Weekend review: Man City clear cup favourites

Manchester City are clear favourites to win the FA Cup after they eased through to the fourth round to set up a home clash with Championship side Fulham next month.

Pep Guardiola’s side won 4-1 at the County Ground and are at 3.8 to lift the trophy ahead of Chelsea at 7 and Liverpool at 8.2, both of whom progressed against lower-league opposition.

Wolves made Sheffield United pay for not taking their chances with a 3-0 win on Sunday and are eye-catching at 23 – moving from 20 - while Crystal Palace, who came from a goal down to win at Millwall, are at 28 from 30.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool are second favourites for the FA Cup and Premier League

Reds Backed To Go Second

Liverpool, who have been linked with a move for Porto winger Luis Diaz, are third in the Premier League, one point behind Chelsea albeit with a game in hand.

They have moved from 1.73 to 1.35 to finish second with the Blues at 3.05 from 2.94.

The build-up to Newcastle’s clash with Cambridge was dominated by the arrival of defender Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid.

However, their shortcomings were once more exposed by the League One side who completed a memorable giant-killing.

Eddie Howe’s side have been linked with a move for Burnley forward Chris Wood, who would add a physical presence with a knack for being in the right place at the right time to score close-range goals.

The Magpies are in to 2.34 to be relegated from 2.36.

Burnley – who are already without top scorer Maxwel Cornet at the Africa Cup of Nations – are third favourites for the drop at 1.65 from 1.66.

Aston Villa had quite the coup when they signed midfielder Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona.

While not the player he was at Liverpool, there is a sense of expectation that linking up with former teammate Steven Gerrard will reignite his form, while Villa been seeking a playmaker since the departure of Jack Grealish. They are at 2.04 for a top-10 finish, in from 2.4.

Leicester were dealt a huge blow with the news they are to be without Jamie Vardy for eight weeks.

The forward has a hamstring injury and his absence leaves the Foxes’ front line stretched with Patson Duka also injured and Kelechi Iheanacho at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Vardy is now at 26 from 20 for top scorer this season, although the Foxes have moved from 30 to 16 for a top-four finish.

While Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool will in all likelihood occupy the top-three Premier League spots, the race for fourth is wide open.

Arsenal deservedly went out of the cup to Nottingham Forest, but it hasn’t adversely affected their top-four odds which has seen them move from 3.15 to 3.05 alongside north London rivals Tottenham.

Fulham Still The Favourites

Fulham have dropped to third in the Championship behind Bournemouth and Blackburn although they have two games in hand.

The Cottagers, who beat Bristol City in the cup, have moved from 1.85 to 1.77 to win the title and from 1.27 to 1.11 to get promoted.

The Cherries have moved from 4.7 to 3.4 to win the league and from 1.61 to 1.42 to go up.

Millwall are seven points off the top six but with two games in hand, and they are big movers to be promoted, going from 6.8 to 3.45.