FA Cup 19 March

Manchester United have done me a few favours this season but sometimes you do have to oppose them. Tonight is one of those occassions. Yes, United are in storming form, scoring lots of goals despite a fairly bad injury list (the 4-1 win at Bolton was particulary impressive). Rooney is back in form and United have scored two goals in 10 of their last 11 home games. But sometimes you have to say the bookies have gone too far and I think they have tonight. True, Middlesborough did lose 2-0 at home to lowly Manchester City at the weeekend but I suspect they were distracted by this upcoming match. Boro are somewhat inconsistent but they did manage to hold United to a 2-2 draw in the first leg and managed a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford in May. They have lost only one of their last four trips to Old Trafford and are fast becoming draw specialists with eight of their last 11 matches ending that way. With Cup games tending to produce closer results than the Premiership equivalents, the handicap line looks simply too high. Have a two point bet on Middlesborough (+ 1 1/4) at 2.02.

[United won 1-0]

I have a feeling Chelsea will beat Spurs but the bookies are being far from generous in their handicap lines. Tottenham were definitely the better side in the epic 3-3 game two weeks ago and I think that the momentum is now all going the way of the Blues. At the prices I think the bookies are being over generous in their rating of Chelsea and that the home side are the value but something tells me that Mourinho's side won't let themselves be caught twice. No bet.