The FA Cup semi-finals dominate the sporting schedules this weekend and both ties present intriguing contests. On Saturday Arsenal and Chelsea square off for a place in the final, while on Sunday Everton face the daunting task of Manchester United.
The London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea is perhaps the most evenly matched of the ties and football betting
on this one is likely to be split down the middle. The Gunners have put together a decent run lately to cement a place in next season’s Champions League and the FA Cup represents a great chance for them to end their four-year drought in the quest for silverware. Arsenal’s injury list has at times this season been ridiculously long but now everyone is returning to the team they’re starting to look more like the Arsenal of old.
I don’t think too many people would argue that, on paper at least, Chelsea have the stronger squad. Players like Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien are among the best in the world but Arsenal have beaten Chelsea before this season and on their day they’re also a very hard side to deal with. Chelsea may have a slight advantage in the fact that they played on Tuesday night while Arsenal played a day later on Wednesday. However, Chelsea’s tie with Liverpool was a very high tempo game and the players looked absolutely shattered after surviving the Liverpool onslaught. In contrast, Arsenal saw off Villareal fairly routinely and I doubt their squad were as drained after their own Champions League quarter-final.
The semi-final on Sunday is another derby, this time a North West one, and Everton will need to be on the top of their game to get anything out of Manchester United. United haven’t looked amazing of late but they’re still winning games and in players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney they have individuals capable of winning games all on their own. Everton have a couple of stars themselves such as Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini who both have the ability to find the net. The Merseysiders have impressed me this season with the way they seem so organised and if anyone outside the ‘top four’ stand a chance against United it is Everton.
The smart money would go on Chelsea and Manchester United progressing to the final but it isn’t a done deal yet. Arsenal may be way off the pace in the hunt for the title but they have beaten Chelsea already this season and they’re more than capable of doing it again. Everton are a well-organised and disciplined side with plenty of quality and they might be quietly confident of beating a Manchester United side who don’t seem to be playing to the best of their abilities.
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