England FA Cup Fifth Round, 2-5. March 2020

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Portsmouth vs Arsenal Preview:

Possible starting lineups:

Portsmouth:
Bass; Bolton, Burgess, Raggett, Brown; Naylor, McGeehan; Williams, Cannon, Curtis; Marquis

Arsenal:
Leno; Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Mari, Saka; Torreira, Ceballos; Nelson, Willock, Martinelli; Aubameyang

Portsmouth will host Arsenal in the FA Cup fifth round's fixture at Fratton Park. The League One side will try to upset the favorites and nothing is impossible. So far they have eliminated four opponents. Portsmouth beat Harrogate with 2:1 in the first round. Brandon Haunstrup and Ronan Curtis scored the goals on that match. In the second round Portsmouth won 2:1 against Altrincham thanks to injury-time goal from Brett Pitman, after Ben Close scored the first goal on that match. Fleetwood were the third victims, while the result was the same - 2:1. James Bolton and John Marquis were the scorers in that match. Kenny Jackett's men were also successful in the fourth round, beating Barnsley with 4:2. Four goals were scored by four different players - Ben Close, John Marquis, Ronan Curtis and Christian Burgess. The hosts will certainly try to obtain another cup victory, though Arsenal are the strongest opponents so far. But playing at home could be a big advantage. The Pompey have won their last 10 matches at Fratton Park in all competitions and they are unbeaten since August. On Friday they beat Rochdale with 3:0 thanks to goals scored by Ryan Williams, Steve Seddon and Burgess. I believe the players confidence is high at the moment. The players will be fully motivated, no doubt about that. Most of them are ready, only Bryn Morris is out injured, while Ronan Curtis and Tom Naylor should be assessed. On the positive note, striker Ellis Harrison has recovered and appeared as a substitute on Friday.

Arsenal have eliminated Leeds United and Bournemouth so far in this competition. Both victories were narrow - Reiss Nelson secured an 1:0 win over Leeds, while Bukayo Saka and Edward Nketiah netted in 2:1 win against the Cherries. The FA Cup now remains Arsenal's only chance for silverware this season. Indeed, the FA Cup is a competition Arsenal have won more than any other side. But the atmosphere in the squad is not at desired level. As You probably know, they suffered a painful elimination from Olympiakos in UEFA Europe League. Arsenal had 1:0 from Athens and it look like they will progress easily. Nevertheless, the Greek side won 1:0 after the regular 90 minutes and 2:1 after 120 minutes to secure progress. It was the first defeat for Arteta's men since December 2019, ending their 10-game unbeaten run across all competitions. The Coach admitted his players are still feeling "very down" after being knocked out of Europa. Nevertheless, the Spaniard must find a way to rebuild the players confidence. Some rotation will surely be done, but I still expect a strong eleven. Defender Shkodran Mustafi limped off in the second half of the Europa League clash and won't play here. Sokratis Papastathopoulos should replace him. Defender Sead Kolasinac suffered a serious arm injury against Everton last weekend. Kieran Tierney has recovered, but this match comes too soon for the Scotsman. Cedric Soares and Calum Chambers are also struggling with injuries, so the January signing Pablo Mari may have his first senior appearance.

Portsmouth vs Arsenal Prediction:

I believe both teams will score at Fratton Park. Arsenal manager Arteta must take this match seriously. After all, this is the Gunners only remaining opportunity for silverware this season. But Portsmouth are strong at home where they have won their last 10 matches in all competitions. The players confidence is high at the moment and they are definitely able to create lot of problems to the favorites, particularly knowing Arsenal have lot of injured defenders.

Portsmouth vs Arsenal Pick: Both teams to score - Yes @ 1.87 with Bwin

 

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Chelsea vs Liverpool Preview:

Chelsea host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in what should be the derby of the FA Cup fifth round. Chelsea managed to eliminate Nottingham and Hull City in the previous stages of this competition. Both sides are coming into this match after disappointing results over the weekend. Chelsea were very close to lose at Vitality as Bournemouth had 2:1 until the finish of the match. However, Marcos Alonso equalized in the 85th minute and brought his team a point. The Blues remain fourth on the table and it will be a great success if they secure a Champions League spot. Nevertheless, the FA Cup is maybe their only realistic opportunity for silverware this season. Manager Frank Lampard is well aware about that and I think he will name a strong line-up. Four players are struggling with injuries. Tammy Abraham missed the game with Bournemouth due to an ankle injury. He went to Barcelona for some additional consultations regarding the problem and won't play here. Midfielder N'Golo Kante is still out due to a muscle injury. The former Leicester player could be ready in time for the weekend clash with Everton. Callum Hudson-Odoi and Christian Pulisic remain sidelined. Lampard will probably start with Kepa Arrizabalaga at goalkeeping position, as Willy Caballero is now the club's first-choice keeper.

