One of the reasons why the FA Cup continues to attract such attention outside of the UK is the potential for major upsets. In round 3, fourth tier Crawley Town beat Premier League unit Leeds United by three goals to nil and that kind of result is one reason why the betting community are drawn to this competition.
Moving on to the fourth round, it wouldn’t be such a shock if Championship side Brentford were to beat Premier League title-chasers Leicester City (9.30am ET Sunday). The Bees have a chance and, as the outside bet, this is a game worth taking a closer look at. Read on for our match preview with predictions, odds and betting picks.
Brentford vs Leicester City Moneyline Odds
There are no surprises in the moneyline market and, as the Premier League side, Leicester City Foxes are the favorite at a current industry best of -111. The draw in 90 minutes can be claimed at a general +250 while the win for Brentford is available at odds of +350 in most places.
Leicester are certainly flying high at the moment and Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over a strong Chelsea unit briefly put Brendan Rodgers’ men at the top of the EPL table. Manchester United subsequently overtook them and Manchester City have games in hand below them but the Foxes’ ascent to the top underlines their strength.
Brentford have a tough assignment ahead of them but some bettors already view them as a top flight side. The Bees came so close to automatic promotion to the EPL last season and the club are back in the playoff places once again. Brentford will need to be at their best and they may need to hope that Leicester rest some of their top players but the draw has a chance here.
Brentford FC vs LCFC Prop Bets
Jamie Vardy is Leicester City’s most potent striker but the former England international missed his club’s third round tie against Stoke. Anyone looking to bet in the individual goal scorer markets should maybe check team sheets first but Vardy could still be a good option to open the scoring at +260.
One man who misses this game is Brentford’s Ivan Toney, who is suspended from Sunday’s tie after his red card against Luton. The Bees will miss the man who has scored 16 goals in his first 22 league games for his new club. The former Newcastle United attacker has yet to score in the FA Cup this season but, with that kind of record, he would have been a player to consider in those individual goals markets. His cutting edge might have made the difference here.
Turning to team goals betting, Both Teams to Score is on offer for this match at a general -150. We know that this market rarely hits +100 figures but that’s not a bad price for Sunday’s tie. Brentford have scored eight goals in their last five matches and their only shutout came in a Carabao Cup semi-final against a strong Tottenham Hotspur team. Leicester City have been more impressive with 11 strikes in their last five games.
Those stats could also influence our thinking in the Total Goals betting where odds of -150 are waiting for anyone looking to stake Over the 2.5 line. If our predictions are to drop then it could be worth aiming higher with a top industry price of +210 on offer for Over 3.5.
In terms of a correct score suggestion, those who agree that the game will be level after 90 minutes could look at a 2-2 outcome which is listed at a generous best price of +1700. Alternatively, anyone following the moneyline market can consider a 2-0 win for Leicester City which is much shorter at a general +700.
Our Brentford FC vs Leicester City Predictions & Preview Betting Tips Verdict
In backing the draw, we are clearly hoping that Leicester City rest key players with a view to some important league fixtures that lie ahead. That was the case in the previous round against Stoke City where Jamie Vardy’s absence underlined a more cautious approach to the FA Cup.
It is also worth noting that Brentford came through a number of EPL sides on their way to that semi-final against Tottenham earlier in the month. None were as strong as Spurs or Leicester City but Thomas Frank’s Bees certainly won’t be scared of their opposition.
Clearly there are a number of variables here and Leicester need to have an ‘off day’ while Brentford have to be at their best. However, the Bees are within touching distance of an automatic promotion slot and, it can be argued that they are already playing at a Premier League standard.
With that in mind, we’ll confirm the draw tip and offer the following prop bets to back things up. Remember, all of these tips relate to the result in 90 minutes and exclude the potential for any overtime. So these are our two FA Cup game betting predictions:
- The first of the picks is to go with the draw @ best odds of +285 with Bovada. It is then +275 with Bookmaker and +250 with BetOnline.
- Expect both teams to score @ -140 with Bovada.
Matt Harris is a golf and soccer expert for USA Betting. His other area of specialist knowledge is cricket. He is well known in sports journalism and contributes articles to a plethora of big-name websites and media outlets. Titles that he writes or has written for include: Betfair, BetVictor, Unibet & Just Bookies.