The FA Cup reaches its fourth round stage this weekend. To be fair, the draw didn’t produce a classic set of games. Perhaps they should have had a second attempt like in the Champions League. There are some good ties though, where might the surprises (if there are any) come or some bets with decent odds.
Saturday 5 February
Stoke City v Wigan Athletic (3pm)
Friday night sees the fourth round begin with Manchester United hosting Middlesbrough. There shouldn’t be a shock in that game. However, one might just happen the following day as Championship side Stoke City host League One Wigan.
Stoke are 12th in the Championship but that’s only six points away from the final promotion play-off position. They have been a lot higher this season and aren’t in good form at present. A form guide for the last five games has them down in 19th and it’s 21st for the last ten.
Only one of their last six home games has been won and just two of the last ten. One win was against Leyton Orient in the third round, the other against relegation-threatened Peterborough United. You can get 4/5 at Betfair on them beating Wigan.
The away side are second in League One and former FA Cup winners. They are three points behind leaders Rotherham United and with a couple of games in hand. Wigan come into this game unbeaten in their last 20 league and cup games.
Away form has produced 11 wins from the last 13. The third round saw them beat Championship promotion contenders Blackburn Rovers 3-2 at home. It’s 7/2 at Paddy Power they can win this in 90 minutes. They are 23/10 at Unibet to qualify for the fifth round and that looks a decent bet.
Peterborough v QPR (3pm)
Another unforgettable tie sees an all-Championship clash. Peterborough are in the relegation zone and may relish a weekend off from those struggles. They have beaten QPR (who are fourth) at home this season, though the London side have improved since then.
A home win doesn’t look too likely but both teams scoring does. QPR have won all their last four away games 2-1. It’s 9/1 at BetVictor that they win this game 2-1. 11 of their last 12 on the road have seen both teams score. Peterborough has the worst defence in the Championship but have scored in six of the last eight at home. A bet on QPR to win with both teams scoring has odds of 10/3 at Betfair.
Non-League glory?
There are two non-league teams in the fourth round. Kidderminster from the National League North are home to Premier League West Ham. This tie is being played on Saturday February 5 at 12.30pm. Now this is what the FA Cup is all about, but could we see a shock?
West Ham have had some bad defeats in this competition and won’t play a full-strength team of course. They are a touch inconsistent but should be able to beat the non-leaguers without too many problems. The usual job is to get an early goal, that puts the minnows in their place. Bet on the Hammers on a -1 handicap, that’s 6/10 at 888sport.
Boreham Wood might have wanted more than Bournemouth away. The National League side are fifth in the table, two points off the top with a couple of games in hand. They are unbeaten in 16 league and cup games and could cause a few problems. Bournemouth have lost two of their last three games and should get the win. A bet on Boreham Wood win with a 2 goal start has odds of 1/1 at Coral.
