The FA Cup Fifth Round often throws up its share of intriguing encounters and this year is no different, Matthew Crist looks at three games that catch the eye…
“Doncaster Rovers have made the Fifth Round of the FA Cup for the first time since 1956 and are facing a Crystal Palace side who will be going into this tie nervously looking over their shoulder ahead of a tough Premier League run-in, so who’s to say this couldn’t be where the shock of the round lies?”
The Fifth Round of the FA Cup is something of a turning point for the competition. A line in the sand moment where the so called big guns start to think about the very real possibility of silverware while the minnows who have made it thus far can look forward to pitting their wits against the greats of the game.
And such is the makeup of this season’s tournament that once more we have the perfect blend of David versus Goliath matchups not to mention, well, Goliath against Goliath encounters, with an all Premier League affair to look forward to, as well as the little matter of the reigning Premier League champions taking on a side some 80 places below them in the footballing pyramid.
But what with mid-season injuries taking their toll and managers looking to rotate over-stretched squads, often completely overhauling their side from week-to-week, picking a winner might not have been as easy as it once was.
So here are just three of the weekend’s games which catch the eye.
Can United avenge final defeat?
Chelsea v Manchester United
Monday February 18, 19:30
Live on BBC 1
These two are no strangers to each other when it comes to FA Cup meetings, having faced each other in last season’s final at Wembley – which Chelsea won 1-0 – and the quarter-final back in 2017 that also ended in a 1-0 Blues victory.
But if league form is anything to go by then United might just be the side to favour here having been robbed of victory at Stamford Bridge courtesy of a late equalizer back in October and now on the back of ten wins from their last 11 top-flight games and can be backed at 13/5 to take the spoils as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer chases his first trophy as United boss.
A convincing 5-0 win over Huddersfield was sandwiched between a 4-0 loss at Bournemouth and a 6-0 thrashing at Manchester City and Chelsea are 21/20 to respond with a win for their beleaguered manager Maurizio Sarri in 90 minutes; though with no replays from the Fifth Round either team to win in extra time at 5/1 could be the bet in what could be a tight affair.
Minnows face the champions
Newport County v Manchester City
Saturday February 16, 17:30
Live on BT Sport 2
Without doubt Newport County have been the story of this year’s FA Cup with wins over Wrexham, Leicester City and Middlesbrough propelling them into the Fifth Round and earning them a meeting with reigning Premier League Champions and current league leaders Manchester City at Rodney Parade.
The fact that the South Wales side are priced at 35/1 to win the tie and 6/5 just to find the net would suggest that this is the end of the journey for Michael Flynn’s men so the value might just be in how many their opponents, who are currently chasing silverware on four fronts, will score.
Just a few weeks ago they put Burton Albion to the sword in the semi final of the Carabao Cup and the Sky Blues are 100/1 to win this one by the same scoreline of 9-0, though as a number of star players look likely to sit this one out with a Wembley final to come a week later, a less humiliating 3-0 victory could be more probable at 11/2.
Cupset could lie here
Doncaster v Crystal Palace
Sunday February 17, 16:00
Live on BBC 1
Doncaster Rovers have made the Fifth Round of the FA Cup for the first time since 1956 and are facing a Crystal Palace side who will be going into this tie nervously looking over their shoulder ahead of a tough Premier League run-in, so who’s to say this couldn’t be where the shock of the round lies?
A trip to the Keepmoat Stadium might be seen as the perfect opportunity for a side like Palace to forget their league campaign and claim some much needed silverware, but with Roy Hodgson’s men currently sitting just three points above the relegation zone all the ingredients are there for the League One side to take the scalp of a side with one eye on a relegation scrap.
A late penalty was enough for Rovers to see off Oldham Athletic in the last round and the longer this one goes on the nervier their Premier League opponents will become and with that in mind there’s every chance that, with no option of a replay, this one will go the distance so Doncaster to qualify courtesy of extra time and penalties is tempting at 13/5.
Source: Betfair FA cup
