FA Cup third-round weekend is always one of the highlights of the English football calendar and punters will be eagerly anticipating where the upsets will happen because history says there will always be giant-killings – it’s just about spotting which David can knockout Goliath.
Back Boreham Wood for Cup Upset
Wimbledon were winners of the FA Cup in 1988 before starting over again as AFC Wimbledon following the controversial switch to Milton Keynes and from dropping down the footballing pyramid they know all about the pitfalls awaiting them from non-league opponents Boreham Wood.
The Wood, fourth in the National League with games in hand on those above, should be feeling good after stretching their unbeaten run to ten matches and they are particularly strong at home. At 47/20 the fifth-tier team have the tools to push the League One side close.
Boreham Wood have conceded just once in their last eight games at Meadow Park which suggests this will be a tough trip for Wimbledon, who might also be a touch rusty following a stack of postponements. The visitors have played only once since December 11 and that was a 3-0 reverse at the hands of Oxford.
Roo Better Believe the Hype!
Wayne Rooney is being linked with a move back to Everton, this time as manager after two spells as a player, with the former England captain earning rave reviews for the way he is going about the almost impossible job of landing the great escape at Derby County.
Deducted 21 points this season, County are back to within 11 of safety in the Championship and their recent form has been outstanding with wins over Bournemouth, West Brom, and Stoke plus a draw with Fulham.
If they had started the season normally without deductions, they would only be two points behind Saturday’s hosts Coventry and odds of 16/5 about a Rams raid look interesting to say the least.
Coventry are winless in six and Rooney will be looking to keep the momentum going at Derby, as well as bring some much needed financial funds to the club.
Brighton to Make Class Count
In the battle of the Albions take Brighton at 6/5 to see off hosts West Brom and make their Premier League class count.
The Seagulls are ninth in the top flight following a successful start to the campaign and Graham Potter, who used to play for West Brom, should be able to focus on the FA Cup with little else to go at this season for the mid-table visitors.
It’s a different story for West Brom, who are fourth in the Championship. Promotion is everything to the Baggies and that’s by no means a gimme following a run of two wins in nine.
Palace Should Tame Lions
Crystal Palace are playing much better than a record of five defeats in eight suggests and they can claim south London delight by beating neighbours Millwall.
Palace have got plenty of goals in the side, scoring ten times in the last five matches, with the only blank coming in a 3-0 defeat to Tottenham when Wilf Zaha was sent off in the first half.
Zaha is away at the Africa Cup of Nations, but Conor Gallagher has been declared fit and Palace, at odds of 11/10, can overcome the Lions, who are mid-table in the Championship.
*All odds correct at time of writing