FA Cup Preview: The Contenders

Manchester City:

Best Odds: 7/1 (WilliamHill)
3rd Round Opponents: Manchester Utd (h)
Distractions: Title race, Europa League, Carling Cup

Verdict: The first step is the toughest. Beat the neighbours and who is there to fear? However, the African Nations’ Cup denies Mancini of the services of the Toure brothers, starting on Sunday - a big loss. If you fancy City to go all the way, take the 7/1 now because the price will halve if they win another derby.

Manchester Utd:

Best Odds: 10/1 (Coral)
3rd Round Opponents: Manchester City (a)
Distractions: Title race, Europa League, Poor form

Verdict: Two weeks ago United were basking in the glow of back-to-back 5-0 victories. Now we are one bad result away from the word ‘crisis’ being plastered on the back page of every newspaper next to a picture of Sir Alex Ferguson. But it’s worth remembering we’ve been here before, and the boss has always turned it around. Again, the odds need to be taken now, or not at all.

Tottenham:

Best Odds: 8/1 (Betfred)
3rd Round Opponents: Cheltenham (h)
Distractions: Title Race or Top Four Spot

Verdict: Plenty of smart money will go on Redknapp’s side given their league form and what looks like a formality in Round 3. Going out of the Europa League immediately made them stronger candidates for this competition as the fixture burden eased. It’s been 21 years since Spurs even made the final, but history shouldn’t concern us unduly.

Chelsea:

Best Odds: 6/1 (PaddyPower)
3rd Round Opponents: Portsmouth (h)
Distractions: Champions League, Poor form, Manager under pressure.

Verdict: Will be relieved to have a home tie because Pompey away would look terrifying on current form. Ironically, even if the Blues win 10-0 they will be replaced as favourites by whichever Manchester club progresses. Winning the FA Cup wouldn’t neccessarily be enough to keep AVB in a job, but further embarrassment in this competition could be the final straw. A horrbible predicament, and the odds look too short.

Arsenal:

Best Odds: 9/1 (WilliamHill)
3rd Round Opponents: Leeds (h)
Distractions: Champions League, Top Four Spot.

Verdict: The Gunners are certainly much improved from the Motley crew who began the season in ramshackle style. But have the old vulnerabilities really gone away? The recent defeat to Fulham suggests not. For a team that hasn’t won a trophy since 2005 I’d certainly want double figure odds.

Liverpool:

Best Odds: 8/1 (StanJames)
3rd Round Opponents: Oldham (h)
Distractions: Luis Suarez situation, Carling Cup

Verdict: Seem perfect contenders for knockout football. On their day they can beat anyone - Chelsea (twice) and Arsenal have both been beaten on their own patches already this season. You would almost be more fearful of the Reds slipping up against unheralded opponents. Surely not Oldham though.

Newcastle:

Best Odds: 40/1 (Coral)
3rd Round Opponents: Blackburn (h)
Distractions: Nothing much, all seems unusually calm.

Verdict: Easy to make a knee-jerk reaction to the fantastic 3-0 win over Man Utd and get carried away. But on the other hand, why not? They have pretty much matched Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea so far this season - four points separate the Magpies in 7th from the Blues in 4th. Yet Pardew’s side are more than four times less fancied in the betting than any of them. An excellent dark horse.

Stoke:

Best Odds: 40/1 (Bet365)
3rd Round Opponents: Gillingham (a)
Distractions: Europa League

Verdict: Last year’s finalists, still going strong in Europe and currently eighth in the Premier League - but still nobody’s backing them! The big fear here would have to be that Pulis’s boys will be victims of their own success; the Europa League has already brought so many additional fixtures, with more to come. The trip to Gillingham will be tough.

Everton:

Best Odds: 20/1 (Boylesports)
3rd Round Opponents: Tamworth (h)
Distractions: Restless fans, Keeping best players

Verdict: A bit like their Merseyside neighbours in that other big teams never relish a game against the Toffees. Moyes’ boys have had some decent Cup runs in recent years but Goodison Park can get impatient against opponents they ‘should’ beat. It won’t be a problem against Tamworth, surely, but can’t see them going all the way. The odds are far too short for such an inconsistent side.

Aston Villa:

Best Odds: 40/1 (VictorChandler)
3rd Round Opponents: Bristol Rovers (a)
Distractions: The unpopularity of Alex McLeish, Possible Relegation Battle

Verdict: In the top 10 of the betting simply because of the stature of the club. A fine 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge offered hope; sadly it lasted about 48 hours when Swansea won at Villa Park. A trip to a struggling League 2 side should be a good draw, but you can be sure McLeish hated it. The potential for humiliation is high. Wembley looks a long way off.

Best of the Rest:

Sunderland: (50/1 VictorChandler).

Martin O’Neill forged much of his reputation in England on Cup success with Leicester. He’s off to a flyer but the draw would have to be very kind for the Black Cats to go far. Peterborough away is a tough start.

Fulham: (50/1 WilliamHill)

Charlton come to Craven Cottage as leaders of League One, so a tough London derby is in the offing. Martin Jol’s team can give anyone a game although consistency remains a problem. 50/1 looks a fair price.

West Brom: (66/1 PaddyPower)

With Roy Hodgson at the helm the Baggies can punch above their weight. Cardiff are tough visitors, but they could have one eye on their Carling Cup semi-final in midweek. WBA are another side who could do well if the hat is kind.

Swansea: (125/1 Betfred)

The longest odds of any of the top flight sides but for no good reason. Nobody will relish a trip to the Liberty Stadium if the Swans can sneak past Barnsley at Oakwell.