Previews of tonight’s other FA Cup fourth round replays

Three more games that have conquered the snow will take place

While the Merseyside derby is the big game of the day, there are three other important FA Cup replays taking place. Martin O’Neill looks to avoid more FA Cup disappointment as they host Doncaster, Blackburn face Sunderland for the fifth time in under three months and Billy Davies and Nigel Clough face their former clubs once more:

Aston Villa v Doncaster
Doncaster are unbeaten in four straight away games, winning three, having previously gone twelve matches without a win on the road. In contrast, Villa have won just five of their last sixteen home games and were eliminated from the Carling Cup at home to Championship strugglers QPR. Martin O’Neill’s side have only been past the fourth round once in eight years so they will be wary of an upset.

Blackburn v Sunderland

Posted: February 4th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

The New Football Pools are giving away another £260,000 this weekend

Just predict the outcome of fifteen matches to win big

A fortnight ago chickendinner told you about The New Football Pools’ Footy 15 competition, whereby you could win a big cash jackpot by correctly identifying the winners of fifteen matches.

This week the jackpot is a massive £260,000 while prizes are available to everyone who gets eleven or more right. To help out those of you who would like to enter but don’t follow the Championship, here is a stat on each of the five games you have to pick a winner for in that league:

Bristol City v Barnsley
The away side haven’t won any of the last seven encounters between these teams. Bristol City have won their last two home games against Barnsley.

QPR v Reading

Posted: January 30th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Stats for all of tonight’s FA Cup games (Part One)

Info on games at Birmingham, Burnley, Cheltenham and Crewe

chickendinner have already told you why we think that Bristol City will eliminate Portsmouth but here are a few stats to help you bet on the other eight games taking place tonight:

Birmingham v Wolves
For the first time this season Wolves are on a run of three games without a win. The league leaders last beat Birmingham in 2001 and five of their last six encounters have finished level, which could mean a replay that would be unwelcome for both teams could be on the cards.

Burnley v QPR (replay)
The home side are winless in their last five games but have won seven of their last eleven meetings with QPR, while two have been drawn. However, the billionaires were 2-0 winners at Turf Moor last season and are unbeaten in six, although the fact that five of those have been draws suggests that penalties is a possibility.

Cheltenham v Doncaster

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

Bad omens for Blackburn

Manchester United/Blackburn Rovers, 8pm, Best Odds, Free Bets

Blackburn have impressed in the Carling Cup this season, taking out Everton and winning away at Sunderland but the minute they were drawn away to Manchester United, it was hard to see their journey continuing. Paul Ince has tried to boost morale by making the comparison with when his Macclesfield team were struggling in the relegation zone and won away at league leaders Walsall in the cup, kickstarting their season. Unfortunately for Ince and his team, Manchester United are a bit of a step-up from Walsall.

» Blackburn have already lost at home to Manchester United 2-0 this season and have lost all four of their games against top five sides under Paul Ince.

» Rovers got past two Premier League sides to reach last season’s quarter-finals where they were drawn at home to Arsenal and suffered elimination.

» Sir Alex Ferguson has lost just five of 51 encounters against teams managed by his former players.

Posted: December 3rd, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

The five favourites to succeed Mark Hughes at Man City

4/1 Mourinho leads a host of big names in the betting

In the summer, Mark Hughes was one of the frontrunners to take Jose Mourinho’s old job at Chelsea but just five months after Sparky took charge of Manchester City, Mourinho has been installed as the favourite to succeed him. Here’s our take on the frontrunners in SkyBet’s market:

Jose Mourinho 4/1
It’s only five months since Mourinho took charge of Inter Milan yet he finds himself in the curious position of simultaneously being favourite to become the next manager of Manchester City and Manchester United. The former Chelsea boss became the first man ever to win the Premier League in his first season but do City really want a manager who will turn their exciting young attacking talent into flair-free workhorses?

Frank Rijkaard 5/1
Two years ago Rijkaard guided Barcelona to a La Liga/Champions League double but his stock has plummeted since then and he was axed earlier this year after a run of just three wins in thirteen league games saw Barca finish trophyless in third. The fact his inexperienced successor Josep Guardiola has instantly taken the Catalan club to the top spot while scoring seventeen goals in their last three home games makes you wonder where the Dutchman was going wrong.

Roberto Mancini 5/1
The Italian kindly ended Inter Milan’s seventeen year wait for the title by winning three in a row (the first of which was handed to them after Juventus’ enforced relegation and Milan’s points deduction) but his reward for such drastic over-achievement was the sack this summer. The best jobs he’s been linked to recently have been at West Ham and QPR so he would probably jump at the chance to manage Manchester City.

Posted: November 12th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment