The first match in the round of sixteen of the English FA Cup, we have two teams that currently occupy the eight positions in their leagues, Leicester in the Premiership and Sheffield United in the Championship. That is why it is quite clear that the role of the absolute favourite belongs to the domestic “Foxes”, which at the very beginning of the season celebrated as guests with 4-1 against Sheffield United in the League Cup.
However, in the meantime, the team from Sheffield has raised its form considerably, while Leicester is welcoming this FA Cup match after three very bad appearances in the Premiership. Namely, after they with a series of two wins and one draw further strengthened their position in the top of the table, coach Puelo’s players have in the last three rounds managed to play draw with Swansea while they were defeated by Everton and Manchester City.
Still, the popular “foxes” still have a fairly tedious situation on the table, given that they are in eighth place and are even nine points away from the relegation zone. As for their previous FA Cup appearances, they have routinely celebrated against Fleetwood and Peterborough, so they do not expect too many problems against Sheffield now, especially since they only cannot count on the injured center-backs Morgan and Huth for this match.
Probable lineups Leicester: Jakupovic – Simpson, Benalouane, Maguire, Chillwell – Mahrez, Iborra, Silva, Gray – Okazaki, Iheanacho
As for the guests from Sheffield, we have already said in the introduction that they are awaiting this FA Cup duel against Leicester in the Premier League as the eighth-ranked team of the Championship, which is certainly a great success for them if we know that they played in the previous six seasons performed in the third rank of English football. However, they have in their comeback season presents themselves in a very good edition and are currently only three points away from the playoff positions, while they have long overcome all concerns about survival.
Otherwise, coach Wilder’s players were in the previous two rounds of FA Cup better than Ipswich and Preston, which are in the Championship their direct competitors in the fight for playoffs, but they will now have a much heavier task against Leicester in the Premier League, especially because they are playing away. We should also add that Sheffield United had a 2-1 lead over Leeds at home, while they cannot count on the injured defender Freeman and midfielders Coutts and Brooks for this duel, as well as the suspended goalkeeper Moore and midfielder Fleck.
Probable lineups Sheffield United: Blackman – Basham, Stearman, O'Connell – Baldock, Evans, Leonard, Lundstram, Lafferty – Sharp, Donaldson
Maximally respecting all that Sheffield United has done this season, we must be honest and say that they have a very small chance to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals, especially because they are playing away.
Pick: Asian Handicap
-0.75 Leicester 1.73 - 73/100 @1XBet