Who Will Progress to the FA Cup Final This Weekend at Wembley?

This weekend sees four of the top teams in the Premier League meeting at Wembley Stadium to contest the FA Cup semifinals. Arsenal will take on Manchester City, while on Sunday, Manchester United and Chelsea meet for the third season in a row in a domestic cup competition to decide who will go forward to contest the final in a couple of weeks’ time.

If you would like to place a bet on the outcome of the two Wembley FA Cup semifinals this weekend, then one place to take a closer look is bet365 Sport. As a new customer you can take advantage of the sites great value New Player Bonus, which offers up to £100 in bet credits once you have signed up and are betting on the site.

Open Account Offer

Up to £100 in Bet Credits for new customers at bet365.

Min deposit £5. Bet Credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.

In addition, you can also access a wide range of bets across a fantastic selection of sports, as well as Virtual Sports betting, Esports betting, Live Streaming (free with a credit balance in your account or if you have placed a bet inside the last 24 hours) and extensive In Play betting options.

Remember too that if you are based in the United States, you also have some fantastic sports betting options open to you depending on which state you live in. In Pennsylvania for example, sign up with the latest BetRivers Promo Code and you can enjoy casino gaming, poker and online sports betting. The same providers also operate in Indiana, where you can use the BetRivers Affiliate Code “HOOSIERBONUS” when claiming your starter offer for a great deal too.

Lastly, in states like Nevada, New Jersey and Colorado, the latest DraftKings Online Sportsbook offers an excellent service for all different types of sports betting.

Let’s now take a closer look at the two big FA Cup Semifinal ties that are going to be played at Wembley this weekend, one on Saturday evening, the other Sunday evening to decide who will contest the final a couple of weeks from now.

FA Cup Semifinals Preview

Saturday 18^th July 2020

Arsenal v Manchester City (7.45pm)

Factfile for both teams

• Arsenal are 9^th in the Premier League with 50 points from 35 games.
• Man City are 2^nd in the Premier League with 72 points from 35 games.
• City have scored 91 goals in those games, Arsenal managing just 51.
• City have conceded 34 goals in those games, Arsenal conceding 44.
• The teams have met 198 times, Arsenal winning 96, City winning 57 with 45 draws.
• However, City have won all of the last seven between the teams, and eight of the last 11 matches between them in all competitions. Arsenal’s only victory in that period was a 2-1 (aet) FA Cup Semifinal win in April 2017.
• City have beat Arsenal 3-0 both home and away in the Premier League this season.
• City will have Sergio Aguero absent through injury, while Arsenal have Pablo Mari, Jay Leno, Gabriel Martinelli and Mesut Ozil out, while Eddie Nketiah will serve a suspension.

The Road to Wembley

Arsenal Road to Wembley

• 3^rd Round – v Leeds United (H) – W 1-0 (Nelson 55)
• 4^th Round – v Bournemouth (A) – W 2-1 (Saka 5, Nketiah 26)
• 5^th Round – v Portsmouth (A) – W 2-0 (Papasthatopoulos 45, Nketiah 51)
• Quarterfinals – v Sheff Utd (A) – W 2-1 (Pepe 25 (pen), Ceballos 90)

Manchester City Road to Wembley

• 3^rd Round – v Port Vale (H) – W 4-1 (Zinchenko 19, Aguero 4, Harwood-Bellis 58, Foden 76)
• 4^th Round – v Fulham (H) – W 4-0 (Gundogan 8 (pen), Silva.B 19, Jesus 72,75)
• 5^th Round – v Sheff Wed (A) – W 1-0 (Aguero 53)
• Quarterfinals – v Newcastle Utd (A) – W 2-0 (De Bruyne 37, Sterling 68)

Arsenal v Manchester City Predictions and Tips

Given Arsenal’s form against Manchester City, allied to City’s form in general since the season restarted, and you have to say that the Gunners, despite their excellent FA Cup performances over the years, are the huge underdogs here. They may point to City’s poorer away form as hope for a shock win, but in these types of games City’s top players come to the fore.

I can’t see City having too many problems in this one, even with Sergio Aguero absent from the team. Guardiola has so many options open to him in every position he could put out two teams of different players that could win this game comfortably even against Arsenal’s strongest XI.

As such, I’d back Manchester City to win and I’d also go for a correct score of a 3-1 win for City on the day. If pushed to pick a goalscorer to score at any time, I’d go for the in form Raheem Sterling, who has a good record for City at Wembley in recent times.

Sunday 19^th July 2020

Manchester United v Chelsea (6pm)

Factfile for both teams

• Chelsea lie 3^rd in the Premier League on 60 points, one ahead of Man Utd who are 5^th on 59 points, both having played 35 games.
• Chelsea have scored 63 goals in the EPL this season, two more than Man Utd’s 61.
• Chelsea have conceded more goals, 49 in the EPL than the 35 conceded by United.
• The teams have met 186 times in total. United winning 81 to Chelsea’s 54, with 51 matches finishing in a draw.
• Chelsea have beaten United just once in their last eight games, losing five, but that win did come in an FA Cup Final in 2018 (a 1-0 victory for Chelsea at Wembley).
• United did the double over Chelsea in the EPL this season, winning 4-0 at home and also 2-0 away. They also beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in the League Cup and knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup last season with a 2-0 win also at Stamford Bridge.
• Man Utd have injury concerns at left back with both Luke Shaw and his replacement Brandon Williams real doubts for the game. Chelsea youngster Billy Gilmour is their main doubt for this game.

The Road to Wembley

Manchester United Road to Wembley

• 3^rd Round – v Wolves (A) – D 0-0
• 3^rd Round Replay – v Wolves (H) – W 1-0 (Mata 67)
• 4^th Round – v Tranmere R (A) – W 6-0 (Maguire 10, Dalot 13, Lingard 16, Jones 41, Martial 45, Greenwood 56 (pen))
• 5^th Round – v Derby County (A) – W 3-0 (Shaw 33, Ighalo 41,70)
• Quarterfinals – v Norwich (A) – W 2-1 aet (Ighalo 51, Maguire 118)

Chelsea Road to Wembley

• 3^rd Round – v Nottingham Forest (H) – W 2-0 (Hudson Odoi 6, Barkley 33)
• 4^th Round – v Hull City (A) – W 2-1 (Batshuayi 6, Tomori 64)
• 5^th Round – v Liverpool (H) – W 2-0 (William 13, Barkley 64)
• Quarterfinals – v Leicester (A) – W 1-0 (Barkley 63)

Man Utd v Chelsea Predictions and Tips

Manchester United have the beating of Chelsea at the moment and in general, their form since the restart has been much better than Frank Lampard’s team. However, Chelsea will point to their FA Cup Final win over Manchester United a few years back as proof that on the big days at Wembley, they can come out on top.

Of the two semifinals, this is the one that I feel will be the more closely fought. I think the teams, as their league records show, are very well matched and have many similarities, using a number of young players alongside their more expensive signings well.

However, I still feel that despite a draw at Southampton, United’s form is markedly better than Chelsea at the moment and the fact that they have also beaten the Blues in all their encounters this season means they are my pick here. Take Man Utd to win by a 2-1 scoreline and the in form Anthony Martial to grab a goal.