The Sports Bookie Blog

FA Cup: Eight Hopefuls Just Two Games From Wembley

March 6th, 2008

Here’s the latest FA Cup Betting commentary from top Handicap Sportsbook PinnacleSports.com.

Man Utd & Chelsea Edge Closer to Repeat Final (Mar 8-9)

FA Cup 2008 This weekend punters who favour English football have the choice of Premier League and FA Cup action, with top quality action in both competitions. The FA Cup – the world’s oldest cup competition – has reached the quarter-final stage, which includes last year’s finalists, Man Utd and Chelsea, but among the six other hopefuls are teams from the two tiers below the Premier League looking to create an upset.

Eight Hopefuls Just Two Games From Wembley

The FA Cup reaches the quarter-final stage this weekend which means the eight remaining teams are just two games from the gleaming arch of Wembley. With the way the draw has panned out it we could easily see a repeat of last year’s final where Chelsea beat Manchester United in extra time. Having cruised past Arsenal with a 4-0 demolition at Old Trafford in the previous round, the Red Devils are favourites with PinnacleSports.com to overcome Portsmouth with home advantage.

Manchester United are 2.040 (-1.5)* with Portsmouth 1.893 (+1.5)* – a market priced to less than 102%.

Chelsea face a trip to Oakwell taking on Championship side, Barnsley, who pulled off the biggest giant-killing for some years by beating Liverpool at Anfield in the last sixteen. Having performed such heroics in the previous round, the Tykes will fear no-one with home advantage, especially if goalkeeper Lee Steele is in the same unbeatable form. Chelsea will be looking to avenge the recent League Cup final defeat inflicted at the hands of Spurs, by successfully defending the FA Cup trophy.

PinnacleSports.com make Chelsea favourites 1.781 (-1 & -1.5)* with Barnsley 2.180 (+1 & +1.5)*.

On Sunday Middlesbrough have a great opportunity to make the semi-finals, facing Championship side Cardiff at home. Boro last silverware was the League Cup in 2004, while they last made the FA Cup final in 1997. Bristol Rovers fly the flag for Division One looking to defeat West Brom at home, having reached the last eight for the first time since 1958.

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