EMIRATES FA CUP 2019 -- FIFTH ROUND WEEKEND

This weekend sees the 5th round of this years FA Cup Competition sponsored by Emirates. Games will take place during the course of Friday 15th - Monday 18th February . I've written up the match featuring my team AFC Wimbledon against Millwall so we will also have a quick glance across all eight matches and give our opinion of the likely victors find one or two shock results and maybe a few bets along the way;

Friday 15th February 2019

QUEENS PARK RANGERS VS WATFORD
[kick off 19:45  BT Sport]

Our FA Cup weekend will begin on Friday night with Championship Q.P.R. taking on Premier League Watford at Loftus Road. The match is the first of SIX live fixtures in the FA Cup this weekend and will be shown on BT Sport. Rangers were taken to a replay but saw off Portsmouth 2-0 eventually while Watford beat Newcastle by the same scoreline at St James Park first time around. This should be an intense atmosphere inside the compact ground, if Watford rest any of their first XI then I'd be strongly supporting the QPR side but realistically Watford should see this as a big chance to make it another step closer to Wembley. 

Bets - Troy Deeney to score (assume he starts).
Red card in the game and bookings over 45 points market.

Result -  0 - 1.

Saturday 16th February 2019

BRIGHTON and HOVE ALBION  VS  DERBY COUNTY  
[kick off 12:30  BT Sport]

The Saturday lunchtime game will be shown on BT SPORT and gives an opportunity for more cup glory, Brighton needed a replay and extra time to see off a determined West Brom 3-1 to face Derby who did a professional beating Accrington Stanley 1-0 in the previous round. Neither are that prolific though Brighton do have a good home record and in Glenn Murray a striker who can make the difference in a game - sadly he's not in the squad so will have to see who we can replace him with. 

Bets - I don't think there will be much in this and will look at the UNDER 2.5 Goals market as well as backing Jürgen Locadia to score in a Brighton win.

Result - 2 - 1 Brighton Win and while slightly over with our prediction at least we got the goalscorer and the win.

AFC WIMBLEDON  VS MILLWALL  
[Kick off 15:00]

Have covered this in more detail in a separate blog post which you can find here LINK Come on you Dons !! 

Result - 0 - 1. Well done Millwall, one shot, one goal, job done. Good luck in the next round. 

NEWPORT COUNTY VS MANCHESTER CITY  
[Kick off 15:00  BT Sport]

No prizes for saying this should be an easy Man City stroll, but Newport have excelled in the cup for the last two seasons and at home will always make life difficult for their Premier League opponents. Don't think it will be a pretty game as the Rodney Parade ground can turn into a bit of bog at times should the rains come, but City have far too much quality and will surely settle this tie with little fuss. Expect a few of their younger players to appear (Phil Foden, Claudio Gomes, Eric Garcia etc).

Bets - Manchester City to win and over 3.5 goals. Penalty to be scored too might be worth a shot. 

Result - 1 - 4.

Sunday 17th February 2019

BRISTOL CITY  VS WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
[Kick off 13:00  BT Sport]
First of three games on Sunday, and this is a big chance of an upset as Bristol City are on a terrific run of form in the Championship and might use that plus home advantage to see off Premier League Wolves. Yes Wolves have great players and are more than comfortable in the league, they might not put out a first string again having rested half their team in the replay win over Shrewsbury which will offer City a chance to upset the odds. 

Bets - Back Bristol City to win @7/2. Also might be a bit feisty so will be on the Red Card @9/2 and Penalty markets @3/1 too.

Result - 0 - 1.

DONCASTER ROVERS VS CRYSTAL PALACE  

[Kick off 16:00  BBC 1]

A match that also depends on what sort of starting XI Palace choose to send out, they surely still got one eye on keeping their Premier League place however do tend to take this competition seriously having been finalists only 3 year ago losing a thrilling final against Manchester United. And also beating high flying Tottenham 2-0 in the last round, they might fancy another trip to Wembley this season, while Doncaster have beaten Oldham 2-1 and Preston 3-1 in the last couple of rounds so this is their first test against better opposition and it's their first 5th round game in over 60 years. 

Bets -- Crystal Palace to win by 2 clear goals if they play a near first string side, back the bookings odds (over 45 points) too as part of accumulators in today's games.

Result - 0 - 2.

SWANSEA CITY VS BRENTFORD  
[Kick off 16:00  BT Sport]

The only other game to NOT feature on TV this weekend is an all Championship affair between Swansea and Brentford, the welsh side beat Gillingham 4-1 in the last round while Brentford were taken to a replay by Barnet eventually tinning 3-1. Both sides do tend to leak goals so will be looking at the goal scored markets for a bet over 3.5 goals overs in the first half too as well as looking at the prices for Neal Maupay to score anytime.

Result - 4 - 1.

Monday 18th February 2019

CHELSEA  VS  MANCHESTER UNITED 
[Kick off 19:30  BBC 1]

The final 5th round tie is on Monday night and will be live on BBC TV, we also expect that the 6th round draw will also have been made prior to kick off. This is the highlight of the weekend and is of course a repeat of last season's final which Chelsea won 1-0 courtesy of an Eden Hazard penalty.

Chelsea are somewhat hot and cold under new coach Maurizio Sarri and were ruthlessly smashed 6-0 last weekend by Manchester City. However they still have plenty of quality in their side and should be up for this against a Manchester United outfit who appear to be a completely reformed side under their new coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær. 

Bets - I think it'll be close, maybe go 1-0 / 0-1 in 90 mins. Also a bet on David Luiz to be carded if he starts.

Result -  0 - 2.

Have a wonderful weekend whatever you are up to.