The weekly EPL football tips blog from Bet With Aus has been replaced this week as there are no EPL games due to the FA Cup taking precedence.

There are eight games this weekend as 16 teams battle it out to make it through to the Quarter Finals of this year’s FA Cup competition. There is only one all-Premiership in the fifth round this year as Sunderland take on Arsenal, but there are still some lower league sides looking to cause an upset as Stevenage play host to Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton travel to Anfield.

Chelsea vs Birmingham City – FA Cup Football Tips

Chelsea will see the FA Cup as their most likely chance of winning a trophy this year and will want to prove a point after slumping to a 2-0 defeat at Everton in their last EPL game. Chelsea will make a few changes to their starting XI but the names coming in will be the likes of Kalou, Drogba and Lukaku – so, certainly still players of quality

Birmingham enter this game on a 10 game unbeaten league run, including their last three away games. They have conceded just one goal in their last six games and may look to ‘park the bus’ at Stamford Bridge.

Over the years, the two sides have met nine times in the FA Cup, with Birmingham winning five and Chelsea just three. Neither side have conceded a goal so far in this year’s FA Cup.

Tip: Under 2.5 at 2.30 with Sportingbet

Everton vs Blackpool – FA Cup Football Tips

This match will be a good one, I’m confident of that. Everton are not an easy side to beat at home, as Chelsea recently found out. The loan returns of both Pienaar and Donovan have aided the Everton resurgence by providing an attacking threat the side were previously lacking.

Blackpool themselves are on a good run of form, losing just one game in their last 11 league fixtures. They have earned ten of the 15 points available in their last five away games and so will go into this game with confidence. Blackpool can score for fun, only Southampton have scored more in the Championship, but they are defensively vulnerable and that could be the telling factor here.

Tip: Both sides to score at 1.90 with Sportingbet

Millwall vs Bolton Wanderers – FA Cup Football Tips

Millwall are struggling in the Championship this year and have managed just one win against a top half side in 15 attempts, failing to score in nine of these games. They haven’t won in their last four home fixtures, failing to score in any of them. They did manage to score three in their second leg fixture at Southampton in the last round though, suggesting they may perform well without pressure in the FA Cup.

Bolton’s away form in the league this year is poor, and they struggled to a 2-2 draw away to Macclesfield in round 3 of this year’s FA Cup. They have failed to score in four of their last six away games and have failed to keep a clean sheet away from home in their last 13 fixtures in all competitions.

Tip: Millwall – Draw No Bet at 1.95 with Sportingbet.

Norwich City vs Leicester City – FA Cup Football Tips

Norwich have dealt exceptionally well with their first season back in the EPL. They currently sit in eighth position and have lost only one of their last six home league fixtures. In fact, only once have they lost to a side outside of the current top four – a 0-1 defeat to West Brom back in September.

Leicester currently find themselves in mid table in the Championship which is befitting of their away form which is very hit and miss. Following an impressive victory away to Southampton, the Foxes have since lost two away games in a row. They are yet to concede a goal in this season’s FA Cup but may find it difficult to keep a clean sheet against a Norwich side who have only failed to score at home against Spurs, Arsenal and West Brom.

Tip: Norwich City to win at 1.83 with Sportingbet.

Sunderland vs Arsenal – FA Cup Football Tips

Sunderland have been a different side under Martin O’Neill and have lost just one home game since he took over – against Arsenal in their last EPL game. Sunderland would have entered that fixture a little jaded after their game against Middlesbrough in the previous round went to extra time, but they will be fresh for this game and will be looking for revenge after the league defeat to Arsene Wenger’s men.

Arsenal’s away form this season has been poor, losing 50% of their away games in the league. They have been at home in each round of the cup so far, winning games against Aston Villa and Leeds. How their performance will be affected after the thrashing they received in Milan recently will only be known on the day; personally I think they may struggle to recover.

Tip: Sunderland double chance at 1.58 with Sportingbet.

Crawley Town vs Stoke City – FA Cup Football Tips

Crawley are going great guns in league two this year and are looking good for an automatic promotion at the end of the year. They have won four games to get to this stage of the competition and haven’t conceded a single goal despite three of their games being against teams in higher leagues, two of which were sides from the Championship. They have, however, lost their top scorer and best player Matt Tubbs to Bournemouth recently so goals may not be as free flowing, as their 3-0 defeat to Swindon demonstrates.

Stoke have not played particularly well in games after European matches this year and will have just two full days to recover from their match against Valencia in the week. Crawley Town do have a fairly narrow pitch, one which Rory Delap will have no trouble with launching the ball into the box from a fair distance. Crawley may struggle with Stoke’s aerial threat in this one.

Tip: Peter Crouch anytime scorer at 2.25 with Sportingbet.

Stevenage vs Tottenham Hotspur – FA Cup Football Tips

Stevenage are performing very well in League One this season and currently sit in a play-off position. Their home form hasn’t been the best this season although they have lost only once in their last seven home games. Defensively in this season’s FA Cup they have been exceptional, keeping a clean sheet in all four of their games so far, however, shutting out Tottenham will be another matter altogether.

Spurs will want to win the FA Cup, having a British manager will do that to a club, it still means something to them. They have a good, strong squad this year which may result in changes being made to the starting line-up for this match, but I think they will still be far too strong for this Stevenage side.

Tip: Over 2.5 goals at 1.71 with Sportingbet.

Liverpool vs Brighton & Hove Albion – FA Cup Football Tips

Liverpool have been indifferent this season at home and do have history when it comes to shock exits in this competition. Let us not forget, however, that they are still unbeaten at home and have conceded just eight goals in twelve home games. They are out of Europe, cannot win the league and may not see the Carling Cup as ‘enough’ given the money they’ve spent, so I expect them to go all out in the FA Cup this year.

Brighton have been improving under Gus Poyet who has got them up into the Championship where they currently occupy ninth position in the table. Their away form is not great, although they are unbeaten in their last three away games. In the last round they knocked out Newcastle United, so they are capable, but a trip to Anfield may be a bridge too far.

Tip: Liverpool to win-to-nil at 1.85 with Sportingbet.

That’s it from us this week, we’ll be back with some EPL football tips for the weekend of the 25^th and 26^th of February. Happy punting!

Author – Stan Jackson