Shrewsbury Vs Bristol City
Tuesday 14th January 2020 – 19:45 Kick-Off
English FA Cup
Pick: Both Teams to Score
Odds: 9/10
Bookmaker: Unibet
(All betting odds displayed in this article were correct at time of writing: 12th January 2020 at 13:45)
There is no shortage of incentive when these two teams battle for a place in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup, with a home meeting against the reigning champions of Europe, Liverpool, awaiting the winner at New Meadow between Shrewsbury and Bristol City.
English FA Cup Betting at 22Bet
Shrewsbury Preview – Shrews seeking to build upon encouraging Ashton Gate display?
Despite appearing to pose very little danger in this tie, with the club meandering in mid-table of League One where they find themselves in 15th following Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Lincoln City, The Shrews by all accounts held their own at Ashton Gate with both managers effusive in their post-match comments regarding the visitors’ performance on the day. That should bode well ahead a replay staged in front of a home crowd inside New Meadow.
Seeing slightly more of the ball (53 per cent possession) and producing more goal attempts, Shrewsbury were deserving of their 1-1 draw when these teams met on 4 January. In fact, the lower league side could have snatched victory in the second half had Josh Laurent’s effort found the back of the net instead of the woodwork. In the end they were indebted to Sean Goss for earning them a second crack at progressing, only this time on more favourable terms.
Furthermore, there is some precedent for Sam Rickett and his team rising to the occasion as the home side this season. Against teams currently in the top-ten of League One, Shrewsbury have clinched victory on four of six occasions in Shropshire, three of which without conceding. However, there has only been a solitary clean sheet for the home side at New Meadow in the last eight games in all competitions – that a 2-0 scoreline in the previous round against Mansfield Town of League Two.
Bristol City Preview – Porous defence makes progress far from guaranteed in Shropshire?
Lee Johnson’s Bristol City negotiated two rounds in last season’s FA Cup before succumbing at the Fifth Round stage to Premier League side Wolves. Their demise this time around could have been decidedly more early and swift after an underwhelming performance was produced at home to League One’s Shrewsbury first time out, this despite Famara Diedhiou heading them into the ascendency with the game’s opening goal.
The Robins failed to capitalise on their early advantage at Ashton Gate and have subsequently paid the price with an unwanted replay. The fact it is now away from home might still work in their favour, however. In this season’s Championship, Bristol City have recorded more wins when on their travels (6 compared to 5) and scored at a marginally better rate (22 v 19), hitting two of these away to Wigan on Saturday in a 2-0 triumph.
Victory at the weekend was something of a sight for sore eyes in that City kept a rare away clean sheet, only their second of this season’s Championship campaign when on the road to give them a dismal strike rate of 2/14, or 14 per cent, for this particular statistic. Moreover, their recent form has also perked up, with the win at Wigan a second in three league games (W2 L1) having previously lost four on the bounce during a wretched month of December.
Shrewsbury Vs Bristol City – Key Facts:
- No win for five competitive games (D3 L2) is the form Shrewsbury bring into this replay, drawing 1-1 at home to Lincoln at the weekend.
- Victory away at Wigan on Saturday, winning 2-0, means Bristol City have now won two of the last three in the Championship.
- The encounter between the two ended 1-1 at Ashton Gate on 4 January as a fourth successive meeting successfully produced goals for both sides.
Betting Summary
A dream tie at home to European champions and runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool awaits the winner of this replay at New Meadow, where hosts Shrewsbury will boast a raucous crowd and were good value for their draw in the original encounter between the two sides, but are in questionable form after no win in their last five competitive matches (D3 L2).
Bristol City, by contrast, arrive with two wins from their past three league fixtures garnered in a superior division where only three teams possess better away records in 2019/20. With confidence seemingly restored, Bristol City must have every chance of prevailing.
However, defensively the Championship side have proven to be extremely unreliable on the road this season and there is every chance of that continuing at New Meadow, where each of Shrewsbury’s past four competitive encounters – as well as seven of the last eight – have delivered both teams scoring.
Best Betting Odds for Shrewsbury Vs Bristol City:
Shrewsbury – 21/10 Boylesports
Draw – 12/5 Unibet
Bristol City – 7/5 Ladbrokes
