Chelsea Can Stroll to Stamford Bridge FA Cup Win

The FA Cup takes centre stage once again this weekend, with the fourth round matches to be played across Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In general, the big teams have been kept apart, but we do have two all Premier League ties as Crystal Palace host Manchester City, and Arsenal visit Southampton. A full midweek Premier League fixture list awaits next week (something to bear in mind when considering you bets), but until then we’re looking for the best wagers on Saturday afternoon.

Chelsea built on their lead at the top of the table last week with a 2-0 win against Hull, and it’s another Stamford Bridge game for the Blues when they welcome Brentford on Saturday afternoon. Antonio Conte could be forgiven for resting players here as he looks to protect his eight-point lead at the top of English football, but such is the depth of Chelsea’s squad that he will still be putting out a side of international footballers. Brentford’s more than average season sees them 15th in the Championship table, and while they’ll enjoy this opportunity, it’s hard to see them getting anything from the game.

For our other two bets on Saturday afternoon we’re heading up to the North West, where Burnley welcome Bristol City to Turf Moor, and Blackburn host Blackpool in a Lancashire derby. The Clarets beat Sunderland at the second time of asking in the previous round, easing to a 2-0 win after drawing the original match 0-0 at the Stadium of Light. Bristol City also required a replay to get the better of Fleetwood in the third round, but their task is much tougher here.

Blackburn and Blackpool can both boast fairly recent Premier League experience, but with the former languishing in the Championship relegation zone and the latter mid-table in League Two, this promises to be a good old-fashioned, blood and guts FA Cup tie. The away side are in slightly better form, and having got the better of Barnsley in the third round, will fancy their chances of causing a local upset.

Chelsea v Brentford

Chelsea are good enough to keep a clean sheet and beat Brentford regardless of the team that Conte chooses to put out, and a home win to nil is attractively priced at 2.00Bet €100 to win €2001/1Bet £100 to win £200+100Bet $100 to win $2001.00Bet HK$100 to win HK$2001.00Bet Rp100 to win Rp2001.0000Bet RM100 to win RM200  with Paddy Power.

Chelsea have won 13 of the last 14 matches, and the last nine in a row at home. That level of consistency has taken them eight points clear of Arsenal at the summit and it isn’t a lead they look like giving up. John Terry was sent off in the 4-1 win over Peterborough in the third round, but Zouma made his comeback from injury after 11 months out in that match, and Nathan Ake is available after being recalled from his loan spell at Bournemouth. In attacking areas, the likes of Fabregas, Willian, Pedro and Batshuayi started against Posh.

Brentford have been without leading scorer Scott Hogan as speculation over his future continues, and it’s two defeats in a row to Newcastle and Wigan in the Championship. They’ve lost four of the last six on the road, and although they’ve found the net in two of the defeats, they come up against one of the best defences in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge. The Bees famously held Chelsea to a 2-2 draw in the fourth round of the 2013 FA Cup, but were beaten 4-0 in the replay at Stamford Bridge, and a similar result would not come as a huge shock.

Burnley v Bristol City

Burnley are five from five at home, and therefore surely good value to beat Bristol City at 1.67Bet €100 to win €16767/100Bet £100 to win £167-149Bet $100 to win $1670.67Bet HK$100 to win HK$167-1.49Bet Rp100 to win Rp1670.6700Bet RM100 to win RM167  with Bet365, SkyBet and BetVictor.

The Robins have lost eight of the last ten  games – their only positive results coming in this competition via a 0-0 third round draw at home with Fleetwood, and a 1-0 away win in the replay. Those two games have also provided their only two clean sheets, and the alarming run of form has seen the drop to a mere two points above the relegation zone in the Championship.

Sean Dyche may well choose to rest players ahead of next week’s Premier League fixtures versus Leicester and Watford, but his squad should still be good enough to take advantage. Five home wins in a row have come against Middlesbrough, Southampton, Bournemouth and Sunderland (twice). The Clarets have scored an impressive 11 goals in those five, conceding just three times. After navigating a route past Sunderland in the third round, and with a cushion over the drop zone in the Premier League, this represents a good opportunity for Burnley to claim a place in the last 16 of the competition.

Blackburn v Blackpool

Finally, Blackpool make some appeal to get at least a draw when they visit local rivals Blackburn. The Seasiders are rated 2.05Bet €100 to win €20521/20Bet £100 to win £205+105Bet $100 to win $2051.05Bet HK$100 to win HK$2051.05Bet Rp100 to win Rp205-0.9524Bet RM100 to win RM205  with Bet365 to win or draw on Saturday afternoon.

Blackburn are in serious trouble at the bottom of the Championship. They may only be in the relegation zone on goal difference, but 25 points at this stage of the season is something to be worried about. Wins against Newcastle in the league and QPR in the FA Cup might have signalled a turnaround, but those results were followed by a 3-2 defeat at Ipswich and a 1-1 home draw with Birmingham. It’s just three wins in ten on home soil, and they are a weak favourite for this match.

Blackpool are 13th in the League Two table after a blip which has seen them draw five of their last six matches. One of those was away at Barnsley in the last round (a team which is superior to Blackurn), and the Seasiders went on to win in extra-time. They’ve actually lost just once in the last ten away games, and there is no reason why they can’t go to Blackburn and be competitive.

Tips Summary

Chelsea to Win to Nil
Saturday 28th January, 15:00 GMT
Odds: 2.00Bet €100 to win €2001/1Bet £100 to win £200+100Bet $100 to win $2001.00Bet HK$100 to win HK$2001.00Bet Rp100 to win Rp2001.0000Bet RM100 to win RM200

Burnley to beat Bristol City
Saturday 28th January, 15:00 GMT
Odds: 1.67Bet €100 to win €16767/100Bet £100 to win £167-149Bet $100 to win $1670.67Bet HK$100 to win HK$167-1.49Bet Rp100 to win Rp1670.6700Bet RM100 to win RM167

Blackpool or Draw
Saturday 28th January, 15:00 GMT
Odds: 2.05Bet €100 to win €20521/20Bet £100 to win £205+105Bet $100 to win $2051.05Bet HK$100 to win HK$2051.05Bet Rp100 to win Rp205-0.9524Bet RM100 to win RM205