The FA Cup quarter-finals take place this weekend and our experts pick out their best bets for all the matches.
Football betting tips: FA Cup
2pts Marcus Rashford to score anytime at 27/25 (Unibet)
1pt Solly March to score anytime in Brighton v Grimsby at 12/5 (Betfair, Paddy Power)
1pt Tommy Doyle to be shown a card in Sheff Utd v Blackburn at 13/2 (bet365)
- Selected tips only - read full match previews for all selections
Brighton v Grimsby
- Kick-off time: 14:15 GMT, Sunday
- TV channel: BBC One
- Brighton 1/10 | Draw 17/2 | Grimsby 22/1
Jake Osgathorpe (@JAKEOZZ)
Brighton are crazy short to win this one, and rightly so given their form and the huge gap in the football pyramid between them and visitors Grimsby.
The Seagulls really are flying under Roberto De Zerbi, and will want to grab this chance to play in an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley with both hands, meaning I expect a strong starting XI from the hosts.
If that is the case, then SOLLY MARCH TO SCORE ANYTIME looks a whopping price at 12/5 for this tie.
The Englishman, snubbed by Gareth Southgate for the latest England squad, has hit the net six times in his last 10 Premier League games, yet is a longer price here against League Two opposition than fellow winger Kaoru Mitoma (13/10), attacking midfielder Alexis Mac Allister (13/10) and central midfielder Pascal Gross (11/5) which I just don't think is correct.
He is Brighton's top scorer over the past 10 league matches, and is averaging 0.38 xG/95 - higher than Mitoma's 0.25 - so is clearly getting in good scoring positions regularly in this attack-minded Brighton side.
While it is a disappointment that he wasn't called up for England, it does increase the likelihood of him starting and playing the full game here, so he is worth chancing at a big price.
Score prediction: Brighton 2-0 Grimsby (Sky Bet odds: 5/1)
Odds correct at 1430 GMT (17/03/23)
Manchester United v Fulham
- Kick-off time: 16:30 GMT, Sunday
- TV channel: ITV 1
- Man Utd 4/9 | Draw 18/5 | Fulham 6/1
Read Jake Osgathorpe's (@JAKEOZZ) full preview here
The main bet of my preview centres around the most in-form player in Europe. MARCUS RASHFORD TO SCORE ANYTIME is too big to ignore at odds-against quotes, and should be backed here.
Rashford has scored a whopping 19 times in United's 24 matches since the restart, hitting 10 in 12 league games averaging 0.57 xG per 95 in the process - highlighting how he consistently gets into good scoring positions.
Against a team who ship 2.00 xGA per game when travelling, he will get chances here, so has to be included in the staking plan.
Score prediction: Manchester United 3-1 Fulham (Sky Bet odds: 10/1)
Odds correct at 1645 GMT (17/03/23)
Sheffield United v Blackburn
- Kick-off time: 12:00 GMT, Sunday
- TV channel: ITV1
- Sheff Utd 4/6 | Draw 14/5 | Blackburn 17/4
Sheffield United look short at 7/10, and it is tricky to find an excuse to back Blackburn at 5/1.
I thought about combining an away win with the visitors goalkeeper to be carded (44/1 for those interested) but with only two career cards to his name, Rovers stopper Aynsley Pears cannot exactly be described as a card merchant.
One man that can is referee Tim Robinson. He has brandished 4.13 per game in the 23 Championship games he has overseen this season, dishing out seven recently when he took charge of Norwich v Sunderland.
At 13/2, TOMMY DOYLE's price TO BE SHOWN A CARD looks huge.
The Manchester City loanee was carded at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday, though it was soft to say the very least. That booking took his second tier tally to seven in two seasons.
A major risk with this selection is fitness fears.
Blades manager Paul Heckingbottom recently spoke about his reluctance to start Doyle in two games in quick succession, as the midfield is nursing a calf strain.
Doyle ran the show in the last round against Tottenham and scored the winner against Sunderland earlier in the week, so, I am prepared to take a risk here.
Score prediction: Sheffield United 0-0 Blackburn (Sky Bet odds: 10/1)
Odds correct at 1610 GMT (17/03/23)
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