FA Cup Predictions
FA Cup Predictions, Correct Score Football Tips for 23rd ~ 24th Jan 2010
Best Predicted result of the previous week: “Blackburn beating Fulham” After they had not won since the 22nd November & “Arsenal beating Bolton Away” which was a tricky away game for the Gunners.
Hi everyone. Last weekend saw me correctly predict four out of nine Premiership results (Portsmouth - Birmingham was called off). My correct results were Arsenal beating Bolton away, Manchester United beating Burnley at home, Blackburn beating Fulham & finally Chelsea beating Sunderland. This weekend also sees the continuation of the FA Cup as we hit the Forth Round & with both Liverpool & Manchester United both out It could be a good year for another club to do a Portsmouth. Let’s hope so as the FA Cup needs a new name on it I feel rather than one of the Big four winning it. If only West Ham, Millwall, Southampton had managed to end up winners rather than runners up in previous years then the famous old Cup competition would have a much more better modern pedigree. Onwards & upwards. Good luck & see you all next Monday as there is a full Premiership Midweek fixture list before next Saturday/Sunday.
Section 1: Premiership Games:
Section 2: FA Cup Games:
Match 4: Aston Villa - Brighton: (Saturday 23rd January 3pm):
Aston Villa are having a good season. They are challenging for a top four finish, have one foot in the League cup final after they won 1-0 at Blackburn in the first leg of the semi final & are still in the FA Cup. I expect that situation to be continued after this game against Brighton of League 1 on Saturday. Aston Villa drew surprisingly at home with West Ham on Saturday & maybe their mind is being taken of the League with their cup exploits. They should win this game against Brighton who are in the bottom half of the table in League 1. Brighton’s away form is better than their home record. They have already won six away games ( five draws as well) this season compared to just the four at home. They are beginning to climb away from the relegation places in League 1 and this was proved by their excellent 2-1 win at Walsall in their last game. They are now 18th in the table, three points ahead of the drop zone. A home win no matter what side Martin O’Neil puts out.
Result Prediction: An Aston Villa win
Score Prediction: Aston Villa 3 Brighton 1
Match 5: Bolton - Sheffield United: (Saturday 23rd January 3pm):
Bolton had an easy victory against Lincoln in Round three and duly won (as I predicted) but now face much stiffer opposition in Championship Side Sheffield United who are chasing promotion to the Premiership under ex Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell. Bolton have only won once in the league in the last nine games & that is why they are in the Bottom three in the table. Sheffield United however are on a nice little run which has taken them into a playoff position in the table. They will be hoping to go one better than last season when they lost in the playoff final at Wembley 1-0 to Burnley. They have lost only one of their last nine games & this helps explain why they have moved above Leicester City into a Playoff position. They knocked out troubled QPR in the last round 3-2 after a replay. I think that Bolton’s relegation battle will help them to take their eye of the ball in this game & that Sheffield United will take advantage.
Result Prediction: Sheffield United to win
Score prediction: Bolton 1 Sheffield United 2
Match 6: Everton - Birmingham: (Saturday January 23rd 3pm):
Everton had a fine 2-0 win against Manchester City on Sunday to inflict only City’s third defeat of the season so far. Everton have improved of late with some fine displays against some top sides, witness the 3-3 & 2-2 draws at Chelsea & Arsenal. They have now moved up the table to 10th place, a good seven points ahead of the drop zone. Before Christmas there was widespread media talk of doom just because they had failed to get planning permission for a new ground. This is another example of the media talking crap before something has actually happened, ie, jumping the gun. Tossers. They won’t mention that they were wrong though. Birmingham are now unbeaten in 14 games (12 League, 2 Cup) and are8th in the table only one point behind Liverpool. This should be a really close tight Cup game & I feel that Everton will just shade it due to home advantage.
