We have provided some FA Cup 3rd Round betting tips in light of the draw being made on Sunday afternoon, including some potential upsets involving teams with distant odds to win their ties.
FA Cup 3rd Round betting tips – Potential upsets
Middlesbrough vs Aston Villa – Middlesbrough to win (4/1)
Championship side Middlesbrough are 4/1 outsiders to beat Premier League opponents Aston Villa at home in the 3rd Round. Boro are currently 12th in the Championship, three points outside of the play-off places, while Villa sit fourth in England's top flight, just four points off top spot.
As such, Middlesbrough winning would be a real upset, but one we think could happen. The hosts have won five of their last six home games, while Villa can be unpredictable away, having won one, drawn one and lost one of their last three.
The visitors also have European football to contend with, as well as trying to finish in the Premier League's top four, so may rotate heavily in the FA Cup, which would suit Middlesbrough.
Nonetheless, Boro are also in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, with a good chance of reaching the semis against League One Port Vale, and so have already shown that they can go far in cup competitions.
Stoke vs Brighton – Stoke to win (5/1)
You can get 5/1 odds on Championship Stoke beating Premier League Brighton in the 3rd Round. The Potters currently languish in 20th in the Championship table, just five points outside of the relegation zone, while the Seagulls are in eighth in the top flight, pushing to finish in the European places.
This would be a big upset on paper, but one that has a chance of happening. Stoke have shown multiple times this season that they can beat teams at home as underdogs, notably Leeds, Sunderland, Watford and West Brom.
They narrowly lost 1-0 at home to Brighton in the FA Cup 5th Round last campaign, where the visitors fielded the likes of Evan Ferguson and Kaoru Mitoma, as well as Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister, who have since made big-money moves to Chelsea and Liverpool respectively.
Should the Seagulls decide to rotate this time around, bearing in mind that they are also competing in Europe, Stoke have a chance of causing an upset. The old cliché of “Can they do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke?” could come into play here.
Sunderland vs Newcastle – Sunderland to win (9/2)
Anything can happen in a derby. These two teams may seem worlds apart, with Sunderland ninth in the Championship and mega-rich Newcastle sixth in the Premier League and playing Champions League football, but both will be as determined as eachother to win.
In their most recent clashes, it is actually the hosts that have come out on top, as they are unbeaten in their last nine encounters, winning six.
Newcastle are also facing an injury crisis at the moment, with first-choice goalkeeper Nick Pope the latest to join an ever-growing list. They may not have many senior players to pick from when the fixture comes around, and so may be forced to field a weakened team.
If so, Sunderland would fancy themselves, especially at home.
Wigan vs Manchester United – Wigan to win (12/1)
This is amongst the longest odds you can get on a team winning their 3rd Round tie, with Manchester United currently 8/1 joint-second favourites to win the FA Cup.
Currently 14th in League One, and having suffered an eight-point deduction for financial trouble, the Latics are a long way from the side that famously beat Manchester City 1-0 in the 2013 FA Cup final.
However, they have shown in the past they are capable of a giant-killing, and United may fall victim to that. They have had problems on and off the pitch this term, and losing here could provide the final nail in the coffin for Erik ten Hag – assuming he isn't gone already by the time this comes around.
Nonetheless, with the home crowd behind Wigan, anything could happen.
