*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while in-copy odds are accurate at time of publication but subject to change
1.30pm: Chelsea v Morecambe – Chelsea (-3)
Chelsea and Frank Lampard badly need a game against someone of Morecambe’s calibre. Lampard, in particular, could do with a morale-boosting win against lower league opposition following a dreary December for the Blues.
Lampard is now favourite to be sacked next after a run of four defeats in six league games saw Chelsea slip from potential title challenges to outsiders in the race for Europe in just a few short weeks. However, they will be targeting an emphatic win against League Two Morecambe on Sunday and come into this game off the back of a much-needed week-long break.
Sunday, 1.30pm: Chelsea v Morecambe
BBC Red Button/BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website
Some of Chelsea’s underwhelming summer signings, including Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, will surely be eyeing this cup clash as a way to kickstart their Chelsea career into life and Lampard will be able to field a relatively full-strength starting line-up given that Chelsea don’t play again until Friday.
Morecambe, meanwhile, are on a four-game winning run that has propelled them into the League Two play-off places but they haven’t kicked a ball since Boxing Day. While Chelsea’s week-long break was badly needed, Morecambe’s is almost too long and could have stalled their mid-season momentum. It will be a case of picking their battles for the League Two side. They have 26 league games to play between now and May 8th and they could really do without a cup run. They may wave the white flag at Stamford Bridge.
1.30pm: Manchester City v Birmingham City – Man City to win (-2)
Few teams have been able to deal with the congested fixture list this season as well as Man City. Pep Guardiola’s side have arguably the best squad depth in England and playing one football match every three days just doesn’t seem to bother them.
City also benefited from a week-long break over Christmas due to a number of positive COVID-19 tests, so they should still be fresh following Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final triumph over Manchester United.
Sunday, 1.30pm: Manchester City v Birmingham City
BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website
Guardiola will ring the changes for Sunday’s cup fixture and should give some of his reserve players a chance, but they still should have far too much for a Birmingham side that has been struggling for form in the Championship.
Birmingham have picked up just one point from their last available 18 – conceding 14 goals – and are coming up against the worst possible opposition when finding clean sheets hard to come by. City will steamroller their lower league opponents and power through to the last-32 of the FA Cup for the ninth season in-a-row.
1.30pm: Crawley Town v Leeds United – Crawley (+2)
Leeds’ Cup record under Marcelo Bielsa is genuinely abysmal. In two-and-a-half seasons at the club, Bielsa has never guided Leeds beyond the second round of the League Cup or the third round of the FA Cup. The Whites have not made it past the third round of the FA Cup since 2017 and have been dumped out by League Two opposition before, so they need to be careful on Sunday afternoon.
Sunday, 1.30pm: Crawley Town v Leeds United
BBC 1/BBC iPlayer
Their league form has been extremely patchy and they boast the second-worst defensive record in the league after conceding 16 goals in their last seven games. They should finally overcome the third round hurdle this year but might find it more difficult than they would have liked against a Crawley side that is unbeaten in their last nine games in all competitions. Crawley find themselves firmly in the playoff picture this season and could give a presumably under-strength Leeds side a game.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while in-copy odds are accurate at time of publication but subject to change
FA Cup bet summary – Sunday, January 10
1.30pm: Chelsea v Morecambe – Chelsea (-3)
1.30pm: Manchester City v Birmingham City – Man City to win (-2)
1.30pm: Crawley Town v Leeds United – Crawley (+2)
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