In The Mixer: 7 experts pick their FA Cup outright best bet!
Content Editor at Free Super Tips, Alex was born in the shadow of Old Trafford and is an avid Man Utd fan. After graduating from university he combined his love of football, writing and betting to join FST and now closely follows goings-on in all of the top European leagues.
In The Mixer is FST’s weekly column where we catch up with our team of football betting experts and get their opinion on the hot topic of the week.
With the international break behind us, we cast our attention to this weekend’s FA Cup quarter-finals and ask our panel of experts to pick their winner from the remaining eight teams.
Incredibly, our seven experts have picked six separate sides and favourites Manchester City don’t make the cut at all, with Aston Villa the only remaining team to garner multiple votes.
Aidan Perkins
Fulham continue their quest for a first-ever major trophy when they host London rivals Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals and Marco Silva’s side might just be the value pick to win the FA Cup this year with a lot of the big guns already eliminated.
The Cottagers have impressed this season and are in the mix for the European places as they sit eighth in the league, just four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
They have plenty to play for during the run-in and it could truly be a season to remember with FA Cup glory now also tantalisingly close for Silva’s side.
Alex Jack
Having witnessed Newcastle United make history to win the Carabao Cup this season, Aston Villa can follow suit to win the FA Cup for the first time since 1957.
With a favourable draw at Championship side Preston North End in the quarter-finals, Unai Emery’s side are well-placed to reach at least the last four in this competition.
From their efforts in the Champions League this season, Villa are becoming a side capable of winning big one-off games.
Emery is a master when it comes to cup competitions and Villa’s wait for FA Cup glory might well come to an end at Wembley on May 18th.
Liam Flin
I still think Crystal Palace are the value pick given their current run under Oliver Glasner and their ability in the final third but Aston Villa also look well-equipped to go the distance.
PSG could end Villa’s excellent run in the Champions League, which would shift focus to the FA Cup in their hunt for silverware, and they have a favourable quarter-final clash against Preston.
Unai Emery knows how to win cup competitions, having become the master of the Europa League in previous roles, and Villa have the attacking quality in Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers and Marco Asensio to lift the trophy.
Tom Hill
Manchester City look vulnerable favourites and while odds of around 2/1 on them to lift the trophy may not be seen again at this stage of the competition, Aston Villa are good value at double the price.
Unai Emery’s side face a tricky Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain next time out and if they are dumped out of Europe, it only aids their chances of lifting the FA Cup.
The Villans have been handed the easiest quarter-final draw and the recent additions of Donyell Malen, Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio means Emery has real strength in depth to choose from.
Emery has proven he knows how to get his team’s over the line in cup competitions and his side have every chance of improving his tremendous record.
Jamie Griffith
When asked this question prior to the third round I picked out Bournemouth as an each-way selection and I have seen nothing since to prevent me from sticking to my guns.
On paper, they have been handed the trickiest tie of the quarter-finals, but a home match against Manchester City is not the terrifying prospect it once was, especially as the Cherries beat the Citizens 2-1 at the Vitality in November.
The Cherries have plenty of in-form attackers, two of the best centre-backs in the Premier League and a manager who knows what it takes to go deep in a cup competition, leading unfancied sides Mirandes and Rayo Vallecano to the Copa del Rey semi-finals during his time in Spain.
Enda McElhinney
Brighton look to be peaking at the right time, winning six games on the trot before the 2-2 draw at Manchester City.
In the previous round, they dealt with a tricky trip to Newcastle, aided perhaps by the Magpies having half an eye on their impending League Cup final.
Now they welcome a Nottingham Forest side with their attention very much on the race to finish in the top four.
The Seagulls are a match for any side on their day and after losing a Wembley semi-final shoot-out two years ago, will feel there is unfinished business in the FA Cup.
Rob Eddy
Manchester City could quite easily justify favouritism but their form is hardly consistent and at the prices, Nottingham Forest look good value at 12/1. Yes, they are faced with a tricky quarter-final away at Brighton but they thrashed the Seagulls 7-0 only last month.
On the evidence of this season facing Fulham and Bournemouth may be a concern, but neither are guaranteed to progress to the last four and Forest are riding the crest of a wave, bolstered by that recent win over City.
A lot may depend on squad rotation but that could be said of all the teams perhaps barring Crystal Palace, who don’t look a bad alternative at a similar price.
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