Wrexham v Brighton

Brighton travel to Wales to play high flying conference side, Wrexham in the Fa cup 3rd replay tonight. 

Brighton will be hopeful they can finish off the tie that they failed to win after drawing 1-1 at the Amex Stadium. The Championship side will hope they can continue their unbeaten start to 2012 with a comfortable win over the Conference leaders. Wrexham however will hope to follow on from their 2-1 away success at Tamworth with a cup upset against the south coast club tonight. The tie that has sold out should have good atmosphere at the Racecourse ground, however the away side will be much fancied to take the victory,however  it would be foolish to rule out the Conference leaders.


The home side will be without, Jake Speight who has a hamstring injury, meaning Danny Wright, who has also recovered from a similar hamstring injury will appear. Brighton will also be without some key players with Craig Mackail Smith being out due to a severe eye injury and Will Hoskins after he felt twinges on his knee comeback in the game against Bristol City on Saturday.

My Prediction: Wrexham 1-2 Brighton 

 

Bolton v Macclesfield

Macclesfield head to the Reebok Stadium for the 2nd time this season to take on Bolton in aFa cup 3rd round replay.

Macclesfield, who are currently 15th in League 2 following a 2-1 home defeat to Torquay on Saturday. Will head to the Reebok Stadium for the second time this season after the sides 2-2 draw at Moss Rose meant the game went to a Replay. The two sides met earlier in the season, in a 2nd round Carling Cup tie in which Bolton won 2-1 with Tuncay scoring a winner. The League 2 side will hope to continue the Premier League side's misery with a victory tonight. However Bolton will hope to forget their Premier League nightmare with a comfortable win over the side that sit 64 places behind them in the Football League.

The Premier League side will be without star defender, Gary Cahill who completed has completed his move to Chelsea. Macclesfield however may be without George Donnelly, who suffered a groin injury in the 2-1 defeat.

Leicester City V Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest can take their mind off their disastrous leauge postion with a Fa cup replay with Leicester City tonight.

Forest are struggling of late in the Npower Championship so their Fa Cup replay with fellow Championship side, Leicester City ,will be a welcome distraction  from their precarious league postion. Which see's them currently 22nd and 2 points  from  safety following their 3-0 home defeat to leaders Southampton on Saturday. Meanwhile Leicester City will hope to eradicate any memory of their 2-1 defeat to Barnsley on Saturday with win at the King Power tonight. The tie should offer up a great encounter, with league form going out of the window and the two sides battling till the very end.

Jeff Schlup is a doubt for the home side and the African cup of nations will also prove to be a pain for Nigel Pearson with Sol Bamba and John Pantsil missing from the side to represent their respected nations. Forest however will be without Centre Back, Luke Chambers as he starts his 3 matchs, so Guy Moussi is expected to deputise for Forest. There will also be without, Wes Morgan who has suffered a ankle ligament injury.

Wigan Athletic v Manchester City.

Manchester City will hope to pull 3 points clear as they head to the Dw Stadium to take on Wigan.

Wigan will be hopefull they can have repeat perfomance of their 1-1 draw with Chelsea earlier in the season. However Manchester City will hope to do the expected thing and pull 3 points clear of near rivals Manchester United with a victory. A win would lift Wigan out of the bottom three and they will be hopefull they can repeat the 2-1 success over City of 3 seasons ago.

Manchester City are hoping for the return of skillfull midfielder, David Silva after assitant manager, David Platt said he is expected to recover from his ankle injury. However Mario Balotelli is expected not to start after he limped off against Liverpool in the Carling Cup. On the Wigan side, Winger Albert Crusat has recovered from a back injury while Shaun Maloney is being treated to get back to fitness. But dynamic midfielder,  Mohammed Diame will be missing as he is on African cup of nations duty with Senegal.

Middlesbrough v Burnley

The Clarets will be hoping to become only the second side to take victory at the riverside this season. 

Burnley will be hoping they can reedeem themselves following from their 4-1 cup defeat away to Norwich, meanwhile Middlesbrough will have to up their game for 2012 after performing poorly in both games this calender despite a victory over the shrews last week. Middlesbrough will also miss influential midfielders, Barry Robson and Nicky Bailey who miss out through injury and suspension. The teesside club will be looking to complete the double over the lancashire side following a 2-0 win over them in september.

My Verdict: Middlesbrough 2-1 Burnley

Portsmouth v West ham

A premier league tie only two years ago, the two sides clash at fratton park in the champioship on saturday. 

The hammers will be hopefull they can put sundays fa cup misery at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday down with victory over pompey at Fratton park. Pompey who also were knocked out of the Fa cup following at 4-0 defeat to chelsea ,will hope they can grab revenge over west ham after their narrow 4-3 defeat at upton park in september.

my verdict: Portsmouth 1-1 West Ham

Nottingham Forest v Southampton

Nottingham Forest welcome league leaders southampton to the city ground and will hope to continue on from their 3-1 league success over ipswich at Portman Road.

A few weeks ago it would seem highly likely that this tie would destined to end up with saints the winning side, however recent results have shown serious weakness in southampton's promotion push. Forest meanwhile will be hoping that they rectify their 3-1 away success over Ipswich with victory over the south coast club tommorow. Southampton will hope that victory can let them truely forget about the nightmare at brighton last league game.

my verdict is: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Southampton