Our FA Cup Tips for the Weekend - 09/01/22

In one of three all-Premier League clashes this weekend, West Ham United welcomes Leeds United to the London Stadium in a game that looks set to be action-packed. After starting the season superbly, the Hammers sit fifth and in scoring 37 league goals, are the division's fourth top scorers behind only Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool.

In contrast, Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds have struggled to recreate the captivating football that made them an instant hit in the league last season, sitting in 16th although still eight points clear of relegation. Combined, in both sides' last three fixtures, 31 goals have been scored, averaging over five goals a game.

This points to a shoot-out between the two sides at the weekend, with our tip over 3.5 goals priced at 2/1.

Top of League One, Rotherham travel to London to face an in-form Queens Park Rangers outfit. The home side has had an excellent first half of the season, sitting fifth having won their last two fixtures. Rotherham are also in good form with four wins from five fixtures with Paul Warne’s side looking to cause an upset this weekend.

In terms of goals, both sides have consistently found the net this season, with QPR scoring in all but two of their league home games, and visitors Rotherham only failing to find the net in four of their 24 league games. Although QPR are favorites to progress, we expect the Millers to put up a stern fight at Kiyarn Prince Foundation Stadium, with both teams to score priced at 19/20.

Paul Heckingbottom’s Sheffield United face Premier League opposition at the weekend as they travel to Molineux to take on an in-form Wolves side. Taking four points from their last two games against Manchester United and Chelsea, Bruno Lage’s side will be high on confidence however with just league 14 goals, are amongst the division’s lowest scorers.

The visitors are also in fine form, unbeaten in their past five, but may struggle to break down what has been a resolute Wolves defence that has conceded just 14 times in the league. In the home side’s past eight matches, no more than one goal has been scored suggesting a quiet affair at the weekend, and given Wolves recent clean sheets against Chelsea and United, we think the Blades' winning run may come to an end in this one.

Our tip is for a low-scoring game with Wolves to win to nil priced at 13/8.

Charlton Athletic play host to Premier League opposition this weekend when Norwich travel to The Valley. With just two wins from five, Charlton sit mid-table in League One, however, despite their superior league status, the visitors are in significantly worse form.

The Canaries have only won two games all season and sit bottom of the Premier League on just 10 points, scoring just eight times and conceding 42 in the process. Albeit against significantly weaker opposition, the Addick’s Jayden Stockley has scored braces in both FA Cup games so far this season, and given Norwich’s abysmal defensive record in the league, we back the forward to get on the scoresheet again priced at 11/4 to score anytime.

It wouldn’t be the FA Cup if we didn’t see a Premier League side crash out to lower-league opposition, and we feel when Huddersfield travel to Turf Moor to take on struggling Burnley, this could well be the case.

The away side are having an excellent season, sitting sixth and going unbeaten in their past five games whilst in contrast, Sean Dyche's men are 18th with 11 points, winning just one game all season. Burnley have only scored 16 times in the league, half that of their opponents this weekend, and given the vastly superior form of the Terriers, our tip is for a cup upset this weekend with Huddersfield priced at 5/2 to qualify.