FA Cup quarter finals betting tips: Predictions and best bets

IMAGO Danny Welbeck could yet again be instrumental in Brighton's FA Cup run — *IMAGO* Danny Welbeck could yet again be instrumental in Brighton's FA Cup run

There are only eight teams remaining in the FA Cup for 2024/25, all of whom know that their reward for a win this weekend will be a trip to Wembley for a semi-final on the weekend of 26 April.

Manchester City have reached that stage as a minimum for the last six seasons and are understandably the outright favourites for the competition. Having seen City’s problems at times this season, any of the other seven clubs will know they have a chance though.

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We can already say that at least one of the finalists will be from outside England’s established big six clubs, which is only good for the health of the FA Cup. But who is it going to be?

Fulham vs Crystal Palace betting tips

One of the matches that features in our prop betting tips article 'Top of the Props'. The quarter-finals get underway with a repeat of a Premier League fixture which took place last month. “[Crystal] Palace should be able to return home across town with a positive result” was the verdict in our preview, which proved correct as they beat Fulham 2-0 and we're faced with an identical situation here.

The home side are favourites despite the underlying data for 2024/25 suggesting the visitors are the likelier winners in 90 minutes. Palace have an excellent record at Craven Cottage too, as they are unbeaten in the previous five meetings there.

Fulham are tricky to predict at the best of times. Expected goal data suggests they have been the fourth-best team in the Premier League this season, but they have earned eight points fewer than they’ve merited. Which version will turn up here, coming fresh off an international break?

It may prove safer to back a man who is both due a goal but also finding form at the back end of the campaign. Eberechi Eze hasn’t scored in the league this year despite taking 30 shots collectively worth around two expected goals.

With that many chances another goal should be along soon enough. His confidence will have grown after scoring for England for the first time earlier this week too.

Only two players have set up more Premier League goals in 2024/25, Eze looks very capable of making a goal contribution here.

Scoreline prediction

Fulham 1-1 Crystal Palace (5/1 with Coral)

FIRST’s top tip:

Eberechi Eze to score anytime (7/2 with BetMGM)

Brighton vs Nottingham Forest betting tips

Brighton’s players might faint when they catch a glimpse of Nottingham Forest, seeing as they lost 7-0 when the teams met last month.

That thumping certainly acted as a wake-up call. The Seagulls have been the best team in the Premier League since that defeat, taking 13 points across the last five match weeks.

They also knocked Chelsea and Newcastle out of this competition in that time. When your worst result in the last seven matches is a draw at Manchester City, things are going well.

Forest suffered a little wobble after their 7-0 triumph but have since recovered. Their chances in this match will not be helped with the news that star striker Chris Wood will miss the game through injury. Another thing they’ve lacked recently is their formerly solid defence.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men have conceded 15 goals across their previous five away matches, letting in at least two every time.

With Brighton having netted at least twice in their last four games at the Amex Stadium, against Chelsea (twice), Bournemouth and Fulham, they can do so again when faced with a leaky Forest defence.

Scoreline prediction

Brighton 2-1 Nottingham Forest (42/5 with Matchbook)

FIRST’s top tip:

Total home goals: Over 1.5 (4/5 with Ladbrokes)

Preston vs Aston Villa betting tips

This is arguably the most intriguing tie of the round as it features the one remaining Championship side.

With their home form as strong as it is, Preston will fancy their chances of recording an upset. They are unbeaten in their previous 15 matches at Deepdale.

If that wasn’t impressive enough, across the last eight games there Preston have trailed for just seven minutes in total.

Of course, none of the clubs they faced in this run has been as good as Champions League quarter-finalists Aston Villa.

However, only six teams have earned fewer Premier League points on the road than they have this season. Villa have just four away wins in all competitions since the start of November, with the only victory that was by more than one goal (3-1 at Club Brugge) secured thanks to an 88th minute penalty.

The combined form books of Preston at home and Villa away makes a handicap bet on the former look like a good value choice.

Scoreline prediction

Preston 1-1 Aston Villa (15/2 with Mr.Play)

FIRST’s top tip:

Handicap: Preston +1 (17/10 with BetMGM)

Bournemouth vs Manchester City betting tips

Will Manchester City ever beat a good team away from home again? Yes, obviously. Will it be here though?

Since mid-October, the teams City have beaten on the road in all competitions are Leicester, Ipswich, Leyton Orient and Tottenham. That list is hardly a ringing endorsement of their abilities away from the Etihad Stadium.

As Bournemouth have lost three of their last four on home turf, they approach this fixture on a sticky run of their own.

However, they beat City 2-1 on the south coast when the teams last met. Crucially, the Cherries also play in a whirlwind, high-energy style which has been kryptonite to Pep Guardiola’s side in 2024/25.

Andoni Iraola’s tactics have helped Bournemouth perform well against the top teams this season. They have had a positive result against every team in the top six aside from Liverpool, beating Arsenal, Forest and Newcastle as well as City.

With their injury troubles easing to the point that the visitors look likely to have more players out, Bournemouth are very well set to get a win that will carry them to a rare Wembley appearance.