Football betting tips: FA Cup
2pts Murillo 1+ total shots at 6/4 (Ladbrokes, Coral)
1pt Murillo 1+ shots on target at 13/2 (Ladbrokes, Coral)
1pt Murillo to score anytime at 30/1 (Betfair, Paddy Power)
0.5pt Murillo to score from outside the box at 125/1 (William Hill)
All in 90 minutes
BuildABet @ 30/1
- Man City to win
- Murillo 1+ shots on target
- Murillo card
All in 90 minutes
What a season this has been for Nottingham Forest. While no manager is ever likely to match the dizzy heights hit by Brian Clough, Nuno Espirito Santo is within touching distance of reaching legendary status at the City Ground.
As their unrelenting pursuit of Champions League qualification continued via a 2-1 win at Tottenham on Monday, Forest are now just two games from winning their first major trophy since 1990.
That stretch without success is no surprise for a club who spent 23 years outside the top flight. Were they to lift silverware within three campaigns of returning, it would be as equally remarkable as a top-five finish.
Both, though, may prove to be just beyond them.
As their Premier League rivals seemingly find form at exactly the wrong time from Forest's perspective, the same can be said ahead of this FA Cup semi-final. Had it taken place a month or so ago, the likelihood of an upset felt far greater.
But in recent weeks, Manchester City are showing far too many signs of being good at football again.
What are the best bets?
Following a complete rebuild, in terms of January signings, formation and team selection, City are very much back.
Since returning from the last international break on March 30, Pep Guardiola's side have won five and drawn one match, scoring 13 and conceding only four goals. It's their longest unbeaten sequence since defeat at Tottenham in October triggered the sudden collapse of the Guardiola dynasty.
Their latest victory, a 2-1 home win over Aston Villa, was even a return to the City of old, striking in stoppage time having eventually ground an opponent down.
What had appeared to be a disastrous season is looking increasingly like it will end with a third-place finish and an FA Cup win.
But on Sunday they are too short to back. And so are Forest. In early March when these sides met at the City Ground it ended in a narrow Forest win. Nuno's men were only a little shorter for victory on home soil than they are at the home of football.
One to avoid.
Show me the way to back Murillo
Instead, I'm back to my favourite: MURILLO.
The Forest centre-back is the biggest price he has been all season TO SCORE ANYTIME at 30/1 and TO SCORE FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX at 125/1 and that is where my money will be going.
- CLICK HERE to back Murillo to score anytime with Sky Bet
- CLICK HERE to back Murillo to score from outside the box with Sky Bet
The Brazilian's eccentricities, as well as his superb defending, have seen him become something of a cult hero. There is surely no better stage than Wembley for him to finally land his goal from distance have repeatedly tried over the past year, hitting the crossbar as recently as three weeks ago.
Murillo hits the bar in injury time! 😱 pic.twitter.com/dPcBpoR4Yy
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 5, 2025
A staggering 14 of his 23 attempts this term have come from outside the box.
He doesn't often hit the target (six of 23) although he has done so with two of his three attempts in the FA Cup.
In a game of this magnitude I'm happy to back him to have 1+ TOTAL SHOTS at 6/4 and 1+ SHOTS ON TARGET at 13/2 as well.
- CLICK HERE to back Murillo 1+ total shots with Sky Bet
- CLICK HERE to back Murillo 1+ shots on target with Sky Bet
City's movement away from playing four centre-backs in favour of attacking midfielders Matheus Nunes and Nico O'Reilly at full-back instead gives Murillo far greater chance of having an attempt at a set-piece, situations where eight of his shots have come this season.
Team news
Manchester City's James McAtee is suspended while they remain without Erling Haaland, Ederson, Nathan Ake and John Stones.
Long-term absentees Rodri and Oscar Bobb are still sidelined.
Forest hope to have Ola Aina back from a calf problem especially as fellow right-back Neco Williams is banned along with captain Ryan Yates.
Jota Silva is also missing through injury.
Predicted line-ups
Forest: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Toffolo; Dominguez, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.
Man City: Ortega; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Silva, Kovacic, Gundogan; Doku, De Bruyne, Marmoush.
Odds correct at 1420 BST (25/04/25)
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