3rd December, 2020
The FA Cup has been a staple of English football for centuries. Sure, it might not be as renowned as it once was, not since the money in the Premier League has made avoiding relegation more appealing, yet it’s still a major trophy.
With the dominance of the big clubs, notably Manchester City, it’s a way for players and managers to target realistic success and enjoy some silverware.
For example, Arsenal, a club that hasn’t competed for the league title since 2004, has won the competition four out of the last seven times.
As the reigning champions, the Gunners are the team to beat, but will the North London side be victorious in May?
The Favorites – Who Are They?
You probably don’t need three guesses to figure out the top two teams in this year’s FA Cup. As usual, since Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp took over at the Etihad Stadium and Anfield, respectively, Man City and Liverpool are classed as the teams with the greatest chance of lifting the trophy at the end of the season.
However, the betting indicates that the rivalry isn’t as close as you would expect, with William Hill giving Man City odds of 7/2 and Liverpool 13/2. This means the bookmakers view Guardiola’s men as the main threat, even compared to Klopp’s side, which is probably down to the strength of the City squad combined with the number of injuries Liverpool has suffered of late.
What About the Best of the Rest?
As the champions, and with four titles under their belt in the competition since 2014, you would expect Arsenal to be leading the pack.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side hasn’t clicked so far this season, only showing glimpses of what they are capable of, while their main competitors have hit the ground running.
Tottenham is the prime example because Jose Mourinho has worked wonders with a similar squad to last year, one that Norwich knocked out in the fifth-round proper in 2019-20.
However, they are joint top of the Premier League, and they have a favourable draw away to eight-tier Marine in the third round. Chelsea is another side that is flying under Frank Lampard, and they also have a good tie at home to Morecambe. You can view the full draw on our site.
Are There Any Dark Horses?
Yes. There are always underdogs who do well in the FA Cup, which is one of the reasons the oldest football tournament in the world is known for its magic.
In terms of winning, you have to look to the top flight sides since they have the players to match the top six.
This leaves the likes of Leicester, West Ham Wolves, and Southampton with an opportunity of causing upsets by next May.
Also, Leeds United have proven that you can’t write them off due to their combination of attacking football and unpredictability under the reign of Marcelo ‘El Loco’ Bielsa.
As the BBC points out, he has turned them into champions already, so more trophies wouldn’t be surprising.
Of course, with the FA Cup, it all depends on how the draw opens up after a few of the smaller team shock the bigger boys.