Forest and Sunderland to help ensure profitable FA Cup third round

Not that excuses are needed to place a football accumulator, but there is arguably no better time to do so than on FA Cup third round weekend, where one or two big-priced upsets can be assured.

However, with have plumped for four favourites in our 18/1 fivefold below, alongside a clash where goals are expected to be at a premium.

Southampton to beat Burnley @ 4/7

Southampton are in that rare Premier League position of not being true challengers for a top-four finish or candidates for relegation either, while no European football and a fourth-round League Cup exit means this competition is all they really have to play for now.

This cannot be said of Burnley, who would certainly prioritise Championship promotion over a cup run and have failed to win any of their last six away games, dating back to October.

Peterborough to beat Kidderminster @ 10/11

Not only is there a gulf of two divisions between this pair, but Conference Premier club Kidderminster arrive at this fixture on a run of four defeats in five games since knocking Newport County out in round two, the latest of which was 6-0.

Peterborough’s latest form is nothing to shout home about either as they have lost three on the spin, but with Leyton Orient the only League One club to score more away goals than them this season, the firepower of Darren Ferguson’s men can see them through.

Nottingham Forest to beat West Ham @ 11/10

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has called the FA Cup an unwanted distraction to certain clubs at present and this must certainly be true at West Ham, with Sam Allardyce down to the bare bones of 14 fit senior players.

There has been suggestions that as many as seven youngsters could start for the Hammers at Nottingham Forest, who are on a seven-game unbeaten run at present.

Sunderland and Newcastle both fell to Championship opposition in the third round last season and this looks the best prospect of a similar upset this campaign.