could see the Welsh side in pole position to return to the Premier League after a three-year absence from the top flight.
Given how good they’ve been, Swansea could run City close, but we think the best bet is to assume that goals are going in at both ends, and Torres has gone under the radar this year as a dangerous player in the box, scoring eight goals in 22 games in total for The Citizens and in his only appearance in the F.A. Cup so far, away to Cheltenham Town in the last round.
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Leicester City to beat Brighton & Hove Albion by 1 Goal – 13/5
The Foxes have a realistic chance to win this year’s F.A. Cup and in a home time against Brighton & Hove Albion, a very presentable opportunity to make the F.A. Cup quarter-finals as they did last season.
For a team who have never won the F.A. Cup – despite reaching four finals – Leicester City will be desperate to reach the next round but while Brighton are beatable, they are in good form and no pushover. For that reason, we’d suggest backing The Foxes to win by the odd goal in what will probably be a close game.
Everton v Tottenham Hotspur to draw and under 2.5 goals – 11/4
While a lot of the other games should be an entertaining watch, it’s hard to make a case for the clash at Goodison Park. Both Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho are desperate to win a first trophy in many years for Everton and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, and will do anything to drag their teams into the quarter-finals.
Harry Kane’s return at the weekend against West Bromwich Albion may have convinced Spurs fans that the good times from earlier in the season are back, but having returned early from his ankle injury, we can see the England captain either being rested or at least saved for a cameo appearance from the bench.
All signs point to a tight game and a low-scoring one, too. Taking the draw and under 2.5 goals gives you both 0-0 and 1-1 as winning results and both are highly plausible results to call for this game which may yet define either club’s season as a success or otherwise.
Wolves to beat Southampton on penalties – 10/1
Another game which is bound to be tight takes place at Molineux, as Wolves host Southampton with neither side in fine form of late.
With the attacking threats of Raul Jimenez and Daniel Podence missing for the home side and Southampton likely to be focused on conceding fewer goals than they have done in recent weeks, we think this one could go all the way to penalties. If it does, then the home side’s penalty specialist Rui Patrício could come into his own and the odds for Wolves to win on spot-kicks are simply too long to ignore.
Here are the F.A. Cup 5th Round fixtures in full.
Tuesday 9th February
Burnley vs. Bournemouth (5.30pm GMT kick-off)
Manchester United vs. West Ham United (7.30pm GMT kick-off)
Wednesday 10th February
Swansea City vs. Manchester City (5.30pm GMT kick-off)
Leicester City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (7.30pm GMT kick-off)
Sheffield United vs. Bristol City (7.30pm GMT kick-off)
Everton vs. Tottenham Hotspur (8.15pm GMT kick-off)
Thursday 11th February
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Southampton (5.30pm GMT kick-off)
Barnsley vs. Chelsea (8pm GMT kick-off)
You can bet on all the F.A. Cup Fifth Round ties right up until kick-off on William Hill, so sign up here to take advantage of their Bet £10 Get 30 offer and enjoy all the cup action as it happens.
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