FA Cup Archives - Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites

Three things we learned: Chelsea 2-0 Southampton

Marek — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 23:49:46 +0000

Chelsea booked an FA Cup final date against Manchester United after beating Southampton by a 2-0 scoreline on Sunday. Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata were on the scoresheet for the Blues during the second period as they ensured their progress to their second final in the competition in as many seasons.

Three things we learned:
Olivier Giroud continues his fine FA Cup record: Giroud had been in a good run of form coming into the game after netting a match-winning brace at Southampton last weekend. Obviously, the Frenchman’s record against the Saints has been mostly talked about but his opener on Sunday meant that he has contributed towards 22 goals in just 26 FA Cup appearances. This includes a couple of match-winning assists for ex-Arsenal teammate Aaron Ramsey in the 2014 and 2017 editions of the FA Cup final.
Chelsea can send off Antonio Conte on a high: Antonio Conte’s position at Stamford Bridge remains uncertain despite the Blues having progressed to the FA Cup final. Whilst Conte has refused to comment on his future, the Blues’ hierarchy have presumably made their mind up to recruit a new head coach. As such, Chelsea players have the opportunity to end the Italian’s tenure on a high and the 48-year-old would no doubt love another chance to trump United boss Jose Mourinho to lift the FA Cup.
Chelsea’s push for a top-four finish: Until last weekend, Chelsea looked down and out in their top-four pursuit as they surrendered a 2-0 goal advantage to Southampton. However, they managed to script a dramatic comeback to secure a 3-2 triumph and they have since won back-to-back games across all competitions. During the same period, fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur have gone winless and the Blues can now put more pressure on their cross-town rivals whose 10-point advantage has been halved in a week.

The post Three things we learned: Chelsea 2-0 Southampton appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.

FA Cup: Manchester United player ratings vs Tottenham Hotspur

Marek — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 20:05:29 +0000

Manchester United reached the final of the FA Cup as they beat Tottenham Hotspur by a 2-1 scoreline at the Wembley Stadium. The Red Devils trailed early courtesy of a Dele Alli effort but goals from Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera ensured that they progressed to a record-equalling 20th FA Cup final.

Player Ratings:
David de Gea – The Spaniard was stranded for Spurs’ opening goal with the United defence falling to cut off the delivery. Apart from this, he had a relatively comfortable game with Spurs resorting to long-range shots – 6.5/10
Antonio Valencia – The Ecuadorian did a good job on Heung-Min Son on the right side and looked commanding with the ball in the opposition half. Lucky to not be sent off for a couple of fouls in the second period – 6.5/10
Phil Jones – The Englishman could not do much for the Spurs’ opener but besides this, he came flying with multiple clearances and was clearly a solid performer alongside compatriot Smalling – 7.5/10
Chris Smalling – Smalling has come for stick from the United faithful for his positioning, and it was a similar case in the first-half. As the game progressed, he got the better of Harry Kane with key interceptions – 6.5/10
Nemanja Matic – Struggled to cope with the initial threat from the opposition attack, but took up good positions following the interval whilst acting as a shield ahead of the backline – 6.5/10
Ander Herrera – The Spaniard truly deserves a contract extension for his efforts. Herrera produced another tenacious performance in midfield and this was capped off by a match-defining goal for United – 7.5/10
Paul Pogba – Started the game with a couple of giveaways but improved as the game went on. Provided the key assist for Alexis Sanchez’s opener after stealing the ball from Mousa Dembele – 7/10
Jesse Lingard – Not the best of games for the Englishman. Lingard struggled to find a flow in his passing during the game but he made a key decision to let the ball go for Herrera’s winner – 6/10
Alexis Sanchez – The Chilean’s selection was questioned prior to the game but he managed to prove his critics wrong with a wonderful header to pull United level. He continued to show enthusiasm with his forward play – 8/10
Romelu Lukaku – Lukaku struggled to make his presence felt in the opposition box barring the one occasion where his neat delivery set up Herrera for the match-winning goal – 6/10

The post FA Cup: Manchester United player ratings vs Tottenham Hotspur appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.

FA Cup [Preview]: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur

Marek — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 22:13:33 +0000

Manchester United face-off against Tottenham Hotspur in the first semi-final of the FA Cup at the Wembley Stadium. The Red Devils have been in the better run of form over the past week but Spurs should have the slender advantage in the game, having played their home matches at the national stadium this season.

