It’s the weekend again but this weekend it’s all about the FA Cup. Will we see any upsets or will it be business as usual for the premier league teams.
Friday
Aston Villa v Cardiff City
Favourites for this tie, Aston Villa, find themselves on a run that has seen the Villans win just 3 games in their last 10 in all competitions. Villa have seen off the likes of West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur to reach this stage of the competition.
Team News
Aston Villa could be without 9 big name players for this clash.
Cardiff are missing 6 players due to injury.
Stats
Aston Villa have problems but goal scoring doesn’t seem to be one of them. They’ve scored in 8 of their last 10 games.
Cardiff City have been in decent form having lost 2 of their last 14 matches in all competitions.
Head to Head
The two sides have played each other 54 times with Villa winning 27 and Cardiff winning 21. There have been 6 draws between the two sides.
Match Facts
The two sides have faced each other 3 times in the FA Cup.
Aston Villa and Cardiff last played each other in April 2018. Villa won 1 – 0 that day.
Personal Thoughts
Cardiff City come to Villa Park on the back of a big relegation battle win against Hull City. Although Cardiff have some form about them and are much harder to beat these days. I still believe that the quality Villa have should be enough to win the game in 90 minutes.
Prediction: Aston Villa 2 – 0 Cardiff City
Note: I was late posting this but I still got the match and scoreline right.
Saturday
Crystal Palace v Millwall
Crystal Palace go into this tie as favourites on the back of a big win in mid-week.
Team News
Crystal Palace will be missing 3 players for this clash. It’s expected that Marc Guehi will be fit despite picking up a knee issue.
Millwall will be without at least 4 players. The Lions will be hoping that Joe Bryan can get himself fit in time for the fixture.
Stats
Crystal Palace have lost only twice in their last 12 games in all competitions and have won 8 times in that run.
Millwall are in decent form having won 5 of their last 8 matches in all competitions.
Head to Head
The two sides have played each other 98 times with Crystal Palace winning 30 matches and Millwall winning 38. They have drawn 30 times.
Match Facts
Both sides have met in the FA Cup 11 times with Crystal Palace winning the last encounter 2 – 1 in January 2022.
Personal Thoughts
As good as Millwall have been since the start of the year, I still expect Crystal Palace to blow them away.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 2 – 0 Millwall
Preston North End v Burnley
Burnley come into this fixture as favourites but can they unlock a Preston defence that has kept them out twice this season.
Team News
Preston North End have at least 5 players missing.
Burnley are missing at least 3 players for this game.
Stats
Preston have lost 1 in their last 5 games. The Lilywhites haven’t reached the quarter finals since March 1966.
Burnley haven’t lost a match since November and have won 4 of their last 5 games. The Clarets haven’t been in the quarter finals since March 2023 when they got hammered 6 – 0 by Man City.
Head to Head
There have been 141 fixtures between these two sides with Preston North End winning 56 of them. Burnley have won 55 encounters. There have been 30 draws between the two sides with the most recent two games finishing 0 – 0.
Match Facts
This is the first time the two sides have met in the FA Cup.
Preston last beat Burnley at Deepdale in January 2009.
Burnley last lost against Preston North End in December 2015.
Personal Thoughts
The only thing I’m interested in regarding this fixture is whether or not Burnley can keep another clean sheet.
Prediction: Preston North End 0 – 2 Burnley
AFC Bournemouth v Wolverhampton Wanders
These two sides met in the league a week ago with Wolves getting the win after Bournemouth had a man sent off.
Team News
Bournemouth are without 6 players including the suspended Illia Zabarnyi.
Wolves how a mountain of injuries, they’re missing 8 players.
Stats
Bournemouth have lost 3 of their last 5 games but I still see them as favourites for this encounter even though Wolves have won 3 of their last 5 games.
Head to Head
The two sides have only played each other 21 times with Bournemouth winning 9 encounters and Wolves winning 8. They’ve drawn only 4 times.
Match Facts
The Cherries have failed to beat Wolves in their last 5 meetings at the Vitality Stadium. A run that stretches back to February 2019.
Wolves have won on their last two trips to the Vitality Stadium.
Personal Thoughts
Bournemouth are chasing european football and will be eyeing this competition as a way into europe. 11 v 11, Bournemouth are a better team and I think that will be evident when the two face each other in the FA Cup.
Prediction: AFC Bournemouth 2 – 1 Wolverhampton Wanders
Manchester City v Plymouth Argyle
Manchester City got back to winning ways in mid-week with a win at Spurs. The Sky Blues only have 2 trophies to play for, the FA Cup and the Club World Cup.
Team News
Man City are without 4 players but they have been handed a boost, Rodri is back doing individual training.
Stats
The Sky Blues have lost 4 of their last 7 but have only failed to score once in that run.
