The world’s most famous domestic cup competition is well underway in England, as the 150th anniversary of the FA Cup has already shown that the magic of the cup is alive and well. The traditional top five in the Premier League dominate the betting. Owners of one of the favorites in the NFL odds for the Superbowl, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also have Manchester United in the FA Cup, and they join Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool as the top four in the betting.
However, as National League’s Kidderminster Harriers proved with a shock win over Championship side Reading, shocks come in all manner of forms in the FA Cup. But, could that mean that there could be a value selection when it comes to the winner of the competition this season?
Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton are enjoying an excellent season in the Premier League this term, and could be on the hunt for a European place under Graham Potter. The Seagulls have been a regular in the English top-flight since their promotion at the end of the 2016-17 Championship season and have progressed excellently season-on-season since then. Potter has certainly taken Brighton to a new level this season, as they currently sit ninth.
Scoring goals has been an issue for the Seagulls in recent season, but they finally look to have turned a corner on the evidence that we have seen in early 2022, as they have won two of their three Premier League games. They overcome a potential banana skin in the third round of the cup. Neal Maupay scored the winning goal against Championship side West Bromwich Albion in extra time. The Seagulls are chasing a first FA Cup success this season, having finished as runners-up in the competition in 1983.
West Ham United
It’s strange to think now that West Ham United fans were against the appointment of David Moyes when they were locked in a relegation battle back in 2019. However, the Scot has taken them from the midst of a dog fight at the bottom of the Premier League standings to a battle for Champions League positions. He has the best win percentage of any Hammers boss since Trevor Brooking’s 14-game stint in 2003, and could solidify his place as a legend of the club with a success in the FA Cup this season.
West Ham have won the prestigious cup competition on three occasions, with their most recent success coming in the 1979-80 season. Their last appearance in the final came back in 2006 when they were beaten by a Steven Gerrard-inspired Liverpool in Cardiff. They are yet to win a major domestic honor since their League Cup success in 1981, and look to have an excellent chance of ending that long wait should they keep the majority of their squad fit throughout the second half of the season this term.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace have reached the FA Cup final on two occasions in their history, losing to Manchester United on both occasions. They last reached the final in the 2015-16 season, before Louis van Gaal picked up an FA Cup winners medal in his last game in charge of the Red Devils. There has been a clear improvement from last season by the Eagles this season, with Patrick Vieira very quickly putting his stamp on the side. They are one of a number of sides in the Premier League that are facing a second half of the campaign in a position of mid-table mediocrity, which means that they could go all out to win the FA Cup this season.
There isn’t much chance that the Eagles will get dragged into the relegation scrap in the second half of the campaign, and they also have faint hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. Palace have been one of the better teams to watch in the league so far this season, and have already put in great displays against some of the big clubs, including their win at the Etihad against Manchester City earlier in the season. If they can keep to the high standards that they have set so far, then there’s no reason why they can’t eye a date at Wembley later in the season.
