FA Cup / Mike Norman / 11 January 2010 /

As parts of the country start to thaw out, "Mystical" Mike Norman previews two FA Cup ties that should go ahead on Tuesday evening - and both are live on digital TV.

Coventry [2.86] v Portsmouth [2.74]; The Draw [3.4]

Having held a full-strength Pompey side to a draw at Fratton Park, Coventry City will fancy their chances of finishing the job when Portsmouth visit the Ricoh Arena this evening. A win will set up a home tie against Premiership outfit Sunderland in round four, and at [2.86] to do so, I'm backing the Sky Blues to spring a minor upset.

Chris Coleman's side have been in great form of late, winning four of their last five Championship games (their only defeat came at the hands of red hot Notts Forest) thanks to a rich vein of form from striker Freddy Eastwood (five goals in five games). Portsmouth on the other hand are almost in turmoil. Avram Grant's men haven't won on the road since the beginning of October, are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League, and they even struggle to get paid these days!

What's more, Pompey's squad has been somewhat diluted with a quartet of first-team players (Hassan Yebda, Aruna Dindane, Nadir Belhadj and Kanu) all on African Cup of Nations duty.

The Sky Blues will be without Leon Barnett, Gary Madine and Carl Baker, but strikers Eastwood and Leon Best should start together up front, and with Clinton Morrison able to come in or form part of a three-man attack, the home side definitely have the ability to cause Portsmouth's defensive unit a few problems.

I don't see this game being a classic, but I do see the home side prevailing in a low-scoring affair. Since Grant took over at Portsmouth, five of his seven games have ended with Under 2.5 Goals being scored, whilst Coventry are a relatively low-scoring side by mid-table standards - just 29 goals scored in 25 league games. Under 2.5 Goals is available to back at [1.7] and is definitely the way to play. If you disagree, Over 2.5 Goals can be backed at [2.4].

In the Correct Score market, I marginally prefer the 1-0 option - available to back at [8.8] - but a case can be made for both 2-0 ([16.0]) and 0-0 ([10.0]). Obviously then, I'm not keen on Portsmouth scoring a goal and I'm making the Yes option in the Coventry Clean Sheet market my best bet of the game at [3.25].

That man Eastwood is available to back [3.5] in the To Score market, but given the possibility of a single goal deciding this fixture I'd prefer to back him in the First Goalscorer market at the much more rewarding odds of [8.0].

*The game is live on digital channel ITV4, kick-off 7:45pm

Bristol City [2.64] v Cardiff [2.98]; The Draw [3.4]

The Robins versus the Bluebirds promises to be a real tight affair with both clubs relatively out of form ahead of this third round replay. Bristol City have gone four games without a win whilst Cardiff are on a sequence of three games without recording a victory.

Team news could be significant however. Cardiff are rumoured to be in the midst of an injury crisis as most of their squad have been struck low with a virus, though Jay Bothroyd and Ross McCormack should be ok to play. Perhaps the most aptly named player on the pitch tonight will be Bristol City's Evander Sno who could return to action after a brief spell on the sidelines. Gavin Williams and John Akinde could play, though Jamie McCombe is injured.

Since the year 2000 City and Cardiff have met on 13 occasions with the main point of note being that 10 of those game finished with two goals or less being scored, and only once has the game concluded with more than three goals being scored. Not surprisingly then, Under 2.5 Goals is available to back at just [1.7] (Over 2.5 Goals can be backed at [2.38]), but if you're like me and think that recent trend can be well and truly bucked, then backing Over 3.5 Goals at [4.5] is the way to play.

My thinking is that both teams could be much changed to the norm and that a frantic cup tempo could pursue as both sides seek to progress at the first attempt. Cardiff's main target this season will be automatic promotion, whilst Gary Johnson's aim will be to get his side in the hunt for a play-off place.

As I said at the outset, this could be a close game and I'm keen to back 2-2 in the Correct Score market - available to back at [18.0] - as well as small wagers on 3-2 to both sides ([42.0] for a 3-2 home victory, [48.0] for a 3-2 away triumph).

*The game is live on digital channel S4C, kick-off 7:45pm

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