Football betting tips: FA Cup
2pts Aston Villa draw no bet at 10/11 (General)
0.25pt Cristian Romero to be sent off at 33/1 (bet365)
- Note: All bets are 'normal time' (i.e. in 90 minutes/not extra-time and penalties) only
Just how much longer will Thomas Frank be in the Tottenham job?
Granted, he entered a miserable situation that was salvaged by a win in the Europa League final against an equally poor team, but things have not improved. It started ok, but their last 12 games against Premier League opponents have delivered just two wins and seen them lose six times.
At home, it's been even worst, and has led to a chorus of boos after almost every game. Not only have results been bad but performances have been woeful too.
Their two wins over top flight opponents have been against a poor Burnley in the season opener and a Brentford team Frank has the inside track on. It's five home defeats, including against Aston Villa back in October.
A last minute defeat to Bournemouth in midweek was yet another disappointment and it came with more off-field happenings, with Micky Van de Ven and Joao Palhinha confronting angry fans and Cristian Romero going after the higher-ups on social media, not to mention how defeated Frank looked after getting beaten down for drinking out of an Arsenal cup pre-game.
It's really hard to get onside with them in any game at the moment, and while they do need a win to alleviate some pressure, Frank has not been a man to take the FA Cup seriously, getting knocked out in the Third Round in all of the last three seasons.
Heading to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are a Villa team who have won 18 of their last 22 games in all competitions, and not only have a manager who has had Frank's number, but one who loves cup competitions.
Unai Emery is unbeaten in six meetings with Thomas Frank, winning four, and does take the cups seriously. While many laud him as Mr. Europa League, his record in the Copa del Rey and FA Cup perhaps goes under the radar.
Last season, while juggling Champions League knockouts and a top-five Premier League push, Villa reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, while in Spain he went: semis, semis, fourth round, quarters, final and quarters in campaigns as manager of Sevilla and Villarreal.
Sometimes the most obvious bet is the best bet, and in this case it's backing ASTON VILLA DRAW NO BET.
I'd rather take them in this market than 'to qualify' at the same price with the game going to extra-time and penalties, with money back if it ends all square rather than roll the dice with an extra 30 minutes away from home and possibly penalties.
This bet has only lost three times in Villa's last 22, with two of those coming at Anfield and the Emirates.
If thing start going badly for Spurs, it wouldn't be a surprise to see tempers flare and things boil over, meaning we'll have a small bet on CRISTIAN ROMERO TO BE SENT OFF given how hot-headed he is and how clearly frustrated he is at the moment.
Craig Pawson is the ref and isn't overly card happy, averaging 2.53 cards per game this season, but he has brandished two reds this season including in a Carabao Cup game, while it's only a month ago where Romero completely lost his head against Liverpool, resulting in a red card.
It's a long shot at 33/1 so we'll stake accordingly.
Odds correct at 16:30 GMT (08/01/26)
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