The Anorak: Who cares wins in the FA Cup

THE “romance of the FA Cup” and all the other cliches are little comfort to punters who have to second-guess what teams managers put out, so the advice is to wait as long as possible until the line-ups are announced.

On that basis there is no banker or best bet this weekend.

Dean Saunders has Doncaster playing well and the much-reviled El Hadj-Diouf is complementing star striker Billy Sharp up front. Rovers are fancied, at a shade of odds-against, to see off Notts County at 21-20 with Victor Chandler.

Ian Holloway has secured the loan signing of defender Danny Wilson from Liverpool, and Blackpool can end Fleetwood Town’s cup ambitions at 17-20, again with Chandler, while Bournemouth look a decent bet against hit-and-miss Walsall (6-4 Ladbrokes).

Manchester City have superior strength in depth to United and that may be the difference in tomorrow’s big televised derby. Hlls go 23-20.

As for finding the FA Cup winners, Tottenham at 8-1 should give you a decent run for your money – they are at home to Cheltenham, and we already know that one of the Manchester clubs won’t be in the hat after tomorrow.

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