Ian Wilkerson
Show Bio
There is something different for soccer fans to bet on this weekend as the English Premier League takes a break for the third round of the FA Cup. The FA Cup is a huge competition open to clubs from all English divisions, with the qualifying rounds having started back in August, but we are at the third-round stage now, where the EPL teams join in the fun and start their quest to reach the final at Wembley in May.
Upset results at this stage are celebrated for decades as teams from the lower divisions try their luck to beat the EPL elite. It’s winner-take-all and should lead to some great excitement, and we have a 4-game parlay to see you through a great Saturday of soccer. It pays +1885 odds with FanDuel Sportsbook at the time of publishing (and it’s almost as good at +1868 with DraftKings Sportsbook).
Be sure to check out the rest of our soccer predictions and remember to gamble responsibly. Now, let’s look at the FA Cup parlay:
Burnley ML over Bournemouth (+175)
West Brom ML over Chesterfield (-185)
Sunderland ML over Shrewsbury (-105)
Brentford ML over West Ham (+140)
Parlay odds: +1885
Burnley ML over Bournemouth (+175) 10:00 am ET
Sometimes a team from outside the Premier League will feel it has little chance of making progress to the next round but that should not be a problem for Burnley at Bournemouth. Regular EPL viewers will recall that the Clarets were relegated to the Championship only last season, and they have taken that competition by storm and look set to make an immediate return to the big time under coach Vincent Kompany.
The only game the Clarets have not won in their last 8 was a League Cup matchup against Manchester United, while Bournemouth has really struggled in the EPL this season. The Cherries lost to United themselves this week and that 3-0 loss followed 2-0 defeats to Chelsea and Crystal Palace since the action restarted following the World Cup. Expect Burnley to ensure Bournemouth’s poor run continues.
West Brom ML over Chesterfield (-185) 10:00 am ET
With 32 FA Cup games to be played this weekend, simple math shows that not every game can have a Premier League team in it. Some clubs that are still in the competition even play below the 72-team Football League that supports the EPL — these are known as non-league clubs and one such team is Chesterfield, who went all the way to the semifinals in 1997 when they played further up.
Chesterfield is 3rd in the National League (the 5th tier of English soccer), but faces a team from 3 divisions above when West Brom visits on Saturday and it could prove too difficult. Albion have won 8 of their last 9 games and allowed just 2 goals in those matches, so expect them to progress to the fourth round with few problems.
You can bet this FA Cup parlay at +1885 odds with FanDuel Sportsbook, which has a great new customer offer where you can get a No Sweat Bet up to $1,000 when you sign up! Click here to take advantage of this incredible offer.
Sunderland ML over Shrewsbury (-105) 10:00 am ET
Sunderland, which plays alongside West Brom in the Championship, travels to Shrewsbury from the division below, and should be good enough to reach the last 32 of the competition. Shrewsbury is struggling in League One (the third tier in England), losing its last 3 games and posting just one shutout in 16 matches.
Sunderland is right in the battle for the playoff positions and will be targeting a place back in the EPL. In such circumstances, some coaches elect to give gametime to some of those on the roster who don’t get many opportunities, but the Black Cats should be strong enough.
Brentford ML over West Ham (+140) 12:30 pm ET
There is no seeding system in the FA Cup so EPL teams can face each other at this stage and that will be the case when Brentford faces London rival West Ham. Home team Brentford should win this matchup, as the Bees won 2-0 when the same teams met in the league at West Ham’s London Stadium last week.
The Bees may still be without their star striker Ivan Toney, but they received a huge confidence boost with a 3-1 win over Liverpool on Monday and they can build on that in the cup.
Pickswise is the home of Soccer Picks and Soccer Predictions. Our expert soccer handicappers provide the best insight, analysis and bets from the top leagues around the world.
