FA Cup Semifinal Odds, Prediction: Arsenal vs. Manchester City

Payton Matthews
July 17, 2020

It’s FA Cup semifinal soccer action this weekend from Wembley Stadium in London, with Saturday afternoon’s match (2:45 p.m. ET) featuring Premier League sides Arsenal and Manchester City. The Citizens are -363 favourites with Arsenal at +694 and a draw +424. The over-under is 3.5 goals, with the Under a -159 favourite on the soccer odds.

Arsenal FA Cup Odds and News

The FA Cup essentially is a competition featuring every professional soccer team in England, and it’s almost always won these days by a Premier League side. The winner of this match will face either Manchester United or Chelsea, who meet Sunday, also at Wembley Stadium on Aug. 1.

Arsenal has won this competition a record 13 times, last in 2017, but is a +1200 long shot for No. 14. The Gunners are having a disappointing season in the Premier League but have allowed just two combined goals in four wins in the FA Cup. They advanced to the semifinals with a 2-1 win over Sheffield United on June 28.

Nicolas Pépé scored in the 25^th minute on a penalty shot for Arsenal, but David McGoldrick evened for Sheffield United in the 85^th minute. Dani Ceballos scored the winner in injury time. Ceballos is on loan to Arsenal, which wants to retain him, but AC Milan, Valencia and Real Betis are also after the 23-year-old.

In FA Cup action this season, Edward Nketiah leads Arsenal with two goals despite playing in only three of the four matches. The side’s favoured anytime scorer in this match is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at +205. He’s Arsenal’s leading scorer by far in all competitions.

Manchester City FA Cup Odds and News

This already has been a great week for Manchester City because its two-year ban from Champions League action starting next season was overturned on appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Many other Premier League clubs were not happy with that decision.

Before Monday’s verdict, manager Pep Guardiola had said he was “so confident” that City would get the ban overturned. The side is nearly a lock to finish second in the Premier League table behind champion Liverpool.

Manchester City -262
Draw +344
Arsenal FC +703

Man City has won the FA Cup six times and is the defending champion, trashing Watford 6-0 last May. This year, the Citizens have outscored their four opponents 11-1. They beat Newcastle United 4-0 on June 28 in the quarterfinals. Stars Kevin De Bruyne (37^th minute on penalty) and Raheem Sterling (68^th minute) had the goals.

All four of this year’s FA Cup quarterfinals were won by the away team — the first time that has happened since 1987. Manchester City is the -203 favourite to win this tournament and could earn a unique treble: League Cup, Champions League and FA Cup. Man City is in the Champions League quarterfinals and beat Real Madrid 2-1 in their first leg match. They play the second leg on Aug. 7.

These teams last played June 17 in Premier League action and Man City won 3-0 at home. Sterling, De Bruyne and Phil Foden all scored for the winners. Sterling is +114 to be an anytime scorer for this match and De Bruyne +190.