ITV1 & ESPN: Sat 12.45 & 17.30: In the FA Cup, Everton are a solid at 10/11 against Sunderland while for Spurs, Defoe is the bet at 4/1 (Coral)
At White Hart Lane, Tottenham’s three consecutive league defeats haven’t registered with bookmakers, Skybet chalking just 1/3 against Spurs beating Bolton. Harry Redknapp’s charges however, haven’t convinced in the last couple of rounds and could be prioritising Champions League qualification so they’re a touch risky at such a small price even though Wanderers are toiling at the foot of the table. A better bet could be Coral’s 4/1 for Jermain Defoe to notch the opener, the England man having bagged three in his last three.
Arguably the toughest tie to call is at Goodison Park, where Everton and Sunderland collide. Bet365’s 12/5 for the Black Cats to force a replay is set to be well backed but David Moyes’ men are in cracking form at home, where they have recently accounted for Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea and at 10/11 (William Hill) they narrowly get the nod.
Chelsea’s title push ended weeks ago and even a top four finish is starting to look increasingly unlikely, two things that ultimately contributed to the downfall of Andre Villas-Boas. However, the Blues are still in the FA Cup and look likely to be enjoying a trip to Wembley in the not-too-distant future given that they host Leicester, the only remaining Championship team, at home in the quarter final.
Inevitably, Roberto Di Matteo’s side, buoyed by that thrilling Champions League comeback on Wednesday, are odds-on favourites at 2/7 with Blue Square while the Foxes are as high as 11/1 via Stan James to cause an upset and BetVictor chalk 5/1 against the tie requiring a replay.
Nigel Pearson’s side accounted for top-flight opposition in the last round, ousting Norwich 2-1 at Carrow Road but they have suffered back-to-back defeats on the road and it’s difficult to see them stunning the hosts in this one. Nevertheless, Chelsea didn’t find it easy against Birmingham in the fifth round and Leicester can also make life uncomfortable for them, particularly in the early stages. Betfred’s 7/2 for the Blues to prevail after a drawn first period is therefore worth considering.
Despite their patchy league form, the Foxes rarely fail to find the net and there’s a strong chance that they’ll bag themselves what will turn out to be a consolation goal. Paddy Power’s 11/10 for both teams to score isn’t without appeal then and for the more ambitious Ladbrokes post 8/1 against a 2-1 Chelsea success. At 5/1 courtesy of Skybet meanwhile, Juan Mata is the shrewd choice in the first scorer market having broken the deadlock in the Blues’ replay at St Andrews.
Seeking their second trophy of the season are Carling Cup winners Liverpool and like Chelsea the Reds are emphatic favourites to reach the semis at the first attempt, Paddy Power pricing them at 4/9 to see off Stoke. Boylesports rate the Reds at 5/2 to edge out the stubborn Potters by a solitary goal at Anfield, where the visitors’ lack of away goals make a 1-0 home win decent value at 6/1 courtesy of Coral.
Recommended Bets:
Draw/Chelsea in HT/FT betting – 7/2 (Betfred)
Jermain Defoe to score first – 4/1 (Coral)
Liverpool to beat Stoke by one – 5/2 (Boylesports)
Compare all FA Cup odds and bet at the best price.
