The Draw for the FA Cup Fifth Round is now set, with Tottenham being the last team to take their spot in the final sixteen. A dramatic 3-2 win at home over Southampton on Wednesday night got the Lilywhites through.
All of the Premier League’s current top seven are in the draw still, which is going to make life difficult for the remaining outsiders. Six of the sixteen teams taking part in the fifth round are from outside of the top flight.
Fith round matches are to be played in midweek starting March 3rd.
FA Cup Outright Winner Odds 2020*
Manchester City 7/4
Liverpool 4/1
Tottenham 7/1
Chelsea 9/1
Leicester 10/1
Arsenal 12/1
Manchester United 16/1
Sheffield United 25/1
Newcastle 40/1
Norwich 80/1
100/1 bar
* (betting odds taken from Bet365 on February 5th 2020 at 20:46)
FA Cup Fifth Round Ties
Chelsea v Liverpool
Derby v Manchester United
Leicester v Birmingham
Portsmouth v Arsenal
Sheffield Wednesday v Manchester City
Reading v Sheffield United
West Brom v Newcastle
Tottenham v Norwich
Manchester City continue as favourites
Current FA Cup holders Manchester City are the favourites still for this year’s trophy at 7/4 odds* (betting odds taken from Bet365 on February 5th 2020 at 20:46). The Citizens will be lining up against Championship opposition the fifth round as they make the trip to Hillsborough to take on Sheffield Wednesday.
It is a fixture that the Citizens are naturally heavy odds-on favourites for. Given that their Premier League title challenge has fallen short, they can focus intensely on an FA cup defence.
Will Liverpool throw everything at the FA Cup?
Liverpool, because of recognising their winter break, decided to send out the youngsters for their midweek replay against Shrewsbury. The Reds prevailed and with the Premier League title heading their way this season, then that could leave them to make a strong assault on the FA Cup.
Or will they sacrifice it, to try and pull off a title defence in the UEFA Champions League? A full-strength Liverpool should rightly be a front runner for the FA Cup title. Not even a mouth-watering clash against Chelsea in the fifth round has affected their standing as 4/1 second-favourite.
High-focus for Spurs
A converted penalty three-minutes from time by Son Heung-Min against Southampton on Wednesday night got Tottenham through to the fifth round. The last time that Spurs won a trophy was in 2008 and the FA Cup looks the best route this season for them ending that barren streak.
They did have to dig deep to get past the Saints though at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and they are trying to work towards a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Jose Mourinho’s men are currently four points out of the top four after beating Manchester City last weekend. Given the standing of everything, they are likely to be targeting cup success. They have a favourable home draw against Premier League bottom side Norwich in the fifth round.
Non-Premier League sides
League One side Portsmouth are the lowest-ranked side left in this season’s competition. They have a dream home tie as well at Fratton Park as they will welcome Arsenal. That’s a cracking tie for Pompey to take on even though they are 8/1 underdogs for the match win* (betting odds taken from Betfair on February 5th 2020 at 20:46)
Of the five remaining Championship sides, only Birmingham face an away game. They have a tough trip to the King Power to take on this season’s Premier League top-four hopefuls Leicester. Sheffield Wednesday have a tough home game, as mentioned against Manchester City.
West Brom the best non-EPL option to reach quarters?
Championship automatic-promotion hopefuls West Brom could shape up as the second-tier side most likely to get through. The Baggies will feel that they have a decent draw as they take on EPL opposition in the shape of Newcastle at the Hawthorns.
The Magpies struggled past League One side Oxford after extra time in a replay in midweek. West Brom are 17/10 to win the match* (betting odds taken from Betfair on February 5th 2020 at 20:46).
Reading will line up at the Madejski in an intriguing tie against Sheffield United, while Wayne Rooney will get to face his old club Manchester United in the fifth round. Rooney, who moved to Derby in January from the MLS, will get to take on the Red Devils at Pride Park in the fifth round.
