It feels like the FA Cup is getting back to its best. A few years ago, when teams were resting entire starting XI’s and even ducking the competition altogether, it was losing the very magic that made it great. But I feel like it's making a comeback over the last couple of years, and with the quarter-finals running this weekend, I’ve loved every second of putting this acca together for you.
TL;DR – MY Picks for the 2026 FA Cup Quarter-Finals
| Bet | Bookie | Odds | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Man City vs Liverpool – Over 3.5 Cards | Spreadex | 6/5 | 2 |
| Joe Gauci Over 5.5 Saves | bet365 | 10/11 | 1.5 |
| Viktor Gyokeres to Score Anytime | Unibet | 15/13 | 1 |
| West Ham vs Leeds – Over 2.5 Goals | Betfred | 4/5 | 2 |
| Acca | bet365 | 9.93/1 | 1 |
*All odds on this page are correct at 10:00 GMT on 03/04/2025. Odds subject to change.
A Scrappy Affair Ahead at the Etihad – Over 3.5 Cards is the Play
It was impressive to see Man City bounce back to win the League Cup final after being dumped out of the Champions League (again) by Real Madrid. Pep will have been happy to get on the board this season, and even though it’s only the League Cup, a trophy’s a trophy.
It’s tough to get excited about taking City to win at 3/4, and I don’t for one second trust Liverpool, even at 3/1. So, I’ve ventured further afield, and more specifically, to the cards market.
bet365 have over 3.5 cards priced at 6/5. This line has covered in four of their last six meetings, and given that the FA Cup has added value to both sides this season due to their poor league form, this could get scrappy.
It’s worth adding that only four teams – Brighton, Tottenham, Chelsea and Fulham – have picked up more yellow cards than City this season in the Premier League. So, I’m happy to take over 3.5 cards as the first leg of my FA Cup betting acca.
Gauci to Form a Human Wall – Over 5.5 Saves in Chelsea vs Port Vale
Chelsea are another club that could well do with picking up some silverware to keep Liam Rosenior in a job. Sitting sixth in the Premier League, they need to get back on track if they have goals of getting back into the Champions League, and maybe an FA Cup run would be just the tonic.
There’s no value in the match odds. Chelsea are 1/16, and Port Vale are 22/1, sat bottom of League One and they’ve little to no hope on Saturday. Sorry, Vale fans.
These types of games send me to my safe place. And that’s goalkeeper saves. Joe Gauci, in between the sticks for Vale, will be busier than the M25 on Good Friday. He made five saves against Sunderland last round, and I’m pushing the line here to over 5.5 saves at 10/11.
It might seem like a big line, but saves can rack up quickly, and I’ve had a lot of success with this market already this season, especially in one-sided games like this. It’s not been easy to find an angle here, but I really like this one.
He Comes from Sweden… – Viktor Gyokeres to Score Anytime
I’ll admit it, I’ve been hyper-critical about Gyokeres this season. He arrived with a lot of hype and for a lot of money, then returned three goals in his first 15 games for Arsenal. He looked sluggish, couldn’t cope with the physical side of the game and his finishing was closer to Viktor Anichebe than the Viktor on show at Sporting Lisbon.
But 2026 has been kind. He’s scored 14 goals for club and country, and with a hat-trick against Ukraine and a late winner against Poland, has almost single-handedly carried Sweden into the World Cup finals.
Strikers will always go through good and bad spells, and when they’re hot, it’s time to strike. I backed him mid-week to score for Sweden, and as a creature of habit, I’m rolling it into Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final picks.
I can’t see Arsenal having too many issues against Southampton, and the 15/13 price with Unibet for Gyokeres to score anytime is my pick for this one. Just a heads up that, for the bet365 fanboys amongst you (Yes, I am guilty of this myself), you’re only getting 10/11 for the same bet, highlighting just how important it is to shop around.
Goals Galore – Over 2.5 Goals in West Ham vs Leeds
I can’t help but feel that this is a game that both teams could well do without, given their current Premier League predicaments. In fact, the bookies aren’t all that bothered either, lumping both teams at odds of 4/5 to progress to the next round.
The pair play each other in the last game of the season as well, which could be huge. Popcorn at the ready. But, I digress.
Spending a bit of time looking through the numbers, I kept coming back to the goals market. Specifically, over 2.5 total goals. The pair have covered the line in six of their last eight meetings, and with both teams probably not all that disappointed about losing on Sunday, it could really open this game up.
After doing a bit of digging around, I came across those kind folk at Betfred, who are one of the best bookies for goal betting, offering 4/5 on the market. Honestly, I think that’s a huge price as the numbers suggest it’s got a much higher chance than 55% for this bet to land.
It’s one of those where I don’t want to overthink this too much and just follow the data. So, over 2.5 goals in West Ham vs Leeds is my final pick for the weekend.
My 10/1 Acca is Live
Unfortunately, I’ve run into a bit of a problem with my FA Cup acca, and that is, only bet365 have the over 5.5 saves line that I want for the Port Vale stopper, Joe Gauci. So, I’m a little limited in options. That said, I’ve stuck with it, and you can see my bet slip in full below.
No Expiry Date
