Arsenal vs Reading – FA Cup Semi Final 1st leg – Prediction
Arsenal to win 3-0, You can’t predict a cup game based on a team’s league form yet it’s difficult to see past the way Arsenal have been playing recently. Both these teams have meet each other 12 times in the past and in each on those 12 times Arsenal have come out on top.
Reading have had a forgettable season so far with the only bright being their FA Cup. They’ve never reached the final of the FA Cup and won’t be letting of that dream without a fight. The games between these two teams have historically produced goals and we won’t be surprised if this results in a high scoring.
Betting Tips
- Arsenal are seen as the overwhelming favorites to win the games in the eyes of the bookies with the odd of 1.3. The odds for a Reading win is at 15 and Draw is at 6.50.
- Can’t see any other result other than an Arsenal win and with their odds of winning so low it’s better to stay away from the winner’s market.
- The over 2.5 is at 1.62 but we really think that over 3.5 at odds of 2.55 may not be a bad bet here.
Arsenal
Arsenal have had 21 different scorers in all competitions this season with Alexis Sanchez leading the way with 20 goals (express.co.uk)
The defending champions have so far been dominant in their bid to retain the FA Cup. They come into this game on the back of a 1-0 win away win over Burnley last week. Arsenal are arguably the most inform team in England coming into this game.
They have won 8 consecutive games in the league and are 7 points behind league leaders Chelsea(a game in hand) with 6 games left to go. Arsenal still have an outside chance of winning the Premier League if Chelsea suffer a unlikely collapse so retaining the FA Cup remains their best bet for securing a third trophy in two years (Counting the Charity Shield).
Saturday will be their 28th Semi-Final appearance in the FA Cup. They jointly hold the record with Manchester United for winning the trophy the most times (11 times). Arsenal have scored 9 goals in the FA cup this season with them coming from 8 different players.
Jack Wilshere could make his first appearance in over 5 months on Saturday after recovering from an ankle injury. Mathieu Debuchy is also fit again for the Londoners but may not be risked against Reading. The duo of Mikel Arteta and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain still remain out with injuries.
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Check out our other predictions for Saturday
Reading
Arsenal reject Hal Robson-Kanu has scored three goals in his last four FA Cup appearances for Reading
(dailystar.co.uk)
Reading come into this game on the back of a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Bournemouth in the Championship on Tuesday. They booked their place in Wembley after beating League 1 side Bradford City 3-0 in a quarter-final reply.
Reading’s poor form early on in the season resulted in the sacking of manager Nigel Adkins in mid-December. Steve Clarke was brought in as his replacement but fortunes haven’t changed for the Royals in fact they are now two places lower than when Adkins left the club.
Their FA Cup run has been the only positive point in an otherwise forgettable season. The last they reached this stage of the competition was way back in 1927 when they ended up losing to Cardiff City 3-0 and interestingly enough Cardiff went on to win the trophy by beating Arsenal in the final.
Reading haven’t won a single game since their FA Cup reply win against Bradford City. Reading despite reaching the semi-finals are still to face a Premier League team in the competition.
Russian International Pavel Pogrebnyak should be fit for Reading after recovering from some calf trouble but the duo of Nathan Ake and Kwesi Appiah are unavailable as they are both cup-tied.
Road to Wembley – Arsenal
3rd Round – 2-0 win against Hull City
4th Round – 3-2 win against Brighton and Hove Albion
5th Round – 2-0 win against Middlesbrough
Quarter final – 2-1 win against Manchester United
Road to Wembley – Reading
3rd Round – 1-0 win vs Huddersfield
4th Round – 2-1 win vs Cardiff City
5th Round – 2-1 win vs Derby County
Quarter Final – 0-0 draw vs Bradford City
Quarter Final Reply – 3-0 vs Bradford City
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