What happened in the previous meeting?
The last meeting between the sides was at the Wembley Stadium in January where Spurs claimed a comfortable 2-0 win. The north London side opened the scoring via Christian Eriksen after just 11 seconds on the clock, and this was officially registered as the third fastest goal in Premier League history. Spurs continued their dominance thereafter and they doubled their lead in the 28th minute after an own-goal from Phil Jones. Spurs could have quite easily extended the scoreline further but Harry Kane struggled to find his feet in front of goal.
Players to watch for:
Romelu Lukaku – Manchester United: The Belgium international came on as a second-half substitute against Bournemouth on Wednesday night and scored the clincher in United’s 2-0 triumph. Lukaku has now achieved his best-ever scoring season with 27 goals but the marksman brings much more to the table with his hold-up and link-up play having improved under Jose Mourinho. Lukaku has notched at least one goal in each of the previous rounds of the FA Cup and Spurs may have to nullify his physical threat in order to come up with a positive outcome.
Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur: Like Lukaku, Kane has been the lynchpin in the Spurs attack and his injury comeback is undoubtedly a huge boost for the Cup meeting. The England international has netted twice since returning from a knee injury in early April and with this, he has become only the fourth player in Premier League history to score 20 goals in three consecutive seasons. The 24-year-old has netted four times for Spurs in three FA Cup outings and this includes a late goal at Newport County which avoided a major upset.
Prediction:
Manchester United 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur

The post FA Cup [Preview]: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.

Chelsea FA Cup player ratings vs Leicester City

Marek — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 18:15:05 +0000

Chelsea sealed their progress to the semi-final stage of the FA Cup after they secured a 2-1 triumph over Leicester City in added extra-time. The Blues found the scoresheet through Alvaro Morata and Pedro with Jamie Vardy’s equaliser sandwiched between them.
Player Ratings:
Willy Caballero: The Argentine managed to once again start ahead of Thibaut Courtois in a Cup competition. Made a couple of rash decisions to rush out, and was fault for Jamie Vardy’s equaliser – 6/10
Cesar Azpilicueta: Another top performance from the captain. The Spaniard struggled with the brilliance of Lionel Messi in midweek, but was more solid against the Foxes. Could not restrict Vardy’s equaliser despite a block leading to the goal – 7/10
Andreas Christensen: The Dane has had a tough few weeks, but managed to have a better positional sense this time around. Should have shown better awareness prior to Vardy’s goal – 6.5/10
Antonio Rudiger: The German has been keeping out Gary Cahill from the line-up, but he has not done much to keep his position. Had a number of nervous moments prior to the completion of normal time.
Victor Moses: A poor performance from the Nigerian, who appears to have lost for ideas. Could not find the perfect cross on the attack, and was likewise disappointing at the back where he allowed Vardy a free header on goal – 5/10
Marcos Alonso: The Spaniard has looked far from his best form of late, and this may be associated with fatigue. The Spaniard was outran by Riyad Mahrez prior to Vardy’s goal – 5.5/10
Tiemoue Bakayoko: Another game to forget for the France international. The midfielder made his first appearance in over a month, and did nothing credible before his half-time substitution – 4/10
N’Golo Kante: An exact opposite of Bakayoko. The Frenchman was a live wire on the field against his former club, and this made up for Bakayoko’s no-show. Provided a brilliant chip for Pedro’s winner on the night – 9/10
Eden Hazard: The Belgium international has lost his flair from the early part of the year. Could not find a way through the Foxes’ defence, and was often frustrating due to his inability to find the final ball – 6/10
Willian: Another strong performance from the Brazilian, who probably warrants a new contract. The attacker provided a delightful assist for Morata’s opener, but slowed down later after picking up a knock – 7.5/10
Alvaro Morata: The Spain international ended a 13-match goal drought on Sunday, and nearly grabbed himself a brace, if not for Kasper Schmeichel’s interception. Showed his brilliance only in stages – 7/10
Substitutes:
Cesc Fabregas: The midfielder came in place of Bakayoko following the break, but kept things calm with his intrinsic passing. Defended well during the dying stages of the game – 6/10
Pedro: The Spaniard has not been in the best of form, but managed to contribute when it mattered the most. The attacker took advantage of a goalkeeping error from Schmeichel to head in the winner – 7/10
Gary Cahill: Came in for Andreas Christensen, who appeared to have picked up a knock. Kept his focus during the crunch period in added extra-time to secure the Blues’ progress – 6.5/10
Olivier Giroud: Did not do much on the attack front, but was a handy target man to have at the end. Received some harsh words from Antonio Conte after needlessly losing the ball on the attack – 6/10

The post Chelsea FA Cup player ratings vs Leicester City appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.

