FA Cup Finals Picks: Leicester City Goes For History
Leicester City (LCFC) and Chelsea (CFC) collide as they face each other for a bid to host football's oldest tournament's trophy, the FA Cup. The return of live crowds and spectators will give this an electric atmosphere and make this one a memorable finals as LCFC looks to win their first FA Cup.
Here are the odds the top online sportsbooks are giving Chelsea and Leicester City for the FA Cup Finals:
The two Premier League teams, Chelsea and Leicester City square off after both entered the tournament in the third round. Chelsea began with a dominant 4-0 home win against League Two side Morecambe. Next round, they hosted Championship side Luton Town and won 3-1. It was then a 1-0 road victory against another Championship team in Barnsley in the fifth round.
In the quarterfinals, CFC hosted and defeated fellow Premier League team Sheffield United 2-0. And finally, a heavyweight clash against the favorites Manchester City took place in the semifinals at the neutral Wembley Stadium. CFC eked this one out 1-0 to return to the FA Cup Finals.
Leicester City opened their tournament with a 4-0 victory against EFL club Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium. They advanced to meet another EFL club in Brentford who they beat 3-1 in another road victory. The fifth round saw LCFC host their first home game of the tourney with a 1-0 victory over fellow EPL club Brighton & Hove Albion.
Moving on to the quarters, LCFC hosted Manchester United and won 3-1 thanks to a pair of goals from Iheanacho. And finally, Leicester booked their spot in the Finals with a thrilling 1-0 victory over fellow EPL club Southampton thanks to Iheanacho again.
FA Cup Final 2021 Odds: The Case For Chelsea and Leicester City
Although this isn't being billed as a "David versus Goliath" event, it almost is. We have the favourites with Chelsea, which has been one of the prominent members of the Premier League's "Big Six" while Leicester returns to the Finals in half a century. Yet each club has a genuine shot at this (odds via Bet365):
Chelsea — 1.57
FW Hakim Ziyech has been clutch for Chelsea. The Moroccan scored the only goal against Manchester City and also scored in the quarterfinals against Sheffield United. The Blues will rely on him to deliver goals once again. Helping him out are MF Reece James, MF Callum Hudson-Odoi, and of course, the German star FW Timo Werner.
But the strength of CFC lies in their defenders. DF Kurt Zouma has been a stalwart one-on-one defender along with DF Antonio Rudiger. They make life a bit easier for GK Kepa Arrizabalaga. They lost 2-0 to Leicester earlier this year and will look to rectify that when it matters more.
Leicester City — 2.38
The last time Leicester City was in the FA Cup Finals, none of its current players were even born. This is a momentous opportunity for the club and it gets to face Chelsea, a club it's already beaten in an earlier meeting.
FW Kelechi Iheanacho has been a hero for LCFC as he's been scoring most of their recent goals including the game-clincher to get the club to the Finals. MF Youri Tielemans and MF Marc Albrighton have put in some work as well. And of course, the ageless FW Jamie Vardy should still be a goal-scoring threat.
SBR's Pick—Leicester City (2.38). Maybe it's destiny, but LCFC is primed to finally win the FA Cup. This club has been performing at a high level throughout the season, especially on the road. Chelsea has the edge with its defenders, but LCFC has gotten clutch goalscoring from a variety of players. They won't be denied any longer!
Props For FA Cup Finals
With an event as big as the FA Cup Finals, Bet365 and the best online sportsbooks offer a healthy dose of props you can avail of. You can get more into the match by betting beyond who the winner will be. We recommend two props to sweeten the pot:
Double Chance: Leicester or Draw (1.80)
If Leicester wins this, they'll do it through guts as they either rally late and tie things up or they hold off Chelsea. Either way, there is a good chance we will need extra time to decide on this game. If you're backing LCFC, consider betting this alternatively on the chance they can't finish it in 90 minutes.
Both Teams To Score - Yes (1.94)
Both clubs have too many great scorers and playmakers on each side to be stopped. Leicester has found ways to attack the net and generate goals. No doubt, Chelsea's defenders will make it hard for them but they'll find a way, especially in the later parts of the game.
Tip: You'll be able to find plenty of betting markets on the FA Cup Finals from the top online sportsbooks as the tables above and below show. More notably, each of these books offers deposit bonuses and promotions you can avail of. Choose more than one book to get as many options as you'd like.
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