Result Prediction: Everton to win (just)
Score Prediction: Everton 1 Birmingham 0
Match 7: Portsmouth - Sunderland: (Saturday January 23rd 3pm):
Sunderland got stuffed 7-2 at Chelsea on Saturday, a dreadful result & one that their fans didn’t deserve, especially those that made the long trip down to London. I predicted that they would lose but not by that score. Their home form is good but their away form is bloody crap as proved by Saturday’s result. They have to turn it around away from home & what better side in the Premiership to play than Portsmouth who off the field problems are getting bigger & worse by the day not to mention that they are bottom of the Table & looking odds on to be relegated. Portsmouth managed to beat Coventry away (just) in the last round & it will be interesting to see how both sides play for this game. I think that Steve Bruce will wind his players up & they will gain a much needed away win, all be it in the Cup.
Result Prediction: Sunderland to win
Score Prediction: Portsmouth 1 Sunderland 2
Match 8: Preston - Chelsea: (Saturday January 23rd 12.45pm):
Preston have a new manager in Darren Ferguson & will be hoping in his second game in charge that he can perform a shock by knocking Chelsea the holders out of the cup. In his first game in charge on Saturday they lost 4-2 at Bristol City, not a very good start. Presently Preston are 17th in the table after a bad run of form that has seen them only win once in the past 11 league games. However, they did beat high flying League one side Colchester 7-0 in the last round which suggests that they are not as bad as their league position would suggest. In fact they started the season off well, so their present position would suggest a lack of confidence more than anything seriously wrong at the club. Chelsea as we all know are back on form after a mixed run of results. They beat Sunderland 7-2 on Saturday to remain top but their position is coming under threat & they could be displaced by Arsenal on Wednesday if the Gunners win their match in hand against Bolton. Still a long way to go though. Can’t see a repeat of a couple of seasons ago when Chelsea were dumped out of the FA Cup by Barnsley.
Result Prediction: Chelsea to win
Score Prediction: Preston 0 Chelsea 2
Match 9: Reading - Burnley: (Saturday January 23rd 12.45pm):
I must admit I was very shocked & pleased to see Reading knock out Liverpool in the last round, especially after I thought they had blown their chance of a shock after they had drawn the first game at home. I suppose it was an example of how low Liverpool have dropped that they deserved the victory & that it was not considered a fluke by anybody who watched the match. Since then Reading have been beaten at Nottingham Forest but they made them sweat a bit & if they hadn’t of missed a second half penalty then we might be talking about a very good away point for them. Burnley lost their first game under Brian Laws on Saturday 3-0 but even though this was a tough first game for him & you shouldn’t judge him on just the one result I still feel he will take them down. They will also lose this game as their away form is appalling & apart from victory at MK Dons in the last round have only managed one point on their travels all season.
Result Prediction: Reading to claim another Premiership Scalp
Score Prediction: Reading 2 Burnley 1
Match 10: Tottenham - Leeds United: (Saturday January 23rd 5.15pm):
Leeds of course did the whole of football a favour by knocking out Manchester United in the last round 1-0 & as I watched the game on TV I can say that they deserved it. Hard to believe that they are a League one side. Since that game they have dropped five points by only drawing at home with lowly Wycombe & losing 2-0 at Exeter on Saturday. They are still top of League one but only by three points now from Norwich. I suspect that they have taken their mind of the bread & butter of League one. Meanwhile, Tottenham are having a good season & regardless of the result on Wednesday at Liverpool they should win this game. They could only manage a 0-0 draw at home to Hull last time out but Leeds will come to attack Spurs on the break, which should make for a good game. A home win though.
Result Prediction: Tottenham to win
Score Prediction: Tottenham 3 Leeds 1
Match 11: Wolves - Crystal Palace: (Saturday January 23rd 3pm):
Wolves lost at home to Wigan on Saturday which was a very bad result for them in their quest to stay up this season. Wigan could have made the result even worse for Wolves as they missed a First half penalty. In the last round Wolves beat Tranmere away 1-0. This will be a harder game for them as Crystal Palace are pushing for a play off place and are placed just outside the playoff places by one point after a 1-0 win at Plymouth on Saturday. This was their sixth game unbeaten in their last seven. In the last round of the cup they beat Sheffield Wednesday away. I can see Wolves losing this game as they have one eye on the relegation battle they are in & are on a bad run as well. A minor cup win shock for the Eagles.
