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Wrexham host Chelsea at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday evening in the FA Cup fifth round. The Reds, owned by world-famous actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, get their chance to shine on the big stage.
The stadium will be packed to capacity, with millions more following live on TV. Will the underdogs make history with a giant-killing for the ages?
Manager Phil Parkinson's men avoided a fright when grinding out a narrow win over Ipswich Town here in the previous round on February 13th.
Former Rangers attacker Josh Windass made the difference that day, but everyone connected to the home dressing room understands the level of opposition is about to skyrocket. The plan is to reach the quarters.
Chelsea travel from London to North Wales as the hot betting favourites. Followers of the FA Cup know anything can happen in this tournament.
Saturday is a potential banana skin, but the visitors thrashed Hull City 4-0 away from home last time, another second-tier side. Keep reading as football betting writer Frank Monkhouse reveals his FA Cup predictions.
Wrexham v Chelsea tips
Over 2.5 goals @ 8/15 (bet365)
Chelsea win and BTTS @ 7/4 (bet365)
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Total goals - over 2.5
What a game we have in store here, and with an international audience watching on, the Reds against the Blues will be a great advert for the FA Cup. The history books show these teams have met three times previously in English football's favourite knockout competition. Chelsea banked a 2-1 away win over Wrexham last time, but that was back in February 1982.
With little to work with from the head-to-head stats and trends, we focus on the recent performances of both Wrexham and Chelsea in this tournament. Wrexham entered in early January, scoring a stunning win over Premier League side Nottingham Forest. The underdogs raced into a 2-0 lead, ended the match locked at 3-3, and won 4-3 on penalties.
Chelsea plot to eliminate a team from the Championship for the third round in a row. The stars from Stamford Bridge thrashed Charlton 5-1 on the road in the third round. They then put four past Hull City without reply in the fourth round, while Wrexham beat the Tractor Boys. We follow the form and predict another high-scoring cup game. Back over 2.5 goals.
Tip: Over 2.5 goals @ 8/15 (bet365)
Bet explanation: The winning team isn't important yet. You need this fixture to produce more than two goals.
Match winner - Chelsea
The early rounds of the FA Cup are something of a distraction for both clubs. Wrexham are in the thick of a promotion push, with the home team targeting a top-six finish and spot in the play-offs. Making it into the EPL would be remarkable. Chelsea are fighting for the top four in the Premier League and travel to PSG for a Champions League last 16 game in four days.
The visitors won't be at full strength, but manager Liam Rosenior will select a team he believes is good enough to win the tie and progress with minimal fuss. I'm picking Chelsea in the match winner market, and make them a great addition to your FA Cup accumulators. They are from a higher league, have a big squad, and breezed through the previous rounds.
I expect Wrexham to put on a show for their fans, but the gulf in class will be obvious for all to see at the final whistle. Chelsea destroyed Hull in the previous round, with Pedro Neto claiming a hat-trick. The Tigers are higher in the league than Wrexham, and beat them 2-0 in December. There will be plenty of emotion and drama, but we're keeping it simple.
Tip: Chelsea win @ 4/9 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Chelsea out-score Wrexham in regulation time, your bet wins.
Result and BTTS - Chelsea and yes
We wrap things up with a bet at higher odds, taking Chelsea and both teams to score. You'll find this market on the bet365 app under 'Result/Both Teams to Score.' The winning margin doesn't matter here; you need Chelsea to win, but the hosts to score at least once in defeat. Both parts of the bet must land, which is why the odds are so attractive for football bettors.
Looking at Wrexham's recent home form, they beat Portsmouth 2-1 when last playing at this venue. That result came after the locals beat Ipswich 5-3. Wrexham played six times in February, scoring 11 and conceding eight. In the Championship, they've scored 54 goals, which is more than second-placed Middlesbrough. However, they have problems in defence.
Wrexham have conceded 45 goals in their first 35 Championship games. That's more than Portsmouth down in 19th, and just two fewer than Oxford United, who are second from bottom of the league and racing towards relegation. A hard-hitting attack paired with a leaky defence should result in an interesting match, with the Blues ending in a strong position.
Tip: Chelsea win and both score @ 7/4 (bet365)
Bet explanation: You need Chelsea to win, but Wrexham to score.
Wrexham v Chelsea odds
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The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.