English FA CUP
2019-02-17 - Doncaster Rovers vs Crystal Palace
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English FA Cup Fifth Round
Sunday 17th February 2019 - Kick Off 4pm
This game is live on TV
Doncaster Rovers
After being relegated from the Championship at the end of the 2013/14 season Doncaster Rovers slipped down as far as League Two, but this is a team on the up now. They are into the Play Off places back up in League One and the main goal for Grant McCann and his players will be trying to return to the second tier of English Football, but they do have a big distraction this weekend.
The FA Cup is not a competition Doncaster Rovers can realistically expect to win, but they have surprisingly reached the Fifth Round and have been rewarded with a money-spinning home tie against a Premier League opponent. The cameras will be at the Keepmoat Stadium looking for an upset and Doncaster Rovers have already beaten one higher League opponent when knocking out Preston North End at Deepdale in the Third Round.
Doncaster Rovers have to enter this tie with some confidence as they are unbeaten in their last 5 games in all competitions and have won 3 of their last 4 fixtures. The home form has been especially pleasing for the fans as Doncaster Rovers are unbeaten in 10 games here in all competitions and have won 8 of those including the last 3 in a row. The side have scored at least two goals in each of those 10 games at home in all competitions.
Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town are effectively relegated and Fulham are going to need to start winning games pretty sharpish if they are going to avoid being cut off next in the Premier League table. However there are a number of clubs fighting to finish above the drop zone at the moment with six teams just 3 points between them from 13th down to 18th place. One of those teams is Crystal Palace, but they have managed to maintain a Cup run through a difficult League schedule to make it through to the Fifth Round.
In 2016 Crystal Palace were Finalists and led Manchester United 1-0 before being beaten in Extra Time, but Roy Hodgson has made it clear this year's FA Cup is clearly behind the Premier League in terms of the priority list. The Eagles earned a narrow win over League Two Grimsby Town in the Third Round and followed that up with a win over a weakened Tottenham Hotspur team in the Fourth Round, but both ties were played at home.
Crystal Palace are unbeaten in 4 games in all competitions since losing 4-3 at Liverpool last month, and the side have won half of those 4 games to build some momentum. They have only lost 1 of their last 4 away games and during that time Crystal Palace have beaten Manchester City and Wolves. Crystal Palace had scored at least 2 goals in 4 straight away games before the 1-1 draw at Southampton last time out on their travels.
Julian Speroni and James Tomkins are doubts for this fixture, while Wilfried Zaha could be suspended.
Head to Head
Doncaster Rovers and Crystal Palace last met in the 2011/12 season when both clubs were playing in the Championship and it was the former who took four points from the two League fixtures.
Doncaster Rovers are unbeaten in 6 home games against Crystal Palace although the last of those came in September 2011 as the home team won 1-0.
Prediction
The second of the live televised games in the FA Cup on Sunday comes from the Keepmoat Stadium as Doncaster Rovers try and upset Premier League Crystal Palace. That is something the television companies will be looking for in this tie and the home team are in good enough form to believe they can bridge the gap to a Premier League opponent.
Being at home is the key for Doncaster Rovers who are unbeaten in 10 in front of their own fans in all competitions and they have won 8 of those games. Goals have been flowing at home with at least two scored in each of those 10 fixtures and Doncaster Rovers have something of a reputation of being able to upset higher League clubs over the last few years.
It won't be easy to knock off a Crystal Palace team who have been scoring a lot more goals away from home than they do at Selhurst Park. Part of the reason is that teams come onto their in front of their own fans and that has left spaces for a pacy front three to exploit, but it doesn't feel like Doncaster Rovers will be playing with that kind of attacking intent in mind.
Yes I do think Doncaster Rovers will get forward and try and rattle their Premier League opponents, but they will also respect the fact that they are not favourites and so will also be making sure they don't give too much space for Crystal Palace to counter attack.
The mentality of the Crystal Palace players will be the key to how well they do on Sunday- if they are fully focused and respect Doncaster Rovers you would expect them to win, but Bristol City and Middlesbrough have knocked out The Eagles from domestic Cup competitions under Roy Hodgson. Both of those losses came away from home so Doncaster Rovers could come close to upsetting them too with the Premier League the priority for the former England manager.
Crystal Palace do have a week before they are back in League action so they can pick a strong team and this feels like yet another Cup tie this weekend that is going to see a lower League club contribute to a high-scoring game against a Premier League one. I did consider backing Doncaster Rovers with the full goal start on the Asian Handicap, but my overriding feeling is that is going to be a push as the visitors edge through by scoring the majority of the three goals shared out on Sunday.
I do think Doncaster Rovers will play their part, but they may also leave themselves open if they begin chasing the game and I will back at least three goals to be shared out in yet another Cup tie in England this weekend.
The Pick :
Doncaster Rovers 1-2 Crystal Palace
