Stevenage, Crawley Town and Brighton will be hoping to overcome Premier League opposition in a busy Sunday of FA Cup Fifth Round action.
Crawley v Stoke
League Two high-flyers Crawley are taking on Premier League opposition for the second year in succession in the form of Stoke City (Crawley 11/4 draw 12/5 away Evens). Last season they travelled to Old Trafford in the last 16 and were unlucky to not force a replay after hitting the bar late on in a narrow 1-0 defeat.
The big spending West Sussex club were a non-league team then, but fresh from lifting the Conference title last May they are now chasing a second successive promotion into League One. They have already provided two cup shocks this season having defeated Championship side Bristol City and Hull without conceding a goal.
Stoke meanwhile are hoping to go one better this season after reaching last year’s final before losing to Manchester City. The reward for their May day at Wembley was a spot in the Europa League, a new experience for the club with boss Tony Pulis admitting it has been a challenge trying to combine European and domestic duties.
They travel south on Sunday fresh from a 1-0 defeat to Valencia in the first leg of their Europa League last 32 tie, with Pulis again pledging to shuffle his pack for the return to domestic action.
For that reason, the Broadfield Stadium is the most likely venue for an upset on Sunday, with Crawley’s financial resources meaning they possess a squad far stronger than their League Two standing suggests, making their odds of 11/4 worthy of a punt.
Stevenage v Tottenham
Stevenage manager Gary Smith hasn’t even been in English football management for a month yet he is already preparing his side for a huge tie against Premier League title-chasing Tottenham (Stevenage 9/1 draw 4/1 Tottenham 1/3). The 43-year-old moved to Broadhall Way last month after a three year spell in the MLS with Colorado Rapids.
His first game in charge was a 1-0 fourth round win over Notts County that set-up a plumb tie with Harry Redknapp’s Londoners. The club have yet to concede a goal in their cup adventure so far this year, taking in wins over Hartlepool, Stourbridge, Notts County and Reading. They also know how to knock out Premier league sides after defeating Newcastle at the third round stage last season – the only occasion they have knocked out a top flight side.
Spurs boss Redknapp is open about his desire to guide Tottenham back into the Champions League but will not want to see their momentum checked by a defeat to lower league opposition in the cup. They have lost just once to lower league opposition in 33 attempts and, despite being a touch fortunate to make it past Watford in round four, are unlikely to slip up on this occasion. A comfortable 3-0 Spurs win is my tip and is priced at 7/1.
Liverpool v Brighton
Kenny Dalglish’s reds have already booked one Wembley date this season but the Scot has warned his side that Carling Cup final places are at risk if they under-perform against Brighton at Anfield on Sunday (Liverpool 1/4 draw 9/2 Brighton 11/1). The club have not lost at home in any competition this season but have not made the quarter-finals of the FA Cup since winning it in 2006.
They have already beaten Brighton this campaign, with goals from Steven Gerrard and Craig Bellamy giving them a 2-1 Carling Cup win at the Amex Stadium in September. Albion meanwhile will be hoping to repeat their heroics of 29 years ago, when they last beat Liverpool en route to the final, where they eventually lost to Manchester United in a replay.
They were giant-killers in round four, knocking out Alan Pardew’s Champions League-chasing Newcastle. Gus Poyet’s men have also yet to lose in any competition this calendar year, winning six and drawing four of their 10 league and cup games.
I expect the sides’ unbeaten runs to continue after Sunday’s contest, with a hard-earned replay the reward for Albion. My prediction is an entertaining 2-2 draw priced at a hefty 28/1.
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