2025 FA Cup Quarter Finals: Three player props to spice up the cup
by Bradley Gibbs | by Bradley Gibbs
Before the EPL returns midweek, we have four rather sizable FA Cup fixtures to get stuck into. These are:
Fulham vs Crystal Palace (Saturday, 08:15 EST)
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest (Saturday, 13:15 EST)
Preston vs Aston Villa (Sunday, 09:30 EST)
Bournemouth vs Man City (Sunday 12:30 EST)
Ahead of last weekend’s South American World Cup qualifiers, I managed to pinpoint two (out of three) winners , with both James Rodriguez and Enner Valencia getting it done. Thanks boys.
Those winners are now in the past, though, and it’s all about looking forward, so let’s see what we can uncover ahead of the upcoming FA Cup fixtures. Oh, and don’t forget, all of our upcoming picks can be found on our soccer picks page.
Fulham vs Crystal Palace: Eberechi Eze to Score or Assist
Starting things off, with generous-looking odds of +205 on offer, I simply cannot resist betting on Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze to either score or register an assist when his team takes to the field at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
The England man comes into this game fresh off the back of scoring for his country during the week, while let’s face it, he rarely goes a game without causing the opposition some serious trouble.
This season, Eze has delivered eight goals and assists in 24 EPL appearances, averaging 0.37 goals and assists per 90 minutes, plus an eye-catching 0.50 expected goals and assists.
Palace’s leading man in terms of shots per 90 minutes, Eze has made more key passes (= passes leading directly to a shot) than any other Eagles player this term, while for club and country, he’s delivered three goals and four assists in his last 13 games. Odds of +205 are just too big to ignore.
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest: Morgan Gibbs-White to Score or Assist
As two of the EPL’s top six battle it out at Amex Stadium on Saturday, visiting playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White also rates as an excellent to-score-or-assist bet.
It’s been a superb campaign for Nottingham Forest in general, and Gibbs-White has been a key part of the success, producing 12 goals and assists in 25 appearances. The man who wears the number 10 jersey averages 0.54 goals and assists per 90 minutes, which is super hard to ignore given the available odds of +245.
Interestingly, only Chris Wood has taken more shots for Nottingham Forest than Gibbs-White this season, who has been the top player for the Tricky Trees in terms of both key passes and final-third passes.
The 25-year-old also approaches this huge game in hot form having produced an assist in each of his last two appearances, while he scored against the Seagulls back in February too.
Bournemouth vs Man City: Antoine Semenyo to Score or Assist
Moving on to Sunday’s action, and as Man City travel to the south coast, where they’ll take on Bournemouth, one home-team player makes particular appeal given the odds available.
We all know that Pep Guardiola’s men have had a rough season defensively, so we really shouldn’t be surprised if the Cherries do some damage on Sunday. One player who could cause the Citizens lots of problems is Antoine Semenyo, who has certainly thrived this season.
The winger/forward has been one of Bournemouth’s key contributors this season, providing 11 goals and assists in the league, averaging 0.40 goals and assists per 90 minutes. In the FA Cup, he’s delivered two goals and an assist in three appearances. Not bad at all.
Very much a big-game player, Semenyo has scored or assisted against four of the current top six this term, including Man City, with him finding the net when the Cherries beat Guardiola’s men by two goals to one at Vitality Stadium back in November.
Given what we’ve seen from the speedster, who continues to threaten both with the ball at his feet and when running in behind, at odds of +190, he’s well worth betting on to score or assist as the Cherries fight for a place at Wembley.