The Pilgrims beat Brentford away from home in the 3rd round and then at home they beat Liverpool in the 4th round. Both games won by a single goal.
Since the Brentford match, Plymouth have conceded 15 goals and scored 13 in 10 games. A decent record for a team at the bottom end of the Championship.
Head to Head
The two sides have only met 20 times with City winning 11 times and Plymouth winning 5. Both teams have drawn 4 times.
Match Facts
The last time these two sides met, it was February 1989. City won 2 – 0 that day.
Plymouth have won only once away to Manchester City, a 3 – 1 win back in 1939.
Personal Thoughts
Plymouth will be looking for another good showing in the FA Cup having taken two premier league scalps so far this season. I still think Man City will comfortably win this.
Prediction: Manchester City 4 – 0 Plymouth Argyle
Sunday
Newcastle United v Brighton & Hove Albion
Newcastle and Brighton go head to head this weekend looking for a place in this seasons FA Cup Quarter Finals.
Team News
Newcastle could be missing up to 4 players including top scorer Alexander Isak.
Brighton are missing 7 players for the game.
Stats
Newcastle have lost 4 of their last 8 games and have failed to score in 2 of them.
The Magpies were quarter finalist last season and were knocked out by Man City.
Brighton have won 6 of their last 8 failing to score in 2 of them.
The Seagulls will be looking to reach the Quarter Finals for the first time since 2023.
Head to Head
The two sides have only met 35 times with Newcastle winning 11 matches and Brighton winning 14. Both sides have drawn 10 times.
Match Facts
The hosts haven’t beaten Brighton since May 2023.
Personal Thoughts
The Magpies were comprehensively beaten in mid-week. They created hardly anything in the form of a goal threat against Liverpool.
Newcastle are inconsistent right now, they win one then lose one. That’s no way to challenge for trophies.
Brighton however, are starting to show consistency right when they need it. 4 straight wins has to make them favourites for this match in my opinion.
Prediction: Newcastle United 1 – 2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Manchester United v Fulham
13 time winners of the FA Cup Manchester United will be hoping their luck is still in when they take on Fulham this Sunday.
The Red Devils have a big two weeks ahead that could see them get knocked out of their only realistic routes into europe for next season.
Team News
United are missing 10 players for this match including new signing Patrick Dorgu who is serving a suspension following his dismissal in mid-week.
Fulham will be missing up to 4 players. Emile Smith Rowe is a doubt after sustaining an ankle injury in mid-week.
Stats
The Red Devils have won 5 of their last 8 games and have failed to score in 2 of them.
The Cottagers have won 4 of their last 5 games but for some reason don’t start as favourites.
Head to Head
The two sides have met 93 times in all competitions with United winning 58 matches and Fulham winning only 15. Both teams have drawn 20 times.
Match Facts
Manchester United will be looking to reach the quarter finals for the third time in 3 seasons.
Fulham have a poor record at Old Trafford. The cottagers have only avoided defeat 4 times since the turn of the century.
Personal Thoughts
In this tie, history does not favour Fulham. But I still believe they are a much better side than this current United team. If Fulham turn up and perform, they’ll win. It’s that simple.
As for United, let’s believe these next two weeks will be fantastic and see them eliminated from both the FA Cup and Europa League. Come on opposition teams, stuff the United!
Prediction: Manchester United 1 – 2 Fulham
Monday
Nottingham Forest v Ipswich Town
Nottingham Forest stopped a poor run of defeats forming with a draw against Arsenal in mid-week. Now the Reds face a poor Ipswich Town.
Team News
Forest have at least 1 absentee for this fixture.
Ipswich could be missing up to 8 players for Monday’s trip to the City Ground.
Stats
Nottingham Forest have won only 2 of their last 6 games and one of those games ended in a penalty shoot out. The Reds have scored 13 and conceded 13 in those matches.
Forest haven’t made the quarter finals since March 2022 when they lost 1 – 0 to Liverpool.
Ipswich have 1 win in their last 8 matches. They have scored 10 goals and conceded 23 in those 8 games.
The Tractor Boys haven’t reached the quarter finals of the FA Cup since 1993 when they lost to eventual winners Arsenal.
Head to Head
There have been 81 meeting between the two sides with Nottingham Forest winning 40 of them. Ipswich have only managed 22 wins. Both teams have drawn 19 times.
Match Facts
Forest have won 4 of the last 5 meeting between the sides at The City Ground. The last time they failed to win was October 2015.
The last time these two sides met in the FA Cup was in January 1997. Forest won that day 3 – 0.
The Tractor Boys haven’t won at The City Ground since December 1999.
Personal Thoughts
Ipswich don’t have the quality to win this game, they showed that in mid-week when they lost to ten-man United.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 2 – 0 Ipswich Town
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