Hazard and Morata start, 3-4-3: Predicted Chelsea lineup to face Leicester City

Marek — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 10:17:16 +0000

Chelsea are at the King Power Stadium for Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final versus Leicester City.
The Blues come into the game on the back of a disappointing Champions League round of 16 exit at the hands of Barcelona, and they will be desperate to keep their silverware hopes alive on the road to the Foxes.
Formation: 3-4-3
Lineup:
Willy Caballero has been the preferred pick for the Cup competition this term, and Antonio Conte could probably stick with the Argentine ahead of current first-choice Thibaut Courtois, who was prone to mistakes at the Camp Nou.
In central defence, we are anticipating more of the same from the Blues. Cesar Azpilicueta is likely to lead the club once more in a three-man backline involving Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
Victor Moses has not been fluent with his delivery from the right-wing back position, but judging by Conte’s selection of late, the Nigerian is likely to retain his spot with Marcos Alonso featuring in the left wing-back spot.
In midfield, N’Golo Kante is certain to start on the day, and Conte could be tempted to pair him alongside Danny Drinkwater, with the pair more accustomed to the opposition’s tactics back from their Leicester days.
Further forward, Willian has been by far the Blues’ best option on the right side of the attack, and it is a no-brainer to start him after his recent performances against the likes of Manchester United and Barcelona.
Other than this, Eden Hazard should slot into his regular left-wing role for the Cup quarter-final, whilst Alvaro Morata may probably get the nod over Olivier Giroud, who was below-par during his maiden Champions League start for the Blues in midweek.
Morata has not been in the best of form with 13 straight matches without a goal, but he is still capable of coming up with moments of brilliance in the counter-attack with his pace. The cross-field ball from Azpilicueta worked to Morata’s benefit earlier in the season.
Predicted Lineup (3-4-3): Caballero; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Christensen; Moses, Kante, Drinkwater, Alonso; Willian, Hazard, Morata

The post Hazard and Morata start, 3-4-3: Predicted Chelsea lineup to face Leicester City appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.

FA Cup [Preview]: Leicester City vs Chelsea

Marek — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 18:49:37 +0000

Leicester City are at the King Power Stadium for this weekend’s FA Cup quarter-final tie versus Chelsea. The Foxes are in a relatively comfortable position in the Premier League after attaining the 40-point mark, and they are likely to have a real-go against the English champions this weekend.
Likewise, the Blues are desperate for a triumph in the Cup quarter-final after they succumbed to a 4-1 aggregate defeat at the hands of Barcelona in the Champions League. Their Premier League campaign is also at a low-point, having fallen four-point adrift of the top-four, though that could be taken into concern following the international break.
Form:
Leicester had gone through a lean patch of five Premier League games without a victory before their triumph last weekend. The east Midlands outfit were dominant against bottom-club West Bromwich Albion, and they picked up a morale-boosting 4-1 win ahead of the Cup encounter.
On the contrary, the Blues ended a two-match losing run in the Premier League last weekend as they beat London rivals Crystal Palace 2-1 at Stamford Bridge. They could, however, not carry the momentum into the Champions League round of 16, second-leg versus Barcelona, where they were unlucky to lose by a 3-0 scoreline.
Players to watch for:
Riyad Mahrez – Leicester City: The Algeria international has been hugely influence towards the Foxes’ season once more, and one wonders how they could cope without him in the long-run. The winger has contributed a goal or assist in three of the last four matches (whoscored), and his creativity from the right side of the attack could be key to unlocking an uncertain Blues’ backline. Chelsea may have to keep a close watch on the attacker’s cross-field cross for Jamie Vardy, which the Englishman has dually converted into a goal. The most recent occurrence was against Sheffield United, where the game was decided by a solitary Vardy goal.
Alvaro Morata – Chelsea: Morata has had a huge downslide to his playing career since the turn of the year. The Spain international started his Blues campaign in fine fashion, and contributed six goals in as many outings. Since then, goals have come in sporadic intervals, and his form has been pretty poor in 2018. The former Real Madrid man is currently on a 13-match (ESPN) goalless drought, and he needs to find himself a goal sooner rather than later to salvage his World Cup hopes. Morata was dropped out of the Spain squad for the upcoming friendlies against Germany and Argentine with one former Chelsea marksman Diego Costa earning a recall.
Prediction:
Chelsea have not had much luck in 2018 with League Cup and Champions League exits, and we are anticipating a potential Cupset with Leicester outscoring the outgoing English champions.
Leicester City 2-1 Chelsea

The post FA Cup [Preview]: Leicester City vs Chelsea appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.

