Sports Blog 17/04/2015: Match Preview – FA Cup Semi-finals & Premier League, Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th April 2015

It is a big weekend of football, with a combination of FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley alongside some top of the table clashes in the Premier League.

Make sure to check out Spreadex’s brand new Super Mega Player Goal Minutes. Our SMM spreads are a prediction of the total number of goalscoring minutes for a player, where the minutes are doubled for a player’s second goal, and trebled for their third, with all subsequent goals added as just their original goal minute. First and second half injury time goals will count as 45 and 90 respectively.

The first of the weekend’s trips to Wembley takes place at 5.20pm on BBC One, when current champions Arsenal face the Championship’s Reading. Arsenal are coming into this semi-final on their hottest streak since the ‘Invincibles’ unbeaten run back in 2003-04. Winning their past 8 games in a row, including a hard-earned victory over Manchester United in the cup quarter finals alongside a 4-1 demolition of Liverpool, Arsenal will be beyond confident of progressing to the final. Spreadex has the best First Goalscorer fixed odds prices Giroud, who with 8 goals in 10 games is at 7/2, alongside Alexis Sanchez at 4/1, Aaron Ramsey at 7/1 and Mesut Ozil at 9/1.



In contrast, Reading have only won 8 games since the New Year, three of which have come in the FA Cup. Their last 6 games has seen 3 draws, 2 losses and a win, and leave the Championship side not particularly well-prepared for their biggest test of the season. They are on the only non-top tier side left the competition after beating Bradford; however, their semi-final against Arsenal will be the first time they have faced a Premier League side in the cup this season, and they could be in for a shock. Our traders certainly think so, offering an Arsenal/Reading Goal Supremacy spread betting quote of 1.75-1.95 with an excitement-promising Total Goals spread of 3.05-3.25.

Sunday sees the other semi-final, as Liverpool face Aston Villa at 3pm on BT Sport 1. Both teams are in similarly mixed form, just at the opposite ends of the table, with each seeing 3 wins, 2 losses and a draw in their respective last 6 games. Aston Villa may have only won 3 of their last 11 matches against Liverpool, but fresh off an important victory against Tottenham last weekend the Villains will be hopeful that their (sort of) turnaround can continue. An FA Cup final would help take the edge off of what has been a tough season for Aston Villa, and cement Tim Sherwood’s position with the fans.



However, Aston Villa face a Liverpool side that are perhaps even more desperate to win the cup then they are. Brendan Rodgers needs an FA Cup final to compensate for an error-laden Premier League season that sees them in 5th, 4 points behind Manchester City in 4th. With Martin Skrtel and Steven Gerrard returning from their bans, Liverpool will have a bolstered squad, leading our Spreadex traders to fancy the reds at a Liverpool/Aston Villa Goal Supremacy spread betting quote of 0.95-1.15 with a Total Goals spread of 2.65-2.85.

The FA Cup isn’t the only exciting draw this weekend, as on Saturday Chelsea host a resurgent Manchester United at 5.30pm on Sky Sports 1. A loss for Chelsea could provide an opening for Arsenal to really pile the pressure on the champions elect in the final few weeks of the season, especially since they face the Gunners next weekend. However, Chelsea do remain at the top of the table by 7 points with a game in hand, and know that they only need stability, rather than any great changes in fate, to ensure the Premier League title. Given that they have 5 draws in 9 meetings with their top 7 rivals, Mourinho may play it safe once again on Saturday afternoon.



Considering Manchester United have the most away draws in the Premier League, with 7 ties on their travels, Mourinho might get his wish. However, United are coming off a confident, and important, victory over their Manc rivals, and will be looking to put the final nail in the coffin for City’s top 3 hopes. Our Spreadex traders have given the Blues the advantage, at a Chelsea/Manchester United Goal Supremacy spread of 0.4-0.6, even if our clients don’t agree, whilst make sure to have a look our Bookings spread of 62-66 considering how testy Saturday’s fixture could get.

The other Manchester side gets involved on Sunday, as City hosts West Ham at 1.30pm on Sky Sports 1. Sunday’s game is make or break time for Manuel Pellegrini, if he even has a chance of holding onto his job left. A loss to the Hammers would be the final axe blow to his managerial head after City fell to 6 losses in 8 games, the most recent that excruciating loss to United. Yet somehow, despite this woeful run City remain in 4th, with a slim chance of creeping up the table if Arsenal and United abandon their current form.



West Ham, on the other hand, are sitting in 9th and will be bitterly disappointed considering how strongly they started off the season. However, a win at City could help make up for the loss of form, which included a recent, and embarrassing, defeat to bottom of the table Leicester City. Yet despite City’s losing streak, they still have the power upfront to make a different, leaving them at a Man City/West Ham Goal Supremacy spread of 1.9-2.1. Spreadex are also offering a very high Total Goals spread of 3.25-3.45, based on the fact that 5 of the last 6 meetings between the two sides have featured 3 goals or more.

Finally, Sunday ends with a slightly less vital game, as Tottenham travel up north to face Newcastle at 4pm on Sky Sports 1. With 6 losses in 7 games Newcastle are one of the worst performing teams in the Premier League, with their last 2 games seeing a stinging defeat to Sunderland and a lifeless loss to Liverpool. The Toon desperately need a win as they could still, in the worst case scenario, be dragged into a tight relegation battle.



Yet they are coming up against a Tottenham side that is similarly in need of a win to try and ensure this season isn’t a complete bust. Their loss to Aston Villa at the weekend, and snore-draw against Burnley the week before, effectively ended Tottenham’s chances of a top 4 finish, and they are now left chasing 5th place once more. Spurs have also looked weak on their travels, conceding a lot of goals without scoring many to match, leaving them on a negative away goals difference of -2. However, given Newcastle’s worse form, Spurs have the advantage with a Tottenham/Newcastle (h) Goal Supremacy spread betting quote of 0.2-0.4 and a Total Goals spread of 2.7-2.9.