Sunderland v Arsenal FA Cup betting odds, tips & preview – 18.02.12

Refunds if Black Cats fail to win after taking lead!

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) © GEPA pictures

The all premier League clash of Sunderland v Arsenal FA Cup betting has some great insurance on it thanks to the highly popular online bookmaker Paddy Power. The bookie is running a Money Back Special for the Sunderland v Arsenal betting, with some great coverage on a few markets. The Black Cats have found a new lease of life under Martin O’Neill, while Arsenal will be smarting from a huge disappointment in the champions League midweek. So, with Sunderland being at home, if they score first in the match, but fail to go on and secure victory, then Paddy Power will refund all losing First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, correct Score and Scorecast single bets placed on the match. This provides some superb coverage, and the Black Cats will really fancy their chances in the FA Cup this season. With the Paddy Power Money Back Special in place, it means that you can dip into the First Goalscorer market for example, where Robin van Persie is 7/2 favourite to open the scoring, while Fraizer Campbell is priced at 15/2 to strike first in the match. With Arsenal looking a bit shaky at the moment, there could be a bit of value in the Correct Score market, where a 1-0 home win is trading at 9/1 with Paddy Power. So great value around for Sunderland v Arsenal FA Cup betting and there is plenty of options being covered by the Money Back Special. If Sunderland score first but fail to win, then Paddy power will pay out lost stake refunds on all the markets mentioned above. The highly rated online bookmaker offers a free £50 bet for new customers registering an account with them. The bookie will match the value of your first stake on a new account with a free bet up to the maximum value of £50, giving new customers some great free betting cash to get started with!

Sunderland v Arsenal FA Cup betting odds
Sunderland to win: 2/1 at BetFred
Draw: 12/5 at Bet365
Arsenal to win: 6/4 at Bet Victor

It has been a season of two halves for Sunderland winning just two league games from the start of the season up until the start of December. Since then, Sunderland have rattled off seven wins and have only lost three of their last eleven. So a definite and huge improvement since they got rid of Steve Bruce and brought in Martin O’Neill. One definite big change has been in the defensive set up of the Black Cats, which has markedly improved. Sunderland have conceded just two goals in their last four Premier League matches and are looking a much more cohesive and polished side. So too, their return in front of goal has improved, averaging two goals per game in their last four Premier League matches. This is really without a prolific man up front to take them forward. Frazier Campbell and Stephane Sessegnon are chipping in and helping Sunderland get vital points on the board, but they are still lacking that individual spark. Sunderland will be looking to avenge a bit of harsh luck in last weekend’s Premier League fixture against Arsenal at the Stadium of Light. Arsenal’s Thierry Henry popped up in stoppage time to score a winner for the Gunners, who clawed their way back from falling behind to win 2-1. That was the second time this season the league that Arsenal have triumphed over Sunderland by that score line, so that is a good trend which may be worth looking out for in your Sunderland v Arsenal FA Cup betting. Sunderland have been much better at home lately, having lost just one of their last six home matches, winning four of those too. So, even though they came unstuck last weekend against the Gunners, will it be third time lucky against the London side this season? The Black Cats will be hungry to revenge those dropped points last week, and gave a good enough account of themselves to suggest that they can take this one off shoot out. Sunderland needed a replay against Middlesbrough to get through to face Arsenal here, winning 2-1 in extra time at Boro. That was after a comfortable 2-0 away win over Peterborough in the third round.

How badly will Arsenal be smarting from their Champions League humiliation in Rome? Arsenal were thumped 4-0 by AC Milan at the San Siro in the first leg of their last sixteen tie in the Champions League. Arsenal’s defence in midweek looked slow and really a bit clueless with the smart football that was being played in front of them. It is not as if Arsenal’s defence has been water tight all season really, and they are vulnerable to giving up goal. They have kept just two clean sheets in their last ten Premier League matches so there will be hope for Sunderland in this fixture. Arsenal must be a bit battered and bruised after their Champions League miseries, and they won’t be a fresh as Sunderland will be for this match of course. Does that swing the advantage back into the court of Sunderland? Arsenal have won just one of their last four away matches in the Premier League as well (last weekend’s triumph over Sunderland) and their main man Robin van Persie will need to stand up and be counted for them again, because they really lack firepower from elsewhere, especially now that Thierry Henry has finished his loan spell with the club. Arsenal had to fight off Aston Villa in the fourth round, beating out the Midlands side 3-2 in a great game at the Emirates, a game in which the Gunners were two nil down. In the third round, Arsenal beat Leeds United, also at the Emirates. The Gunners will be favourites in Sunderland v Arsenal FA Cup betting, but will know that a tough match will await them.

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