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High Fives

Welcome to "High Fives" the personal column of our ace Director of Football "Magic Mike".

Other than being handicapped by being a Bolton Wonderers fanatic, Magic Mike's football credentials are outstanding and impeccable. We've heard rumours on more than one occasion that a potential purchaser of at least one former Premier League side has promised him the Director of Football position there, just as soon as the acquisition can be completed.

As the saying goes "Most football teams are temperamental. That's 90% temper and 10% mental" (Doug Plank) and Magic Mike's canny inside knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of players and teams, combined with a passion for getting it right is what you need to make an impact in this game. It also means you're going to have to be at your best to out do him.

The Management - Score Five

And now over to Magic Mike...

previous predictions -

Round 28.... Round 27.... Round 26.... FA Cup 5th Round.... Round 25.... Round 24

1/5th + 3/6ths = ? 

 

Coventry City vs Chelsea at The Ricoh Arena. Chris Coleman’s Coventry will be out to repeat what Barnsley did last year and at this stage of the competition and knock Chelsea out of the competition.

It has been 8 years since the Sky Blues were in the Premier League and this is one of the highest profile games that they have been involved in since then. In the last round Leon Best’s goal was enough to put paid to Blackburn and, as against Blackburn,Coventry will try to take the game to Chelsea and aim for a place in the semi-finals for only the second time in their history, the last time being in 1987 when they went onto lift the trophy.  

The FA Cup is Chelsea’s last chance of domestic silverware this season and Guus Hiddink will field his strongest side available as Chelsea look to lift the trophy they last won 2 years ago. Last season Chelsea went out to giant-killers Barnsley and surely will not fall to another Championship side at the same stage of the competition?

Magic predicts: Coventry City 0 - Chelsea 2

Fulham vs Manchester United at Craven Cottage. The Cottagers face a daunting task but they have held Chelsea at Craven Cottage and Arsenal and Liverpool on the road this season and have one of the tightest defences in the league. At the other end of the pitch they have not been prolific, but strikers Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora are always capable of nicking a goal. In Roy Hodgson, Fulham have a wily and experienced manager and he will ensure his players are well prepared for this game.

Magic predicts: Fulham 1 - Manchester United 0

Arsenal vs Burnley at The Emirates Stadium. Arsenal ended their goal drought with the mid-week victory over West Brom that brought welcome relief to Arsene Wenger. Arsenal’s priority will be to ensure Champions League qualification for next season but the FA Cup is also their last chance of domestic silverware and  Wenger, unlike in the Carling Cup, where he blooded his promising young players, will surely field his strongest team available to try to reach the quarter-finals.

Owen Coyle’s Burnley have enjoyed cup runs in both the Carling and FA Cup this season. They beat Arsenal on their way to the Carling Cup semi-finals but they will be facing a much different Arsenal side this time round. Burnley will be encouraged by Arsenal’s recent failure to score goals and will confident they can repeat their Carling Cup success.

Burnley have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Magic predicts: Arsenal 3 - Burnley 1

Everton vs Middlesbrough at Goodison Park. David Moyes’side have downed both Liverpool and Aston Villa at Goodison Park in the previous rounds and clearly success in this competition is a priority. Good news for Everton is that Louis Saha is back to fitness and made a scoring return in last week’s league victory against West Brom.

Everton will not underestimate a Boro side who were unlucky not to take all 3 points from their Premier League encounter at Goodison.

The FA Cup this season has been a welcome distraction for  Middlesbrough, whose recent 14 game winless streak in the Premier League came to an end last Saturday with a morale boosting victory over Liverpool. The catalyst for this improved performance was undoubtebly Middlesbrough’s  FA Cup 5^th round replay victory over West Ham.

Gareth Southgate has Jeremie Aliadiere available after injury and he looks likely to partner Tuncay in attack with the out of form Afonso Alves relegated to the bench.

Magic predicts: Everton 1 - Middlesbrough 1