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Paddy’s football ambassador Phil Thompson is looking forward to a goal-filled Saturday in the FA Cup as some of England’s biggest clubs take to the field looking to progress.
Here, with PPTV, Thommo gets his teeth in to Arsenal v Newcastle and Manchester United v Watford later that evening – but he’s not predicting any upsets. Sorry, Newcastle fans.
5.30pm: Arsenal v Newcastle
Arsenal are the new Leicester – they’re going to win the league now! Where’s this come from? They’ve won their last three and scored eight goals as well when they couldn’t score to save their lives. In the snow I thought they had Robin Cousins and Torvill and Dean playing for them against West Brom! I do think this is going to be a comfortable victory for Arsenal.
Saturday 5.30pm: Arsenal v Newcastle
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There’s something about Newcastle that you just feel any sort of momentum that they might have had and goodwill towards Steve Bruce is waning and I just think, what does he do? Newcastle fans will be saying, ‘play your best team.’ Steve Bruce is always being told from above, ‘we’ve got to stay in this Premier League’ so, if they go out of the FA Cup to an Arsenal – because it’s different going out to a Championship or League One club than it is to a Premier League side – the powers that be at Newcastle are going, ‘if we go out to Arsenal it won’t look too bad’.
THOMMO’S TIPS: I’m going for a comfortable 3-0 victory here for Arsenal. I’m backing Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to get on the scoresheet because I think they will play a strong side.
8pm: Manchester United v Watford
I think Manchester United will bounce back from their Carabao Cup disappointment in the week and they’ve got to get straight back on the bike in this one. They have to make sure that they don’t lose any of the momentum they’ve built up over the last few weeks.
As we’ve seen in the Carabao Cup, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has played really strong sides and I think he’ll probably do the same here as much as possible. There will be some changes because Eric Bailly didn’t play on Wednesday – you had Victor Lindelof in there – so it might be a Lindelof and Bailly centre-back pairing which will be quite decent.
Saturday 8pm: Manchester United v Watford
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Watford have been strange, haven’t they? They are the lowest away scorers in The Championship with five goals all season. They’ve not scored more than one in their last 13 games so it doesn’t look like they’re travelling well.
I think Manchester United will put out a good side and I’m going for a big scoreline here.
THOMMO’S TIPS: I’m going for Manchester United to Win 4-1. I think Dan James will come in and he did really well when he came in against Leeds – nobody thought he’d play. I think James will Score Anytime. Mason Greenwood to Score Two or More Goals looks good.
Thommo’s Tips for Saturday
5.30pm: Arsenal v Newcastle
Arsenal to win 3-0
Alexandre Lacazette to Score Anytime
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Score Anytime
8pm: Man Utd v Watford
Manchester United (-3)
Dan James to Score Anytime
Mason Greenwood to Score Anytime
More tips this weekend
- Four big-value FA Cup shocks on the cards this weekend
- Our fab 23/1 5 fold acca for the FA Cup 3rd round
More from Thommo
- Phil Thompson: England captaincy snub really hurt – it was a Sunday league decision!
- Phil Thompson: Steven Gerrard is obvious successor at Liverpool, but I fear life after Jurgen Klopp
- Phil Thompson: Van Dijk is incredible – but he’s not the best Liverpool defender ever