Statistics on all four televised FA Cup fifth round games

Will we see more Tic Tac adverts than goals this time around?

Fulham, Chelsea and Manchester United may be under pressure to avoid FA Cup giantkillings but that is nothing compared to the scrutiny ITV’s coverage will suffer following their Merseyside derby blunder. Here’s our guide to the four games that will be shown on TV, subject to further “technical problems”:

Swansea v Fulham (12.45pm, Saturday, ITV1)
The last time these two sides met in 1997, they were both competing in the fourth tier of English football. Despite not winning away from home in the league all season, Fulham have won on the road in the last two rounds of the FA Cup. However, Swansea are unbeaten in fifteen games, nine of which have been draws, so Fulham’s best chance might be to take the game to a replay. Three of the last five meetings between the two sides in Wales have finished 2-2, which is 16/1 on 888sport, while both sides won one each 2-1.

Watford v Chelsea (5.30pm, Saturday, Setanta Sports 1)
It’s Lampard versus Lampard at Vicarage Road this weekend as the Chelsea midfielder comes up against the team where his dad works as a football consultant for former Blues reserve manager Brendan Rodgers. Chelsea have failed to win either of their two previous FA Cup away games against Watford, drawing one and losing one. Even if that record ends, it could be worth betting on the visitors conceding for the eighth straight cup match. The Hornets have lost just three of their last ten home games and have only failed to fire in one of those. Bet365 offer evens on both teams scoring.

Everton v Aston Villa (2.30pm, Sunday, Setanta Sports 1)

Posted: February 13th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

The betting superfacts for Derby/Manchester United

Derby/Man Utd, 7.45pm, Sky Sports 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

If Derby didn’t already have a tough enough task on their hands overcoming Manchester United over two legs, they have taken a risk by confirming the appointment of Nigel Clough the day before the home leg. This means that caretaker boss Chris Hutchings, who was hoping to get the job full-time, is out of the picture and someone new, academy boss David Lowe, has been forced to take charge of this game at incredibly short notice. Here are the key statistics about tonight’s Pride Park collision:

» While Derby have won on two of their last seven trips to Old Trafford, they have yet taken just a point from their four meetings with them at Pride Park.

» The Rams last home win over the reigning Premier League champions came twenty years ago in August 1989 in a season where Derby did the double over United.

Posted: January 7th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment