FA Cup 23/24: who are the title contenders?
The FA Cup is the oldest football competition in the world
EDDC.NET/Madrid
The FA Cup is the oldest football competition in the world, and a clear contender for the title of the most extensive (traditionally, several hundred participating teams start each season). Winning this trophy is not as prestigious as winning the Premier League, but theoretically “small” clubs can also triumph here; In addition, the winner (or finalist, if the victor made it to the Champions League) receives a ticket to the League of Legends, and this is an additional motivation for teams that would not achieve such success otherwise.
The FA Cup also involves the participation of clubs from the strongest national league in the world - the Premier League. It is not surprising that with such a background he always attracts audiences of millions both in stadiums and on TV screens. The next draw is gradually coming to an end, so we suggest considering who has the highest chances of winning the title according to the bookmaker. If you want to support your personal favorite with a bet, go to mosbetindir.com.
Manchester City – 2.85
English football has always been famous for its unpredictability, but lately there is Manchester City and then there is everyone else. There is a certain struggle in the Premier League, but there are no top 4, like at the beginning of the century, for a long time. That is why the Mancunians are considered the main favorites in most domestic tournaments.
Manchester City's favoritism could have been more pronounced if not for the fact that the Premier League has a higher priority. The Mancunians there are waging a desperate fight for the title with the traditional rival of recent years - the Merseysiders. This dispute is unlikely to be resolved long before the finish line, and the priority of the Blue Moon in favor of the championship is obvious. Let’s not forget about the Champions League – you have to go through Copenhagen in the 1/8 with your eyes closed, but then the opponents will be more serious.
Man City's tournament prospects are supported by both the status of the current trophy winner (last season they showed that they do not neglect this competition), and the fact that in the 1/8 only Luton awaits, hanging around the relegation zone. However, real progress will depend on how Manchester sets its priorities.
Liverpool – 4.0
Liverpool is Manchester City's main rival in English domestic competitions this season. If the Mancunians are the current holders of the trophy in question, then the Merseysiders won it a season earlier. The Reds are challenging their opponents in the Premier League, and, unlike them, are still fighting in the League Cup, where only the final against Chelsea remains. There is also a LE on the calendar, but according to the regulations, it starts from 1/8, and not from 1/16. To advance to the cup quarter-finals, you only need to defeat Southampton, which is busy in the Championship actively fighting for promotion to the Premier League.
The reasons why Liverpool is ranked lower than Manchester City are obvious. The Mancunians are brimming with self-confidence - they won a treble last season, while the Reds are without a single title. The average cost of a Merseyside player is “only” 32 versus 57 million euros for a competitor; It’s clear that it’s not money that matters, and the main roster of both teams is very competitive, but Klopp’s team may simply not be enough for all the tournaments at once. Obviously, the Cup looks like the place where you can save your energy, but you definitely can’t write off Jurgen’s gang.
Newcastle and Manchester United – 8.0 each
Manchester United cannot return to the level once set by Sir Alex Ferguson - together with Newcastle, they are already noticeably behind the European Cup zone, so the Cup, as a ticket to the League of Legends, is very interesting for both of them. It is noteworthy that in the Premier League table these teams occupy the same 6-7 places where they are located in the list of the most expensive teams.
The Mancunians played in the Champions League in the fall, but shamefully - in a weak group with Copenhagen and Galatasaray, they scored only 4 points and took last place, saving themselves from European troubles in the spring. Newcastle scored a point more in the same tournament with the same result, but at least the group was strong - Borussia, PSG, Milan.
Whatever one may say, not the last clubs have the motivation to win the Cup and lack the European Cup load, and the middle team of the Championship Blackburn (for the Magpies) and the fighter for survival in the Premier League in the person of Nottingham (for the Mancunians) should not be a serious obstacle to reaching the quarterfinals.
Chelsea – 9.0
The once great club is in a terrible fever - with the third most expensive squad in the league, Chelsea is hanging out in the middle of the table, without any special tournament prospects. The team did not participate in European competitions this season. An easy schedule helped the Blues reach the League Cup final, where they can compete for the trophy with Liverpool. The title will also become a ticket to the Champions League, but even if you win, you have to compete in the most prestigious cup competition in England, because through it you can get to a higher level - to the League.
But it is possible and necessary to fight in the FA Cup - it is precisely the tournament position in the Premier League (far from both the European Cups and the relegation zone) that allows us to set priorities in favor of the cup competition. First, you need to qualify for the 1/8 Leeds - albeit a medal fighter, but only in the Championship.
Our favorite
If Manchester City and Liverpool pay enough attention to the FA Cup, it will be one of these teams that will take the title, and in a possible head-to-head confrontation it will not be the transfer price that will decide, but the mood for a particular match. If their meeting takes place before the final, the winner will become the undisputed favorite of the entire draw. What makes cup tournaments interesting is that a sensation is always possible here, but the triumph of any participant except the Mancunians and Merseysiders now looks like a very loud forecast, and is only possible if the main contenders themselves refuse to seriously fight.