Result Prediction: Crystal Palace to win
Score Prediction: Wolves 1 Crystal Palace 2
Match 12: Accrington Stanley/Gillingham - Fulham: (Saturday January 23rd 3pm):
This tie is a little bit tricky to predict as I don’t know the outcome of the replay between Accrington Stanley & Gillingham from Tuesday night. I would be nice for Accrington to play Fulham as they are a small club & don’t have much money at present, in fact when have they ever? Another reason is that I simply don’t like Gillingham’s chairman who I feel is full of shit. Fulham as I have a few times this season are doing well & are in midtable in the premiership despite losing their last two games, both of them away at Stoke City & Blackburn last Sunday (as I predicted). Fulham easily beat Swindon of League 1 in the last round & I expect them to progress further who ever they play on Saturday.
Result Prediction: Fulham to win
Score Prediction: Accrington Stanley 0 Fulham 2/ Gillingham 1 Fulham 2
Match 13: Notts County/ Forest Green - Wigan: (Saturday January 23rd 3pm):
Another game that is slightly difficult to predict as I don’t know the outcome of the replay between Notts County & Forest Green. I suspect that Notts county will win the replay which could make for an interesting tie but we will see. Notts county are doing well in the bottom division & are placed 8th which is just outside the playoff zone. They have been occupying a playoff place for most of the season but have dropped out of the places as they not played since the 28th December when they won at Burton Albion 4-1. This is despite their off the field problems which are far too complicated to even attempt to explain here. Wigan are beginning to get things right after a really bad run which saw them suffer heavy defeats at Spurs & Manchester United. They won at Wolves on Saturday after they had beat Hull 5-1 in the last round of the Cup. If they play either Notts or Forest Green of the Conference who are 20th in the table just one point outside the relegation places. A Wigan win no matter what side they decide to put out.
Result Prediction: Wigan to win
Score Prediction: Notts County 1 Wigan 2 / Forest Green 0 Wigan 3
Match 14: Scunthorpe - Manchester City: (Sunday January 24th 4pm):
Manchester City because of the millions of pounds behind them are improving but it takes time for players to learn to play well together but that is what is happening & despite their defeat at Everton on Sunday they are fighting on three fronts. They are in the League cup semi finals where they have two legs against Manchester United, are fighting for forth place in the Premiership & via that entry into the Champions League for the first time & of course they are still in the FA cup. In the last round they beat Championship Middlesbrough away 1-0. They now face another Championship side in Scunthorpe who are trying to do what they failed a couple of seasons ago & stay up in this division. They seem to making a better fist of it this time as they have beaten the likes of Newcastle already this season. This could have been a difficult tie for the old Manchester City of only a few seasons ago but the new city should easily win this game without too much trouble to send Scunthorpe out of a cup competition for the second time this season (League Cup 5-1 to city).
Result Prediction: Manchester City to win
Score Prediction: Scunthorpe 0 Manchester City 2
Match 15: Stoke City - Arsenal: (Sunday January 24th 1.30pm):
Arsenal should be top of the Premiership by the time you read this with victory at home to Bolton on Wednesday night. Arsenal have benefited from their rivals dropping points and have taken advantage with a good run themselves. They did really well to come from behind to beat West Ham in the last round & won the game with two second half strikes to cancel out West Ham’s opener just before half time. On Sunday they won at Bolton 2-0 to put them within touching distance of top place if they win their game in hand on Wednesday against Bolton again. Stoke beat York City in the last round but they too had to come from behind after the Conference side gave them a scare or two. This will be a tough game for arsenal as Stoke play a very physical game. Last season Arsenal lost this fixture in the League 2-1. These sides have already played in the League with Arsenal winning 2-0 to start them on their present unbeaten run. I think Arsenal will win this tie but it might have to go to a replay.
Result Prediction: Arsenal (Maybe after a replay) to win
Score Prediction: Stoke City 0 Arsenal 2
That’s until next mid-week. Good luck.
Douglas Martin
19th January 2010
dap martin@hotmail.co.uk
![[Valid RSS]](http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/chix_pix/valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed"){kind=small}
