‘Potential for an upset’ – Michael Owen predicts score in Blackpool v West Brom FA Cup game
Michael Owen has predicted an FA Cup upset on Saturday afternoon in a result which will heap even more pressure on Sam Allardyce.
West Brom travel to Blackpool for a 3pm kick-off and Owen thinks that Allardyce will rest a number of first-team players.
And he thinks that will backfire, predicting a 1-0 win for the home side.
Writing in his BetVictor column, Owen said, “The big difference here is that the Baggies come into this as massive favourites. Mentally, that is a big shift and without an early goal to calm the nerves, I think there is potential for an upset here.
“West Brom may see a cup run as a potential distraction from their Premier League survival fight, a job that Sam Allardyce was specifically brought in to achieve and I can see him resting a number of first team players for this one.
“As I mentioned, the longer this stays 0-0, the more nervous the visitors will get. If that materialises, I think Blackpool could smell blood and steal a goal in what would be a big upset.”
Balance
It’s all about balance on Saturday.
Obviously, the Premier League is the only priority at the moment and resting first-team players is a must.
It could easily be argued that a cup run is a distraction that West Brom don’t need at the moment.
However, losing to a League One club isn’t going to help morale at the club.
That all makes for a bit of an FA Cup conundrum.
Blackpool aren’t exactly flying themselves. They’ve only won one in thre last five and have lost their last two to leave them 13th in League One.
We think that West Brom will have too much for Blackpool but an early goal will help to ease the nerves in what is, undoubtedly, a potential banana skin.
Getting the first win on the board for Allardyce is important.
In other West Brom news, see our predicted XI as Big Sam gets set to reshuffle his side against Blackpool.
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