Tottenham's probable starting XI vs Rochdale

Kelvin — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 06:50:18 +0000

Tottenham will collide against Rochdale in the FA Cup 5th round replay contest at Wembley Stadium tonight. Who will come out on top?
At the weekend, the north Londoners fought hard and scored a late goal to win all three points away from home versus Crystal Palace.
As far as Mauricio Pochettino’s team news is concerned, first choice central defenders Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen are out injured at the moment. In such a scenario, we can expect Foyth and Sanchez to start in the central defense. Vorm should start in the goal.
The likes of Rose and Trippier should start in the full-back positions for Spurs. In the midfield, Dier will probably start in the defensive midfield role and Sissoko and Winks should start in front of him.
As far as the offense is concerned, Spanish international Fernando Llorente should start as the lone center forward up front and behind him, Son and Moura will likely start in the wide attacking positions.
Here is Tottenham’s probable starting XI vs Rochdale.

The post Tottenham's probable starting XI vs Rochdale appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.

How Manchester United could line up against Yeovil

Omer — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 04:47:03 +0000

Manchester United won their last league game against Burnley and next up, they will collide against Yeovil in the FA Cup. Who will come out on top tonight?
Jose Mourinho may make a few changes in the team that started vs the Clarets last weekend keeping in mind that the Red Devils have to face Tottenham next week in the Premier League.
We can expect Sergio Romero to start in the goal ahead of Spanish international David De Gea. In front of the Argentine shot stopper, the likes of Victor Lindelof, Marcos Rojo, Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw will probably start in the defense.
Belgian international Marouane Fellaini and former Athletic Bilbao star Ander Herrera could start in the center of the park for the Red Devils.
Alexis Sanchez is eligible to face Yeovil but he might start on the bench and come on later in the game to make his debut. Marcus Rashford, Juan Mata and Anthony Martial may start in the attack behind lone center forward Romelu Lukaku.
Here is how Manchester United could line up against Yeovil.

The post How Manchester United could line up against Yeovil appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.

4-3-3: How Manchester United could Line up vs Derby

Marek — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 07:00:49 +0000

Manchester United defeated Everton in their last Premier League game and Mourinho’s men will now kick start their FA Cup campaign tomorrow night against Derby County.
Jose Mourinho is dealing with more than a few injury concerns and we can also expect the Portuguese boss to rest key players.
Argentine international Sergio Romero should replace David De Gea in the goal for the Red Devils.
Also Read: Club Ready to Offer $120million+ Star to Manchester United
In front of the South American goalie, the likes of Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind, Axel Tuanzebe and Matteo Darmian should start in the defense.
As far as the midfield is concerned, Ander Herrera and Scott McTominay may return to the starting team to partner record signing Paul Pogba in the center of the park.
In the attacking third, Armenian international Henrikh Mkhitaryan and French star Anthony Martial will probably start behind lone center forward Marcus Rashford. Here is how Manchester United could line up vs Derby County.

The post 4-3-3: How Manchester United could Line up vs Derby appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.

No Van Dijk, Firmino Starts – Liverpool's Strongest Possible 4-3-3 XI vs Everton

Zaryab — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 05:57:53 +0000

Liverpool have been in fantastic form. Since losing to Spurs in the Premier League, the Reds have won 11 out of their 16 games in all competitions.
Next up, the Merseysiders will kick start their FA Cup campaign on Friday night and they should be considered favorites to oust Everton from the competition.
As far as the team news is concerned, Klopp is dealing with more than a few injury concerns and he would also like to rest a few key players after such a busy festive period.
Also Read: Klopp Demands Signing of $120million Midfielder for Liverpool
The German manager already confirmed that he will not rush new signing Van Dijk into the starting XI and we can expect him to not feature vs the Toffees. Klopp said (LFC):

“After the Everton game we have a little bit more time, that will help, but it’s a long-term project – so it’s not important when he (Virgil) makes his first game, it’s important how many good games he will play for Liverpool. That’s what I’m interested in.”

Sadio Mane felt ill during the last league game vs Burnley and we can expect him to be out as well. Firmino should get the nod to start in place of Solanke as the lone center forward up front.
Here is Liverpool’s strongest possible 4-3-3 XI vs Everton.

The post No Van Dijk, Firmino Starts – Liverpool's Strongest Possible 4-3-3 XI vs Everton appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.