Televised Match Previews / Richard Walker / 07 March 2009 /

You never know what Boro are going to do next, says Richard Walker, but you do know that Everton are a consistant side who can handle big games despite an ever-growing injury list. Best bet: Everton to win @ [1.74].

I said a few weeks ago Middlesbrough are a damn nuisance - and (with apologies to fellow Boro fan and fellow betting. Betfair.com writer 'Mystical' Mike Norman) I've no reason to change my mind.

Logic would lead you to a home win here and probably a comfortable one at that, if not necessarily emphatic in scoreline terms. However logic wouldn't have led you to opposing Liverpool at The Riverside last weekend. That's when they're annoying. If they'd just stick to being hopeless, we can all make a few quid. But I'm sure they killed some heavy stakes, not to mention a few Multiples last Saturday.

Anyhow, on to matters in hand and, in a perverse way, perhaps their over-performance against the Reds sets them up to come crashing back down away at the Blues. Everton don't suffer the same inconsistencies borne out season-upon-season by Rafa Benitez's side. And I make backing Everton to get the job done, [1.74], the most secure betting choice of this tie. Boro are [5.8] with The Draw at [3.85].

Both Louis Saha and Marouane Fellaini are likely to feature for the Goodison Park hosts; however the injury list never seems to shorten. Stuck in the Toffees treatment room at the moment are Mikel Arteta, Tony Hibbert, Victor Anichebe, James Vaughan, Nuno Valente and Yakubu. Add to that Jo being cup-tied and you'd write most teams off but David Moyes and his boys seem to thrive on the challenge.

Gareth Southgate will be unable to call on the cup-tied Marlon King but is largely untroubled by injury except for long-termers Didier Digard and Chris Riggott.

I'm going to do little more than recite the odds in the Under 2.5 goals market. I can understand Unders being the [1.7] jolly but something tells me there'll be goals in this one. If I had to pitch in, it'd be on Overs at around [2.36]. Normally I'd be throwing in the backing of Under 1.5 goals at [3.1] for a league game between these two but the fact it's the biggest game of both their seasons - an FA Cup quarter-final - has me in a different mind-set.

I can see Everton taking a hold of this match fairly early in the piece. They won't want to enter that attritional state of mind Boro seem so good at sucking opponents into. I fancy the hosts will be ahead by the break so will be playing Everton/Everton HT/FT at roughly [2.88]. If you're looking for something with a slightly longer price, Draw/Everton [4.9] or perhaps Draw/Draw [5.8] might enter your calculations.

Tim Cahill has rarely let me down when I've tipped him to notch this year and I'm not deserting him now. In a game where goals could be at a premium, he's a priceless asset and should be backed at [2.34] in the To Score list - [6.8] for First Goalscorer if you prefer that list. Saha is [2.28] To Score, Fellaini [3.15] and Boro's Stewart Downing and Jeremie Aliadiere [3.6] and [2.52] chances respectively.

However I don't see Boro scoring past what's become on the most respected defences in the Premier League. Say a hearty 'Yes' to an Everton clean sheet and reward yourself by backing it at odds of [2.18]. (Sorry Mike!)

As with all the other FA Cup ties this weekend, there truly is a market for every Betfairian to back or lay with confidence. Find the right one and see your balance steadily increase come Sunday evening. Happy staking!

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