.The stage is set for Christantus Uche to score his first Crystal Palace goal, while Gabriel Jesus may have a field day against a weakened Portsmouth.
| FA Cup 3rd Round Anytime Goalscorer Markets | Odds |
|---|---|
| Christantus Uche (Macclesfield FC vs Crystal Palace) | 1.83 |
| Federico Chiesa (Liverpool vs Barnsley) | N/A |
| Gabriel Jesus (Portsmouth vs Arsenal) | 2.20 |
| Jeremy Doku (Man City vs Exeter City) | 2.40 |
| Alejandro Garnacho (Charlton vs Chelsea) | 3.20 |
Odds courtesy of Betway. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Big three rely on their extended squads
Crystal Palace face a favourable 3rd Round draw, as they travel to National League North side Macclesfield FC on Saturday. The reborn Silkmen, who were only founded five years ago, sit mid-table in their first year back at this level.
Palace will have the luxury of changing many of their starting lineup for this contest. Oliver Glasner’s men have had a hectic schedule when factoring in their Europa Conference League adventures.
This rotation provides an opportunity for Christantus Uche, a 6-foot-3-inch Nigerian attacking midfielder who has yet to score for the club. Given his physical stature and the likelihood of his inclusion, he’s well worth backing to score anytime at a probability of 51.28%.
Arsenal regained their lead at the top of the EPL to six points with a goalless draw against Liverpool on Thursday. The Gunners have a brief turnaround this weekend as they face Portsmouth, who are currently struggling in the Championship, on Sunday lunchtime.
Mikel Arteta is expected to rotate his squad for this match, likely starting the fit-again Gabriel Jesus in place of Viktor Gyokeres. The Brazilian will be eager to face Portsmouth, who have been forced to rely on academy players due to a significant number of injuries.
Jesus is calculated to have a 45.45% probability of scoring in this fixture, a number that appears undervalued given the opposition's defensive circumstances.
Like Arsenal, Chelsea are also expected to rotate their squad for this weekend’s FA Cup 3rd Round tie against London neighbours Charlton. This game marks Liam Rosenior's first match as Blues manager, and he intends to evaluate his reserve players' performances.
Alejandro Garnacho has had a slow start at Stamford Bridge since joining from Manchester United. The 21-year-old Argentine has recorded four goal contributions in 13 EPL games. He will surely be considered for the starting XI at the Valley.
The betting markets indicate he only has a 31.25% chance of scoring anytime against the Addicks. This seems like another undervalued pick, as he’s scored two in two games in other cup competitions this season.
Additional value in backing Chiesa and Doku at odds-against prices
Liverpool failed to score in their draw at Arsenal on Thursday night. Arne Slot will almost certainly rotate his starting XI against League One Barnsley. Italian forward Federico Chiesa has been linked with a move back to Serie A, but he’s likely to feature against the Tykes.
Chiesa has scored four goals in 21 appearances for the Reds since joining from Juventus in 2024. The betting markets suggest he has a 44.44% chance of scoring against Barnsley. If he replaces either Jeremie Frimpong or Cody Gakpo, Chiesa will be the Reds’ senior forward.
Finally, there’s a decent chance that Jeremy Doku will be required to face Exeter City in Man City’s FA Cup 3rd Round tie on Saturday. Due to squad selection challenges and a lack of senior offensive reinforcements, manager Pep Guardiola may rely on the Belgian.
The 23-year-old is one of the world’s best dribblers. His top speed of 21.7mph is enough to challenge any EPL defender, let alone League One defenders. That’s why Doku poses a serious threat to Exeter in the final third.
The Grecians may try to keep City out with a low block, but Doku’s dribbling ability makes him almost impossible to keep out of penalty areas. The betting markets indicate he only has a 41.67% chance of scoring against Exeter. However, if he’s tasked with leading the attack as the primary wide forward, this probability will likely be much higher.