After a massive week of sports betting to enjoy with the Cheltenham Festival 
plus the crucial second leg matches in the Round of 16 games in the Champions League and Europa League, there’s no relenting in the action over the next seven days with some fantastic football to enjoy at the weekend in England’s two top competitions, the Premier League and the FA Cup.
So if you are thinking of signing up with a top quality bookmaker then why not do so today? There’s so many great offers available, and even if you don’t like the look of Coral’s Welcome Bonus (even though we think you would), the company usually has an alternative sign up offer available when there is a major football match to be played.
Let’s begin our preview of the weekend’s action now with a look at the four games taking place in the FA Cup across the weekend with seven Premier League teams in action, along with one League One side, all looking to book a place in the semi-finals, which of course nowadays are played at Wembley.
FA Cup Quarter Finals Preview and Tips
This weekend, the four FA Cup Quarter Finals are all being shown live. The two on Saturday are live on BT Sport, one kicking off at 12.15pm and the other at 7.45pm. Then on Sunday afternoon there is a match at 1.30 followed by another at 4.30, both of which are to be broadcast live by the BBC.
Saturday 17th March
12.15pm – Swansea City v Tottenham Hotspur
The Swans have not beaten Spurs since a 1-0 win in the League Cup back in September 1991 and Spurs have enjoyed almost utter dominance since 12 of the 15 games played since, with three draws, including a 0-0 at Wembley earlier in the season.
However, Spurs have won in Swansea already in 2018, a 2-0 win on the 2nd January and in truth, it is hard to see how Mauricio Pochettino’s men can lose this game, although the absence of Harry Kane through injury for a few weeks is a blow.
That said, I expect Lamela to come in and Son to play a more central role and I think as such, Swansea won’t quite have the firepower to answer that in the Spurs ranks. I’m backing the visitors to win this one comfortably. Tip – Tottenham to win – 1/2 with Coral.
7.45pm – Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion
A repeat of the famous 1983 Final which finished 2-2, before Manchester United won 4-0 in a replay a few days later. Brighton’s Gordon Smith became immortalised when missing a glorious chance to win the game at the end of extra time in a moment that has gone down in FA Cup history.
The teams have met 11 times in their history and United have lost just once, a Division One match back in 1982 and the teams met in November at Old Trafford where United claimed a 1-0 win. Brighton are in decent form though heading into this game, while United are licking their wounds from their Champions League exit to Sevilla.
That though I think will be the impetus for United to perform here as with just one trophy left on the table to win, I think the Red Devils won’t make the same mistake against Brighton that they did against Sevilla. Tip – Man Utd to win – 1/3 with Coral.
Sunday 18th March
1.30pm – Wigan Athletic v Southampton
Wigan’s stunning victory over Manchester City in the last round has handed them a quarterfinal tie against a now-managerless Southampton side after Mauricio Pellegrino was sacked in the week. It is worth remembering that Wigan did win the FA Cup as recently as May 2013, while Southampton last reached the final back in May 2003 (where they lost to Arsenal).
Their FA Cup heroics mean the Latics now lie third in League One, but they have two games in hand on Shrewsbury in second and four on Blackburn who are top and they still look a very good bet to earn one of the two automatic promotion spots in the division.
However, as Leicester fans saw last season, a change of manager can bring about immediate changes in fortune and I think this is what will happen here. With nothing left to go for this season, I think Southampton will do just enough to get a win here. Tip – Southampton to win – 6/5
4.30pm – Leicester City v Chelsea
Leicester returned to form at the weekend with a thumping 4-1 win away to West Brom and that will put them in a positive frame of mind ahead of Chelsea’s trip to the King Power Stadium, just a few days after Antonio Conte’s men faced Barcelona in the Champions League.
Of all the games this weekend, this to me is the one that has the most potential to be not just the best game, but to see one of the three Premier League bigger teams eliminated. At their best Leicester are a match for anyone at the King Power and I think they’ll give Chelsea a real run for their money.
So much so that I am going to back the Foxes to cause a big upset here and knock Chelsea out of the competition. Tip – Leicester to win – 12/5 with Coral
Premier League Preview and Tips
With seven teams playing in the FA Cup Quarterfinals, there are just four Premier League games taking place this weekend, in what is the final weekend before we hit an international break, the last one before the end of the season.
Three matches kick off at 3pm with one at 5.30pm, the televised clash between Liverpool and Watford at Anfield which is being shown live on BT Sport.
Saturday 17th March
3pm – Bournemouth v West Bromwich Albion
Bournemouth took a bit of a pasting last time out as Spurs bounced back from their Champions League exit to Juventus to secure a 4-1 win against the Cherries. However, they face a West Brom side today that is in terminal decline and who have lost all of their last seven games.
It now seems a matter of when, rather than if, West Brom go down and Bournemouth will be keen not to join them. They lie 12th on 33 points but only six off the drop zone and with competition at the foot of the table so keen, reaching that 40 point safety benchmark will be crucial for all sides from mid table and below.
That said, this is a game Bournemouth should win against a West Brom side that seems to lack drive, vision or even a coherent way of playing. – Tip – Bournemouth to win – 20/23 with Coral.
3pm – Huddersfield Town v Crystal Palace
This clash pits 15th place Huddersfield Town against 18th placed Crystal Palace in a match that is vital for both teams, but especially for the visitors. Palace have actually scored more goals and conceded fewer than Huddersfield but are four points worse off and lie in the relegation zone heading into the final eight games of the season.
A win for Huddersfield would put them in a great position to avoid the drop, but these are games that have proved very tricky for the home side to win in the past and I think Palace have been playing markedly better than the results they have achieved of late indicate.
Palace have lost four on the bounce while Huddersfield have lost just two of their last six, but something tells me that with Wilfred Zaha close to a full return to fitness, Palace will just have the edge here and grab a narrow win – Tip – Crystal Palace to win – 33/20 with Coral.
3pm – Stoke City v Everton
Everton’s first win of the season came at home to Stoke at the start of the season and since then things have got gradually worse for the potteries-based side. 19th in the table and with a second-worst defensive record in the division of 56 goals conceded (only West Ham have let in more), Stoke are in real trouble.
Paul Lambert’s team shouldn’t be with the talent they have but there’s no doubt defensive issues and a lack of goals have dogged the team. That said, Everton’s away record of just one win in their last 20+ away Premier League games is shocking and if Stoke are going to beat anyone at home, the Toffees are a likely choice.
Everton are mid-table more by luck than design and I think Stoke’s need is greater here, so I am backing the home side to get a rare win and for Everton’s away day woes to continue. Tip – Stoke to win – 7/5 with Coral
5.30pm – Liverpool v Watford
This is the reverse fixture of the opening day of the season when Watford scored a late equaliser to snatch a 3-3 draw with Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s men know that nothing less than a win will do here after their ineffectual display in a 2-1 loss at Old Trafford last weekend to Manchester United.
Liverpool’s attacking trio of Mane, Firmino and Salah will likely start again, but the Reds will know Watford have picked up some strong results on the road this season and will be no pushovers. It is often these games at Anfield that Liverpool have struggled in, particularly if they fail to grab an early goal.
Without a win in their last two, Liverpool need to get back to winning ways here and I think they will do that with a decent win against Javi Gracia’s side. Tip – Liverpool to win – 2/11 with Coral.
Remember to check back next week when we will bring you all the latest news and tips for the forthcoming week of international fixtures, which includes two crucial friendlies for England against the Netherlands and Italy as Gareth Southgate prepares his team for the 2018 World Cup Finals in Russia.
