Wigan to fail here?
Saturday 23rd January
Premier League
United will be smarting from their defeat at Manchester City in the Carling Cup next week and will also be feeling pretty miserable that they are not involved in this weekend’s FA Cup fourth round. What better way to get over it than to beat somebody convincingly and go to the top of the table.
Hull got a great point at Tottenham last time out but the chances of keeper Boaz Myhill having another day as good as the one he had then must be small. They are still in the drop zone and I can’t see them getting out of it.
SoccerNews prediction: 3-0
FA Cup
This is the type of game that the FA Cup is all about. Roy Hodgson and his players must have groaned pretty loudly when this one was drawn out of the hat. A trip up to the North West to take on Accrington Stanley who sit eleventh in League 2.
The famous old club went of business back in 1966 but reformed in 1970. They climbed up the Non-League ladder before getting promotion back into the football league in 2006.
Fulham will have looked at Manchester United and Liverpool getting knocked out and will fancy their chances of making good progress in this competition. They will probably just about get through this tester.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-2
Villa are already at Wembley in the Carling Cup Final and they wouldn’t mind going again in this one. They have been given what should be, on paper, a pretty easy ride through to the fifth round.
Brighton are only a point outside the League One drop zone but they have made an improvement under new manager Gus Poyet. Unfortunately for them I think this will be a step too far.
SoccerNews prediction: 3-0
For second from bottom Bolton the visit of Championship side Sheffield United, sitting in the play-off places, is hardly a promising prospect. Having said that, Owen Coyle’s side put up a decent show at Arsenal in midweek and they must get their first win for the boss pretty soon.
Sheffield United are a combative side who will match Bolton physically but may not have the necessary class required to overcome the Premier League outfit.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-1
One of only three all Premier League clashes in this round of the cup takes place at Goodison Park. A revitalised Everton side take on a Birmingham side who have forgotten what it is like to lose.
It is really difficult to predict the outcome between these two who are tenth and eighth in the league and in fine form. I just have a slight hunch that home advantage will be the telling factor.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-0
A real chance of a giant-killing here as Wigan travel to League Two opponents. Roberto Martinez’s men had a good 2-0 win at Wolves last week but they are so inconsistent that anything could happen when they take to the pitch.
Notts County are in the middle of a very strange season that has seen two different owners, three different managers, Sven Goran-Eriksson as the Director of Football and Sol Campbell signing for the club and leaving after one game. On the pitch things are going OK and they are just outside the League Two play-off places.
I’m going for the surprise.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-1
The second all Premier League game will probably not be one if they get drawn against each other next season! Pompey are struggling and are becoming cast adrift at the bottom.
Sunderland are in relegation form but their good start is keeping them safe. I think they’ll make progress here.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-2
Darren Ferguson has had just one game in charge at Championship Preston and he got a bit of a wake-up call in a 4-2 defeat at Bristol City. Preston are mid-table but they are in a very poor run of results.
Not much to say about Chelsea really other than that they are going to win.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-3
Reading went into this season with high hopes of gaining promotion back to the Premier League. As it has turned out they have sacked one manager and still sit in the Championship drop zone. They did beat Liverpool in the last round.
Burnley are going better than most people predicted but this is a horrible game for new boss Brian Laws. He’ll be relatively happy with a replay.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-1
Leeds will be looking to add another top scalp to the one they got at Old Trafford. They are still top of League One but have faltered a little since their win over Manchester United.
Harry Redknapp will think he has a real chance of taking his men all the way to Wembley and I can’t see them slipping up here.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
Wolves are in real trouble in the Premier League and the FA Cup may be something of an unwelcome distraction. Mick McCarthy has previous for fielding a reserve side and may do the same again.
Palace are going well in the Championship and are only just outside the play-offs. Any team managed by Neil Warnock will never give any less than 100%. I have a feeling that both managers will be pretty satisfied with a Palace win.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-1
Sunday 24th January
FA Cup
The Manchester City under Mark Hughes might well have struggled in this testing tie but the new improved version under Mancini should be OK.
Scunthorpe are a bit of a yo-yo team between the Championship and League One. They are currently near the bottom of the Championship but they will certainly give it a go. Unfortunately for them they will come up just a little bit short.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-2
Both teams would think they had a chance in this competition so both teams would have been disappointed by the draw they got.
Stoke will give it everything and Arsenal will play some lovely football. Who will come out on top? Don’t be silly, Arsenal will.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-2
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