FA Cup action returns this week with the fourth-round games taking place from Thursday through to Monday as teams look to book their place in the last 16.
The third round did not provide many shocks, with West Ham the only Premier League side to be bounced out by lower-league opposition, and Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea are among the big names in action over the coming days.
We have picked out our five best bets for the FA Cup action, beginning with a selection for the tie of the round between Spurs and reigning champions Manchester City.
Recommended five-fold: Spurs v Manchester City BTTS, Coventry to win, Everton to win, Leicester v Birmingham BTTS & Southampton to win
- Spurs v Manchester City BTTS
- Coventry to win at Sheffield Wednesday
- Everton to beat Luton
- Leicester v Birmingham BTTS
- Southampton to win at Watford
Spurs vs Manchester City
Two of the most exciting teams in the country are set to clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Friday night, and a fittingly fantastic spectacle should unfold.
City have won two of the last five FA Cups, including last season’s, and will be hoping for a positive result in north London, although they will have to work hard to get one against a strong Spurs side who will be eager to progress as their long wait for silverware continues.
The Lilywhites have been the champions’ bogey team in recent years, with Tottenham winning five of the last nine meetings between the pair, and another close encounter should be expected.
Both teams have scored in six of Spurs’ last seven home matches and, given that City have kept just one clean sheet in their last seven away games and the Premier League meeting between these sides in December finished 3-3, goals should be expected at both ends again.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Coventry
These two coincidentally met at Hillsborough in the Championship on Saturday with the away side taking the points in a 2-1 triumph, and Coventry are expected to come out on top again on Friday.
The Sky Blues are in fantastic form, having put together a 10-match unbeaten run that has included victories over Leicester and Sunderland, and they should be backed to beat Sheffield Wednesday for the second time in six days.
The Owls won their third-round tie impressively, beating Cardiff 4-0, but they needed Cameron Dawson to save two penalties that day and they lost the shot count 22-12 in that fixture, suggesting they may have been somewhat lucky to progress despite such a convincing scoreline.
Wednesday are still embroiled in a relegation scrap and could do without the distraction of the FA Cup, so take Coventry to win this and continue their impressive form.
Everton vs Luton
Everton suffered a shock home defeat to Luton at the end of September but have lost just two of their 10 matches at Goodison Park since then. That run has included wins to nil over Chelsea and Newcastle as well as a draw with highflying Aston Villa, and the Toffees should get their revenge on Saturday.
The Hatters needed a replay to get past League One side Bolton in their third-round tie and could come unstuck against the Toffees, who will be fired up for revenge in this tie.
Everton have kept three clean sheets in a row and could limit Luton, who are likely to rotate their squad for this fixture as they focus on Premier League survival with a difficult game at Newcastle up next. Take the hosts to get the win in this one.
Leicester vs Birmingham
Leicester have been relentless in the Championship this term and are leading the way in England’s second tier, but their defence has looked a bit shaky in recent weeks.
Both teams have scored in five of their last six matches and they have conceded eight times in that run, suggesting Birmingham could find some joy at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
The Blues have looked much better since the appointment of Tony Mowbray as manager, having won two and drawn one of the three matches since his arrival, and their attack in particular has looked far more coherent under his stewardship.
Their defence still needs work, however, and both sides have found the net in their last four games, making both teams to score an appealing selection for their fourth-round clash with Leicester, who have not been solid at the back themselves in recent outings.
Watford vs Southampton
Southampton’s unbelievable unbeaten run now stands at 21 games and that ludicrous streak looks set to continue against an inconsistent Watford on Sunday.
The Hornets have put together a mini unbeaten run themselves, going five matches without defeat, but three of those results have been draws. The highest-placed side they faced in that stretch has been Bristol City, the Championship’s 13th-placed team, suggesting they may struggle against the seemingly unstoppable Saints.
Southampton have won seven of their last eight matches in a run that has seen them score 24 goals and concede just four, highlighting the utterly dominant sequence they are enjoying.
Watford have won just one of their last five matches at Vicarage Road and have been victorious in only one of their last nine meetings with the Saints. An away win looks very likely in this tie.
