Our betting expert has three Birmingham City vs Newcastle United tips for Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at St Andrew’s (kick-off, 5.45pm). Scroll down for the analysis behind his selections.
- Newcastle to win and both teams to score @ 15/8 with bet365
- William Osula to score at any time @ 7/4 with bet365
- Bet Builder: Lyndon Dykes over 1.5 shots, Fabian Schar over 0.5 shots, Christoph Klarer over 1.5 fouls and Joe Willock over 0.5 fouls @ 11/2 with bet365
Blues can contribute to open cup tie
Fresh from booking their place in next month’s EFL Cup final at Wembley, Newcastle United will be eyeing further cup success when they visit League One leaders Birmingham City in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.
Goals from Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon helped the Magpies to a 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final tie on Wednesday and a 4-0 aggregate success.
A first major piece of domestic silverware for 70 years is within touching distance for Eddie Howe and his side, but following their exertions in the week, coupled with a huge Premier League clash with Manchester City being on the horizon, this trip to St Andrew’s has the potential to be a bit of a banana skin.
Big-spending Birmingham are flying high at the top of League One and are unbeaten in 18 matches in all competitions, while they have not lost at home in regulation time since August.
However, that most recent home defeat was against Premier League opposition in the form of Fulham in the EFL Cup and even with the prospect of Newcastle making changes for this game, their top-flight quality should eventually shine through.
Birmingham should fancy their chances of scoring, though, as they have netted in all nine of their matches since the turn of the year and Blackpool are the only team to have stopped them notching on home soil since that defeat to Fulham.
- Birmingham City vs Newcastle United Tip 1: Newcastle to win and both teams to score @ 15/8 with bet365
Osula looking to seize his chance
Howe is expected to rotate his team for this cup clash, with Gordon and Alexander Isak in line to be rested, which could hand opportunities to some of Newcastle’s fringe players to steal the limelight.
Callum Wilson may be one of those to benefit, as he continues to work his way back to fitness following almost two months out.
However, Wilson featured only as a late substitute against Arsenal and may not yet be ready to start, which means youngster William Osula could lead the line on Saturday.
Osula, a summer acquisition from Sheffield United, has found first-team opportunities hard to come by since arriving at St James’ Park, but he grabbed his first Newcastle goal against Bromley in the previous round of this competition.
The Dane started that third-round tie and if he is handed another opportunity from the outset at St Andrew’s, he may get on the scoresheet again.
- Birmingham City vs Newcastle United Tip 2: William Osula to score at any time @ 7/4 with bet365
Shots and fouls the focus for bet builder
Lyndon Dykes has become a more regular starter for Birmingham over recent weeks and having scored in the last two rounds of the FA Cup against Blackpool and Lincoln, he is capable of having at least two shots in this game.
On a similar note, Fabian Schar could have at least one effort towards goal for Newcastle. The Swiss ace has had an eye-watering 20 shots in this season’s Premier League and with the Magpies lacking options at the back, he should start, just as he did against Bromley in round three – a match where he also managed one effort at goal.
The rest of this bet builder focuses on fouls, with Birmingham’s Christoph Klarer, who has given away seven free-kicks across his last three appearances in League One, liable to concede at least two more fouls against high-calibre Premier League opponents.
On the other side, Newcastle’s Joe Willock will be keen to impress. The former Arsenal midfielder has committed 12 fouls in the Premier League this season despite starting just six times. If he is in the starting XI on Saturday, he looks a likely candidate to give away at least one free-kick.
- Birmingham City vs Newcastle United Tip 3: Bet Builder: Lyndon Dykes over 1.5 shots, Fabian Schar over 0.5 shots, Christoph Klarer over 1.5 fouls and Joe Willock over 0.5 fouls @ 11/2 with bet365
