FA Cup Third-Round Predictions: Leicester fancied to post easy victory

The third round of the FA Cup is upon us and several Premier League clubs are in action on Saturday - football expert Greg Lea is on hand with his picks.

Crystal Palace v Southampton

Kick-off: 12.30pm Saturday

Southampton have bigger fish to fry than the FA Cup after a 1-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest in midweek left them rooted to the foot of the Premier League table. Manager Nathan Jones will likely shuffle his pack for this game, with an EFL Cup quarter-final against Manchester City to come on Wednesday.

Crystal Palace took the FA Cup seriously last term and reached the last four. After a 4-0 Premier League thrashing by Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, Patrick Vieira’s side will be desperate to bounce back.

Prediction: Crystal Palace to win @ 2

Gillingham v Leicester City

Kick-off: 12.30pm Saturday

Brendan Rodgers is under pressure yet again as Leicester have lost each of their three games over the Christmas and New Year period. The Foxes, who won this competition in 2021, are in need of a pick-me-up and a shock defeat in this televised early kick-off could see the fans turn on their coach.

Gillingham are also in poor form after going 12 games without a win in League One. They are bottom of the third tier and will be short of confidence, so Leicester should triumph by a comfortable margin.

Prediction: Leicester -2.5 Asian handicap @ 2.34

Tottenham Hotspur v Portsmouth

Kick-off: 12.30pm Saturday

Tottenham were second-best in the first half of their meeting with Crystal Palace on Wednesday, and the club’s fans must have feared they would once again be beaten by a team below them in the table. However, they turned on the style after the break and a subsequent 4-0 win has lifted the mood around the camp.

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Expect Tottenham to maintain that momentum when Portsmouth, who are without a win in their last nine League One matches, visit north London on Saturday.

Prediction: Tottenham to win both halves @ 1.96

Sheffield Wednesday v Newcastle United

Kick-off: 6pm Saturday

Newcastle kept another clean sheet in the Premier League on Tuesday as they held Arsenal to a 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium. Eddie Howe’s side has now registered 10 shut-outs in the top flight this campaign, in addition to two more in the EFL Cup.

However, I reckon Sheffield Wednesday can breach their backline here. Newcastle may name a weakened side at Hillsborough and they might not play with quite the same focus and intensity as they do in the Premier League. Moreover, the promotion-chasing Owls scored five goals in their last League One outing.

Prediction: Both teams to score @ 1.92

Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Kick-off: 8pm Saturday

Liverpool suffered another blow to their top-four chances on Monday as they went down 3-1 to Brentford. The FA Cup looks like their best chance of silverware this term, so we should expect Klopp to name a reasonably strong side here.

Liverpool have posted five games without a clean sheet in all competitions, and Wolves have looked more threatening in attack under Julen Lopetegui. They might not be able to avoid defeat at Anfield, but I fancy the visitors to get on the scoresheet.

Prediction: Liverpool to win and both teams to score @ 2.86

FA Cup Saturday Predictions

Palace v Southampton: Crystal Palace to win @ 2
Gillingham v Leicester: Leicester -2.5 Asian handicap @ 2.34
Tottenham v Portsmouth: Tottenham to win both halves @ 1.96
Sheff Weds v Newcastle: Both teams to score @ 1.92
Liverpool v Wolves: Liverpool to win and both teams to score @ 2.86