FA Cup Fourth Round: A Great Opportunity To Back Fringe Players

This week’s fourth round of the FA Cup offers an intriguing opportunity for bettors to back players who don’t often start in Premier League matches, particularly in the goalscorer market with promising odds.
The relentless schedule is likely to compel Premier League managers to shake up their usual formations, especially when squaring off against teams from lower divisions. Daniele Fisichella is on hand to run through his favourite FA Cup Fourth Round goalscorer angles.
FA Cup Fourth Round | Anytime Goalscorer Odds |
Eddie Nketiah (vs Doncaster) | 2.25 |
Rodrigo Muniz (vs Wigan) | 2.25 |
Tom Cairney (vs Wigan) | 3.75 |
Jota Silva (vs Exeter) | 3.10 |
Omar Marmoush (vs Leyton Orient) | 2.10 |
Darwin Nuñez (vs Plymouth) | 1.90 |
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Premier League’s subs can take centre stage
In the previous round, Rodrigo Muniz, who has participated in only 31% of Fulham’s Premier League minutes, started and scored against Watford.
Likewise, Federico Chiesa, with just three appearances for Liverpool after leaving Juventus in Serie A, netted his first goal for the Reds against Accrington Stanley.
Other notable fringe goalscorers in Round 3 included Rodrigo Gomes for Wolves, (with only 26% of Premier League minutes) Jayden Danns for Liverpool, Daniel Jebbison for Bournemouth, and Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku and Tosin Adarabioyo—both of whom have mostly featured in the Europa Conference League this season.
Even Jack Grealish ended his year-long goal drought for Manchester City in an 8-0 rout against Salford City in League Two.
A chance for £30m Palace’s striker
Doncaster Rovers, currently second in League Two, are the lowest-ranked team in the competition. They trail Crystal Palace, positioned 12th in the Premier League, by 57 places.
With the match taking place on Monday 10 February, and Palace’s Premier League fixture against Everton just five days later, Palace’s manager Oliver Glasner is likely to rotate his squad.
In the previous round against Stockport, where the Eagles edged a 1-0 victory, the German coach made six changes to the starting XI and handed Eddie Nketiah a rare start.
Nketiah, who has scored twice in the EFL Cup this season, could be a shrewd bet to net his first goal for the club in South Yorkshire.
Big odds for big names
The League One versus Premier League fixtures in the fourth round include Leyton Orient vs Manchester City, Wigan vs Fulham, Birmingham City vs Newcastle United, and Exeter City vs Nottingham Forest.
The games involving Wigan and Exeter, currently 16th and 17th in England’s third division, present another potential smart option for bettors.
Rodrigo Muniz, who scored the winner off the bench against Newcastle at the weekend, appears likely to start and could be a wise choice.
Fulham’s Tom Cairney, yet to start a match since 1 January, might also be a canny selection, likely to feature against the Latics.
For Nottingham Forest, Jota Silva emerges as a strong option.
Despite limited Premier League minutes, the Portuguese contributed an assist in the previous FA Cup tie and is expected to start at St James Park, especially with Taiwo Awoniyi possibly on the move in January.
Elsewhere, Omar Marmoush offers good value to score his first goal for Manchester City against Leyton Orient, as does William Osula, following his goal for Newcastle in the third round.
However, when Championship strugglers Plymouth host Premier League leaders Liverpool, it’s hard to overlook Reds players.
Federico Chiesa is finding form after a slow start, and Luis Diaz is due a goal after a six-game drought.
Both present appealing options, but it’s likely Darwin Nuñez will start the game.
The Uruguayan scored twice off the bench against Brentford and has a strong FA Cup record with two goals and two assists in six games.
Backing him at 1.90 to score against England’s leakiest defence, which has conceded 63 goals, seems the most promising pick.
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