Liverpool suffered a painful defeat to Watford during the weekend. Jurgen Klopp's men lost 3:0 at Vicarage Road and stopped the series of 44 Premier League games without a defeat. The Reds have been sensational this season and they were able to maintain a consistent level of brilliance for 27 rounds. But the last match against Watford opened some questions. It is clear Liverpool are out of form for a longer period. At least one month. They were outplayed by bottom-placed Norwich, but several Alisson's superb saves and a suspicious goal from Mane brought them a victory. Three days later Liverpool lost 1:0 to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Losing at Wanda Metropolitano is not a shame, but something else definitely is - the Reds failed to register a single shot on target. Last weekend Liverpool had huge problems to beat relegation candidates West Ham. The Hammers were heading for a shock win at Anfield before the goalkeeper Fabianski's blunder allowed Salah tame shot to trickle through his legs to make it 2:2. On the opposite side, West Ham strikers missed lot of clear chances. Nevertheless, the 'Moment of Truth' came this weekend when Liverpool lost 3:0 to the Hornets. At the same time, Klopp's men failed to score in a Premier League match for the first time since March 2019, ending a run of 36 consecutive games in which they found the back of the net. Just to mention, the attacking trio of Salah, Firmino and Mane was complete. The German coach will surely make some changes for the trip to Stamford Bridge. Centre-back Joe Gomez, who missed the Watford defeat with a slight knock, could start here. James Milner may also be in contention after missing the last two games with a muscle problem, while Naby Keita is rated as doubtful and will be assessed before the match. Adrian is expected to start in goal, while the likes of Neco Williams and Curtis Jones are the most likely starters from the youngsters. Harvey Elliott is unavailable as he will travel with U-19 squad to Portugal to face Benfica in the UEFA Youth League. Captain Jordan Henderson, Xherdan Shaqiri and Nathaniel Clyne remain sidelined.

Chelsea vs Liverpool Prediction:

Chelsea should win this match. The Blues play at home and this fact should not be underestimated. However, this is more a bet against Liverpool. Their defense looked poor on the last few matches, even with Van Dijk. Imagine how the back-line will work without the Dutchman. Liverpool lost two of the last three matches in all competitions and the players confidence isn't high as previously. Klopp don't like the cup competitions, so he will be focused on the next two fixtures, against Bournemouth on Saturday and Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. I expect another defeat for the Reds.

Chelsea vs Liverpool Pick: Chelsea to win @ 2.19 with Pinnacle

 

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Tottenham vs Norwich City Preview:

Possible starting lineups:

Tottenham:
Gazzaniga; Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies; Lo Celso, Winks, Ndombele; Lucas, Dele Alli, Bergwijn

Norwich City:
Fahrmann; Aarons, Godfrey, Hanley, Lewis; Vrancic, Trybull; Rupp, Stiepermann, Cantwell; Drmic

Tottenham Hotspur will host Norwich City at new White Hart Lane in the FA Cup fifth round. The Spurs are definitely favorites against bottom-placed side in the Premier League. Nevertheless, the North Londoners are in awful form. Tottenham have lost the previous three matches in all competitions. The bad series started against Leipzig in the Champions League. The last season's vice-champions were favorites against inexperienced German outfit, but suffered a 0:1 home defeat. Manager Jose Mourinho said after the match that his team was like 'a gun without bullets'. Just three days later Tottenham lost 2:1 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The misery continued this weekend as they lost 3:2 at home to Wolverhampton. I believe the fans are disappointed with the last results, so Mourinho must find a way to motivate his players. But he has huge injury issues. Two key strikers - Harry Kane and Son - remain sidelined due to injury. Both players are irreplaceable, so it will be very hard for Mourinho to improve the results in the next period. That's not all as Ryan Sessegnon and Hugo Lloris are doubtful with a hip and groin injury respectively. Finally, Moussa Sissoko is a long-term absentee.

Norwich City sit at the bottom of the Premier League table. They will try to escape the relegation, but it will be very hard. I watched Norwich against Liverpool two weeks ago and I must admit they were not bad at all. The league leaders were lucky not to conceded, while Mane scored a suspicious goal for the Reds in the second half. Norwich deserved more from that game according to me. I will remind You that Norwich beat Manchester City and shared the points with Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal. The actual form isn't bad, they beat the third-placed Leicester City on Friday. Jamal Lewis secured the victory with his goal in the 70th minute. With 22 years and 34 days, he became the youngest Northern Irish player to score in the Premier League since Craig Cathcart in January 2011. The atmosphere in the squad is now better, while the players confidence is higher. The FA Cup is another opportunity for Daniel Farke's men to impress. The German coach has four injury worries ahead of this match. Sam Byram, Onel Hernandez and Timm Klose are all sidelined, while Christoph Zimmermann is rated as doubtful.

