Southampton 2–1 Leicester
These sides served up chaos last week. Leicester were 3–0 up at half time on home soil, only for Southampton to stage a remarkable comeback and win 4–3 thanks to a 97th minute winner.
That game showed just how fragile Leicester can be defensively, particularly when momentum swings. Southampton will take enormous belief from that turnaround and at home you would expect them to approach this aggressively again.
Leicester clearly carry attacking threat, but given how open the recent meeting was, another high scoring contest looks likely. A 2–1 Southampton win feels realistic in another dramatic encounter.
Aston Villa 2–1 Newcastle
Villa recently won 2–0 at St James’ Park and have generally had the better of this fixture in recent meetings. The home side has tended to come out on top, and goals are usually involved.
Newcastle have a significant Champions League fixture approaching and squad rotation looks likely. Bruno Guimarães is reportedly managing a hamstring issue and may be rested, which would reduce Newcastle’s control in midfield.
Villa Park remains a difficult place to visit, and with the visitors potentially rotating, a 2–1 home win is the prediction.
Liverpool 1–0 Brighton
Liverpool recently ended Sunderland’s unbeaten home record with a big away win and may prioritise trying to win the FA Cup given their Premier League title defence is long over.
Brighton suffered a late defeat at Villa and are dealing with a few injury concerns. Dominik Szoboszlai is available here and will serve his suspension in the upcoming Premier League fixture instead, which strengthens Liverpool’s midfield options.
FA Cup ties can be tight, and Brighton are capable of controlling spells of possession, but Liverpool’s ability to edge narrow contests makes 1–0 a logical correct score prediction.
Birmingham 1–1 Leeds
Leeds arrive in strong form and are difficult to beat, but rotation is likely in this competition. Birmingham are traditionally competitive at home and rarely make things straightforward for higher ranked opposition.
This feels like a tie where intensity outweighs quality at times. Leeds’ momentum should ensure they avoid defeat, but Birmingham’s resilience could earn them a draw.
A 1–1 scoreline looks well balanced for this FA Cup meeting.
Grimsby 1–1 Wolves
For Wolves, Premier League survival remains the priority, and this fixture may be viewed as a distraction. Rotation is expected.
Grimsby are pushing in their own promotion race and will be highly motivated, particularly given the financial incentives that come with a cup run. Facing a rotated top flight side represents a huge opportunity.
Wolves’ quality should prevent defeat, but the motivation factor leans heavily towards the hosts. A 1–1 draw is the prediction.
Arsenal 6–0 Wigan
This could genuinely be any scoreline. Arsenal are expected to rotate heavily, but their squad depth remains exceptional. Players such as Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Eberechi Eze, Christian Norgaard, Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis Skelly and Ben White are all capable of making decisive contributions.
Wigan are focused on avoiding relegation in League One, and this tie represents a significant step up in class.
Even with changes, Arsenal’s second string has enough quality to dominate. A comfortable 6–0 victory is the bold prediction here.
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