The magic of the FA Cup takes centre stage over the coming days as round three of the tournament takes centre stage, bringing with it the promise of drama, upsets and unforgettable moments. As the competition heats up, clubs from across the English football pyramid prepare to battle it out in one of the most iconic stages of the season.
We take a closer look at a selection of the matches taking place over the weekend and picking out our top tips and best booking codes (odds at time of writing and 90 minutes only):
Norwich vs Brighton
Brighton may be suffering a dismal run of form in recent weeks, failing to win any of their last eight across all competitions, with two losses and six draws, but they will be favourites to break that streak when they face Norwich City on Saturday.
The hosts are down in 11th in the Championship and have endured spells of inconsistency throughout this term, and while they are currently unbeaten in their last four, the visitors are undoubtedly the superior side and should win here.
Brighton to win, 1.56
Bournemouth vs West Brom
It is a similar story for Bournemouth and West Brom, with the hosts undeniably the favourites to secure the victory and progress into the next round of the competition, particularly due to their superb form this season.
The Cherries are unbeaten in their last eight outings, with five wins and three draws, leaving them seventh in the Premier League table and just two points behind fifth-placed Newcastle United.
West Brom are sixth in the Championship and have won just one of their last four, struggling to match the results and performances that former manager Carlos Corberan had produced from his side.
With this, we believe the Cherries are comfortably the better side and should secure a commanding win here.
Bournemouth to win, 1.56
Manchester City vs Salford City
Manchester City’s run of poor results looks to have come to an end in recent weeks, with the Citizens winning each of their last two matches with an aggregate score of 6-1, and they will aim to continue that winning run when they face Salford City.
The visitors will be fired up due to the close proximity of the two sides, while Manchester United’s class of 92 are also the owners of the club, but given they compete in the fourth tier of English football, we expect a dominant Man City win here.
Manchester City to win & over 3.5 goals, 1.95
Arsenal vs Manchester United
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been criticised in recent weeks for their struggles to create threat from open-play situations, with a large number of their goals seemingly coming via set-pieces, particularly corners.
While this may be a problem in the long-term, with the goals from set-pieces unlikely to be sustainable, it could be a major addition in their FA Cup tie with Manchester United, who have been woeful at defending corners in past matches.
The last time these two sides matched up, Arsenal scored both of their goals in a 2-0 win from set-pieces, with Gabriel Magalhaes’s defensive partner William Saliba scoring one of the goals in his absence.
The Brazilian central defender is likely to be in the starting 11 for this one, and he is certainly Arsenal’s biggest threat from set-pieces. With this, combined with Man United’s poor defensive record from corners, we believe the central defender will get on the scoresheet here.
Gabriel Magalhaes to score anytime, 7.50
Best Booking Code @35.82:
GZG78G – Book Here