Tottenham vs Norwich City Prediction:

I expect at least three goals in London. Mourinho likes trophies and FA Cup is his only realistic chance for silverware. He will go for the victory, no doubt about that. But Norwich players are not afraid of big names. They have nothing to lose. Playing without pressure, they already beat Manchester City this season. Daniel Farke's men usually display attractive football, so I expect an open and efficient match.

Tottenham vs Norwich City Pick: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.61 with 1xBet

 

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Derby vs Manchester United Preview:

Possible starting lineups:

Derby:
Hamer; Bogle, Davies, Clarke, Forsyth; Bird, Shinnie; Lawrence, Rooney, Knight; Martin

Manchester United:
Romero; Dalot, Bailly, Maguire, Williams; McTominay, Fred; Lingard, Mata, Greenwood; Ighalo

Derby will host Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round's fixture at Pride Park Stadium. The Championship side will try to upset the favorites. Usually, the cup competitions are full with surprises, so nothing is impossible. So far Derby have eliminated two opponents. They beat Crystal Palace with 1:0 in the third round. Chris Martin scored the lone goal in the match against the Eagles. In the fourth round Derby faced Northampton. First match ended with a goalless draw, so they played a rematch at Pride Park. Derby were dominant on that game and won 4:2. Four goals were scored by four different players - Andre Wisdom, Duane Holmes, Jack Marriott and Wayne Rooney from penalty in the finish of the match. The actual form is also good, Derby managed to beat Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. The Rams conquered Hillsborough and were 3:0 up inside 30 minutes. Tom Lawrence opened the result with the help of a deflection and doubled the lead with a first-time curling finish into the bottom corner from Chris Martin's pass. Martin was assistant once again as Jason Knight drilled the ball in off the post from a tight angle for Derby's third, prompting some home fans to walk out. I believe the atmosphere in the squad is much better now, while the players confidence is higher. Manager Cocu has some injury issues ahead of this match, particularly in midfield. Duane Holmes and Tom Huddlestone are out with ankle and hamstring injury respectively. Defender Krystian Bielik is sidelined with a knee injury, while Ikechi Anya is rated as doubtful. He has only just recovered from the calf injury, but it seems this match come too soon for him.

Manchester United have eliminated Wolverhampton and Tranmere so far in the FA Cup. After a goalless draw in the first, the Red Devils needed a rematch against the Wolves in which they won 1:0 thanks to Juan Mata's goal. The overall form is also good, United are unbeaten on the last eight matches across all competitions. They also eliminated Club Brugge in UEFA Europe League, winning 5:0 in the second leg at Old Trafford. New signing Bruno Fernandes converted the penalty, Odion Ighalo and Scott McTominay made it 3:0 in the first half. Brazilian Fred score twice in the second half. United will face Austrian outfit Lask Linz in the next round of the competition. On Sunday Solskjaer's men visited Everton in the Premier League. The points were shared as the game ended with an 1:1 draw. The Toffees scored thanks to a calamitous error by goalkeeper David de Gea, whose clearance cannoned straight into Dominic Calvert-Lewin and then into the net. De Gea has made seven errors leading directly to an opposition goal in the Premier League since the start of last season, the joint highest. United equalized after 31 minutes when Pickford failed to stop Bruno Fernandes' bouncing shot from 20 yards. Solskjaer will start with Romero on this match, but this is a usual rotation for the cup matches. It will be interesting to see if De Gea will remain his first-choice keeper on Sunday's derby with Manchester City. The Norwegian coach also has some injury worries. Paul Pogba remain sidelined with an ankle injury, while defenders Axel Tuanzebe and Timothy Fosu-Mensah are both suffering from thigh problems. Key striker Marcus Rashford is a long-term absentee, while winger Daniel James is rated as doubtful.

Derby vs Manchester United Prediction:

I expect both teams to score. Manchester United are in good form and the players confidence is high. The Red Devils will go for the victory, so I expect an offensive approach. Derby play at home and they are lead by United all-time top scorer Wayne Rooney. He will like to impress against his former club, so I expect Derby to score too.

Derby vs Manchester United Pick: Both teams to score - Yes @ 1.82 with Pinnacle