FA Cup predictions: Paul Merson vs Mark Lawrenson

Sky Sport's football expert Paul Merson against BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson. Are you ready? Let's go.


Saturday


Brighton v West Brom


West Brom have more important things to worry about in the Championship while Brighton are in a position to give the cup a good go. If I was Chris Hughton I would be going all out to stay in this competition - keep their season going. I think they will make it through.

Paul predicts: 2-0


It will be interesting to see what sort of side both managers pick.

Brighton boss Chris Hughton shuffled his squad in the last round, and does West Brom manager Darren Moore want a cup run? I am not sure he does.

Championship teams play 46 league games in the season and, if you are chasing automatic promotion as the Baggies are, then you can understand why that takes priority.

Are they going to win the FA Cup, or even reach the semi-finals? Realistically, no. Can they get back in the Premier League this year if they throw everything at that? Possibly, yes.

Lawro predicts: 2-1


Manchester City v Burnley


Sean Dyche will not just come here and lie down but in truth Burnley could just do with getting this game out of the way. I am not sure City should be favourites for the trophy though. I like them in the EFL Cup as their second string are better than other back-up players but teams are likely to go stronger in this competition. Plus, Pep Guardiola will prioritise the Champions League. They will win this one though.

Paul predicts: 3-0


City ended up beating Burnley pretty comfortably at home in the third round last season, and put five goals past them in the Premier League at Etihad Stadium in October.

It might not be as emphatic, but I can certainly see this tie having a similar outcome.

Yes, City will make lots of changes, but so will Burnley - and because of the respective strength of their squads, that means two very different things.

City boss Pep Guardiola is very clever in the way he uses cup games - in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup - to put game time in his players' legs and keep them ticking over.

After such a busy January, he cannot be far off the stage where all his players are at the same level of fitness and sharpness.

One or two of City's kids will probably get a chance on Saturday too, so it is all good for them.

Lawro predicts: 2-0


Newcastle v Watford


In my opinion, Newcastle should write off their next game against Manchester City and go all out in this one. The loyal Newcastle fans know their football - they will be thinking the same. This is a great opportunity for a cup run. If they get Doncaster in the next round then they are in the quarter-finals. Maybe Rafa Benitez should start thinking of what the fans want? I'm not sure he will see it that way. Watford are a tough team - they played well at St James' earlier this season. I will go away win.

Paul predicts: 1-2


I don't think there will be as many Watford fans in the North East as Newport supporters - by the end of last week, the Hornets had sold only 600 out of the 6,000 tickets they have been allocated.

This could be a significant moment for Newcastle fans. If the Magpies win this tie, they will be into the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time since Mike Ashley bought the club in 2007.

Is either manager really that bothered about making progress, though?

Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez played some youngsters against Blackburn in the last round but they got through and when a team wins a game, it does lift the place - it showed when they followed that up by beating Cardiff in the Premier League.

I think the feelgood factor of winning this tie would outweigh any possible distraction to their battle against the drop.

As for Hornets boss Javi Gracia - I am not sure. His team are seventh in the Premier League, so they do not have worry about relegation.

But does he see a cup run as imperative, or would he prefer to focus on trying to stay seventh?

I don't think we will find out until the teamsheets come out, but Newcastle have taken four points off Watford in the league this season, so I am going to back them to come out on top again.

Lawro predicts: 2-0


Shrewsbury v Wolves


Wolves could be a dangerous animal in the FA Cup this season. They should not have too many problems here.

Paul predicts: 0-3


It is only around 30 miles from Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury and this is a great tie for the League One club, and a reward for getting past Stoke in round three.

I don't see the Shrews' cup run continuing, though. Even if Wolves rotate, which they will, they have got enough quality to get through.

Lawro predicts: 0-2


Millwall v Everton


There will be a raucous atmosphere for this one on Saturday night but as long as Everton match Millwall's physicality, they will be fine. They are my favourites for the trophy. I think they will get through this dangerous fixture.

Paul predicts: 0-2


Millwall had a good little run over Christmas, which has kept them clear of trouble at the bottom of the Championship.

Their manager Neil Harris has done a very good job there, and their players always seem to be able to play above themselves.

That's one of the reasons this is a tricky tie for Everton, who were well beaten by Southampton last week. The big worry for me there was that they were out-fought, rather than out-thought, because if that keeps happening then they are going to be in trouble.

The bizarre manner of the late defeat they suffered at Anfield in December seems to have knocked the stuffing out of them a bit, and they have never really recovered from it.

They need a cup run to appease supporters after some iffy results, so I think they would settle for getting Millwall back to Goodison Park, and finishing the job there.

Lawro predicts: 1-1


AFC Wimbledon v Weat Ham United


I see no problems for West Ham here. They are in a position to have a real push in this competition.

Paul predicts: 0-3


AFC Wimbledon are bottom of League One and are without a league win since 26 December but they will not have been thinking about their struggles in training this week.

I am not sure who West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini will pick but, whoever is in his team, they will have to be ready. This will not be easy, as Liverpool found out when they went to Kingsmeadow in the third round in 2015.

I know Wimbledon boss Wally Downes a little bit and I think any team that he manages will be scrapping for everything.

I am going to go with West Ham to win it, but not without a fight.

Lawro predicts: 1-2


Sunday


Crystal Palace v Tottenham


What a massive game for Tottenham. Their season is in the balance. If they lose this then they are out of everything as I do not see them winning the Champions League after how they played at Chelsea. Their squad is not strong enough. This is a really tough one to predict as you don't know how strong Roy Hodgson will go. They have got such a big game at Southampton in midweek.

Paul predicts: 0-2


This is a very big game for Tottenham's season after Chelsea knocked them out of the Carabao Cup on Thursday.

As daft as it sounds, though, with the way things are going with their injury list, going out of the FA Cup might be a blessing in disguise for Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino because he is running out of players, particularly in attack.

This will be a tough ask for whatever team Pochettino puts out - I was at Anfield last week, and Crystal Palace were very good against Liverpool, so they are definitely capable of winning on Sunday.

It is just down to whether Palace boss Roy Hodgson takes the FA Cup seriously, and I think he probably will give it a go.

Lawro predicts: 2-1


Chelsea v Sheffield Wednesday


Gonzalo Higuain should get a start which will lift the crowd. I cannot see any problems for Chelsea.

Paul predicts: 2-0


New Sheffield Wednesday manager Steve Bruce does not take charge of the team until 1 February but his assistants Steve Agnew and Stephen Clemence have done pretty well, and have only lost one out of five games this month.

But going to Stamford Bridge is going to be a step up, obviously, and Wednesday remain a club in limbo until Bruce walks through the door, no matter how many telephone conversations he has had with them.

I will be co-commentating on this game on BBC One, and it should be a great atmosphere because the Owls will bring lots of fans with them.

It will be interesting to see how new Chelsea atriker Gonzalo Higuain gets on too, because surely he has to play.

But despite the problems that Blues boss Maurizio Sarri is having with his dressing room, I can only see one outcome.

Lawro predicts: 2-1


Source: Sky Sports, BBC






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underdogger
29% WR-1.85% ROI
interesting .... I think Merson will win the battle