ENGLISH FA CUP BETTING PICK - CHELSEA F.C V LIVERPOOL F.C

English FA CUP

2012-05-05 - Chelsea F.C vs Liverpool F.C

A Sports Betting Pick by Cruiser

Match Preview :

While Liverpool intends to capture a double Cup into their trophy cabinet this season, Chelsea are targetting their first trophy this season ahead of what could be their biggest match of this season against Bayern Munich for the Champions League in two weeks time.

Liverpool won the Carling Cup at Wembley after a tense penalty shoot-out success against Championship side Cardiff. Liverpool's Premier League form has been different from their Cup form and they are currently 16 points adrift of the top four and a massive 34 points above Manchester United. And a number of the Merseyside faithfuls have voiced their discontent with an on-going debate over whether lifting the FA Cup for the first time since 2006 to sit alongside the League Cup in the Anfield trophy room would mark this campaign as a success.

No doubt that Dalglish have asserted that Premiership placings have become 'an obsession' for many teams because of the financial rewards on offer for the clubs who qualify for the Champions League. And for Chelsea, they have no other choice but to beat Bayern Munich to ensure that they compete among Europe's elite for a 10th successive season, or risked missing out on the competition.

Chelsea were beaten last Wednesday at the hands of Newcastle whih means that Roberto Di Matteo's side are now four points adrift of the Magpies and fourth-placed Tottenham with just two games remaining and the interim manager has also admitted their chances of playing in Europe lies in beating Bayern Munich in their own stadium.

Roberto Di Matteo has the distinction of being the the player who scored the fastest goal in FA Cup final history in the 1997 triumph against Middlesbrough, and not many will put the blame on him even if they finish the season empty handed. He was appointed as interim manager until the end of the season following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas in early March, Di Matteo has put together a squad who looked lacking of confidence and direction, with their place in the UEFA Champions League final secured with a memorable win over Barcelona.

Both sides enter this showdown after defeats in midweek, but Dalglish and Di Matteo opted to make a significant number of changes for their respective home defeats against Fulham and Newcastle.

Key men Pepe Reina, Steven Gerrard and Luiz Suarez were just three of nine changes for the lacklustre defeat against the Cottagers and are certain to take their place in the starting eleven against Chelsea. Andy Carroll, the Reds' semi-final hero after his late winner against Everton, played the full 90 minutes in midweek and should partner Suarez upfront.

Meanwhile, Di Matteo's selection policy with the Champions League final coming up on the horizon is less of a worry with John Terry, Ramires, Raul Meireles and Branislav Ivanovic all ruled out of the Munich meeting through suspension. That means they are able to start this match on Saturday. David Luiz and Gary Cahill, who missed training on Friday, have not featured since suffering respective hamstring injuries against Tottenham and Barcelona, and with the duo required on 19th May, they are almost certain to miss this match.

Fernando Torres hit a hat-trick against QPR and also started the midweek clash with Newcastle, but is likely to be back on the bench with Didier Drogba likelt to be the man being favoured here for this FA Cup Final. And with the Ivory Coast international having scored seven goals in seven Wembley outings in the FA Cup and League Cup.

Possible lineups

Chelsea : Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Lampard, Ramires, Meireles, Mata, Drogba, Sturridge.
Liverpool : Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique, Downing, Henderson, Gerrard, Spearing, Carroll, Suarez.

Predictions :

Take Chelsea on level ball to win this match.

The Pick :

BEST BETTING TIP :

Take Chelsea to win