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Chelsea will be confident of putting last week’s shock home defeat to Man City behind them but Can Stoke cause another upset?
League leaders Chelsea are now just 11/10 with Stan James to retain the FA Cup and it’s easy to see why. The Blues face a robust Stoke outfit in the quarter final this weekend and while it won’t be a straightforward tie for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, it’s difficult not to feel that the home advantage aspect of the clash is pivotal.
If the contest was at the Britannia Stadium then the Potters, a 10/1 shot at William Hill, would be in with a shout but at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea look like worthy favourites at 3/10 with Betdaq.
No team has managed fewer away goals than Tony Pulis’ charges, although they have found the net in their last three league and cup outings on the road; a statistic that will offer them encouragement.
They will also be buoyed by Manchester City’s four-goal haul at Chelsea on Saturday and these two factors combined, strip appeal from Partybets’ 3/5 for the hosts to win without conceding and strengthen the case for the firm’s 20/21 chalked against both teams getting on the scoresheet.
Paddy Power’s 15/2 for Ancelotti’s charges to edge it 2-1 therefore stands out in the correct score betting, although at 10/1 (888Sport) a 3-1 Blues triumph perhaps shades it in terms of value as the home side might just pull away from their opponents in the latter stages to prevail by at least two clear goals (5/6, bet365).
In attack for the FA Cup favourites, Didier Drogba can again play an important role. The Ivorian marksman, often virtually unplayable in recent weeks, bagged the equalizer for his side when they visited Stoke in September and he’ll be well backed at 3/1 (Ladbrokes) to open the scoring.
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