Everyone loves a giant-killing, and the FA Cup is notorious for throwing up a shock or two, especially at this stage of the competition. Our Premier League and EFL experts have knuckled down and picked out some of this Saturday’s underdogs who stand a real chance of getting a result against their more fancied opponents.
Our expert football tips and betting predictions are always heavily researched and our experts have here earmarked three FA Cup underdogs who offer some nice value. There is value to be found throughout the competition and we have additional FA Cup accumulator tips on the Third Round available ahead of Saturday’s action.
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Saturday’s FA Cup Underdog Tips
AFC Wimbledon v Ipswich
AFC Wimbledon will be hopeful of a big shock when they take on Premier League promotion chasing outfit Ipswich Town this weekend.
Ipswich are a very strong outfit and they are likely to improve further in this window in an attempt to establish themselves as one of the best two teams in the Championship.
However, they regularly changed almost their entire starting XI in cup competitions under the stewardship of Kieran McKenna and while they have done well, it will always give teams an opportunity to start fast and get amongst them early doors.
They also enter this game winless in five with the Christmas period proving a difficult one to manage, including four draws and just one goal scored in that period. They have allowed Dane Scarlett to return to Tottenham Hotspur while key striker George Hirst is missing for the foreseeable.
AFC Wimbledon may have a patchy home record but their performances have often been outstanding and they have a penchant for scoring goals against sides that play more attractive brands of football – they scored four against both Notts County and Swindon Town and drew 2-2 with Crewe Alexandra.
Their record against the best teams in the league has been impressive, losing just one of six against teams above them in the league table and across the campaign, they have created just shy of 2xG per game. They are also very good on set-piece situations, which could be crucial on a wintery January window against bigger opposition.
Sunderland v Newcastle
Sunderland host Newcastle for the first time since their relegation from the Premier League and have a genuine shot at beating their great rivals.
The Black Cats have been strong at home this season, winning eight of their 13 matches while losing the other five. However, it’s their underlying performances that have been just as impressive, conceding less than 1xG in eight home matches and exuding a serious level of confidence and structure in their play.
They come into this game having picked up seven points from their last three games under new boss Michael Beale, who will be desperate to pick up a big victory in an attempt to endear himself to supporters who have been unsure about his appointment.
Newcastle United are a side that are ready for their mid-season break after a brutal run of injuries and results. The Magpies have lost six of their last eight overall and six of their last eight away from home. In fact, they have won only twice on the road all season in all competitions.
Their injury list shows little sign of letting up with Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson, two experienced British players that will be more than aware of what this game means, missing while others have been thrown back in before they are ready.
Stoke v Brighton
When you take over a new club, it’s important that you implement some structure and get some early results on the board in order to appease fans and give yourself a platform to build upon.
Steven Schumacher did a fantastic job with Plymouth Argyle and has started strong with Stoke City, picking up impressive points against Watford and Ipswich Town while dispatching of Birmingham City.
It’s clear that he has been able to imprint his preferred style and shape on the side quickly, moving towards a 2-3-5 shape that has gotten their better players in position to do more damage, such as the cultured Wouter Burger playing a role that allows him to play on left-foot and face the game to create.
They face very good opposition in Brighton and Hove Albion but Roberto De Zerbi hasn’t quite managed the same level of success he has last season and their away form has been indifferent, winning just three of ten on the road. They have won one of their last nine away from home in domestic competitions.
De Zerbi is also a manager that likes to rotate and give others a chance where possible meaning we could see an XI that contains fewer of the regulars such as Pascal Gross, Lewis Dunk and Kaoru Mitoma. Doing so would give Stoke an opportunity to pick up another important result in Schumacher’s early days.
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