Bristol City vs Bolton Wanderers Betting Pick | English FA CUP

English FA CUP

2019-01-25 - Bristol City vs Bolton Wanderers

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Bristol City v Bolton Wanderers
Football: English FA Cup Fourth Round
Friday 25th January 2019 - Kick Off 7:45pm

Bristol City

This time last season Bristol City had just been involved in two tough, but competitive, fixtures against Manchester City in the League Cup Semi Final where they had ultimately come up a little short. There was a lot of pride from the run Bristol City had, but they came up a little empty in the gas tank and that prevented the team from having a real shot to earn promotion to the Premier League.

A much slower start has been made to this season but Bristol City are right behind the top six teams in the Championship and Lee Johnson has quietly guided them into contention. He should want the momentum to continue as Bristol City shift attention to the FA Cup and a winnable Fourth Round tie, and Lee Johnson has shown a strong Cup run can build the reputation of a manager and a club.

Bristol City are unbeaten in 11 games in all competitions and they have replaced a run of 4 draws in 6 games by winning 5 in a row heading into this Friday fixture. The Robins are unbeaten in 6 games in all competitions at Ashton Gate and they have won 3 in a row in front of their own fans.

The full attention can be given to the Cup by Lee Johnson with eight days before Bristol City are due to play again. I would still expect some rotation to keep key players fresh, but a similar team to the one that beat Huddersfield Town in the Third Round should be good enough.

Bolton Wanderers

Being on television gives Bolton Wanderers to show their disgust with the current plight of their club to a national audience and the fans did that in the 0-2 defeat to West Brom on Monday night. Phil Parkinson and his team are trying to keep the players focused on what is happening on the pitch, but it is becoming more and more desperate for Bolton Wanderers who are in danger of ceasing to exist as a Football Club.

For one weekend they can escape the worries that is affecting everyday life for the fans, but this is a tough FA Cup Fourth Round tie. The Trotters had to come from behind to beat League One Walsall at home in the Third Round, but they are away in this Round and the focus may already have turned to the vital relegation six pointer with Reading which is going to be played on Tuesday having been originally scheduled for this weekend.

Bolton Wanderers have won just 2 of their last 19 games in all competitions and one of those was the win in the FA Cup against lower League opposition. Both of those wins also came at home and Bolton Wanderers have not won any of their last 12 away games and have been beaten in 5 in a row.

With a game against the team immediately above them in the relegation zone of the Championship to come this weekend, Phil Parkinson could decide to make wholesale changes for this fixture.

Head to Head

A couple of weeks ago Bristol City came from behind to beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 at Ashton Gate having seen the two teams draw 2-2 at the Macron Stadium earlier this season.

Bristol City have beaten Bolton Wanderers in 3 home games in a row.

Prediction

At this stage of the competition the FA Cup is perhaps not the priority for managers up and down the country and that kind of blasé attitude about the competition has filtered down to teams in the Championship too.

Two of those clubs meet on Friday night in a game that will go under the radar because two of the top Premier League clubs meet in the tie of the Round at the same time.

Both Bristol City and Bolton Wanderers are prioritising the Championship for different reasons- Bristol City are on the brink of cracking into the top six, while Bolton Wanderers are fighting against relegation.

The visitors in this tie have a huge game in the League to come on Tuesday when Bolton Wanderers host Reading and I have to think Phil Parkinson is already preparing for that one. It may mean not risking key players, while Bristol City have an 11 game unbeaten run to protect and have won 5 in a row so Lee Johnson's motivation in this tie may be somewhat greater than the manager of the opponents in this fixture.

Bristol City also have eight days before they play again compared to Bolton Wanderers who play in a few days time and the home team have already beaten The Trotters here this month.

It was a dominant performance from Bristol City regardless of the narrow 2-1 win and I think they are likely going to dictate much of the play in this one too. Neither team will want to add to the congested fixture list by being forced into a Replay, but I don't think Bristol City will need one as they can win this fixture with at least two goals featured on the night.