Home and Away: Rovers to tame Lions in FA Cup Quarter Final

13Mar 2013

Betfair

On the back of a 5.5 winner in Galatasaray yesterday, Jonno Turner turns his attention to another Champions League tie, and some domestic FA Cup action..

We're off to Ewood Park for our first pick of the day, as Blackburn Rovers host Millwall on their own patch in their FA Cup sixth round replay.

The hosts secured a 0-0 draw at the New Den on Sunday, and will now be desperate to make home advantage pay by booking their place in the semi-finals of this competition in front of their own fans.

Michael Appleton's side have been impressive at Ewood Park of late, losing just two from eight outings, and that will give them much confidence ahead of this clash.

Further to that, the Rovers have kept three clean sheets from their last four on their own patch, and that suggests that they should have enough to hold out a Millwall side which has been struggling in the final third - and hasn't scored for three games.

The visitors travel north out of form, and have won just two of their last nine ahead of this clash, leaving them sitting 17th in the Championship.

Kenny Jackett's side are by no means safe yet - and just five points separates them from the relegation places, a margin which will be worrying the south London faithful.

A 1-0 loss at Leeds in their last away encounter 10 days ago showed the Lions to be somewhat off the pace, and although they started with three strikers on Sunday in Dany N'Guessan, Rob Hulse and Andy Keogh, they were still unable to breach the Blackburn rearguard.

One of those forwards is expected to drop out this evening as Jackett opts for a more conservative approach, and I think that a home defence full of confidence and momentum should be able to deflect the visitors' advances.

This should be a tight encounter, but I reckon that the home advantage will be vital for Appleton's side - and could prove to be the difference as the tired legs kick in for both sides.

Bet 1: Blackburn Rovers (HOME) @ 2.28

Turning our attentions to the Champions League now - and following yesterday's successful tip of Galatasaray at whopping odds of 5.5, we're looking for more value in this competition.

Malaga host FC Porto at La Rosaleda, aiming to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg - but Manuel Pellegrini's side are out of sorts ahead of this clash, and just one win from half a dozen on their own patch suggests that they may struggle here.

Los Boquerones have failed to keep a clean sheet in six of their last eight in front of their own fans, and I think that, far from defending their slim advantage, their guests will come to nick another goal or two here.

The hosts have not won in this competition in four outings, and there is a lot of pressure on them to turn this tie around this evening - so it will be interesting how Pellegrini approaches this game, especially in the absence of the influential Eliseu once again.

Porto make the short trip to Malaga high in confidence following 16 games unbeaten - and eight wins from their last 10 suggests that Vitor Pereira's side have the cutting edge to nick something here.

Four consecutive clean sheets on the road indicates that the visitors will enter La Rosaleda confident of holding out their hosts, and having smashed 15 goals in seven away from Estadio do Dragao, they are more than capable at the other end, too.

And Pereira is likely to welcome back skipper Joao Moutinho, who has missed the last couple of games through injury, which could see Steven Defour drop to the bench.

Porto have kept clean sheets in seven of their last nine Champions League games, and I think that in Malagas' desperation to score, the game could open up for the visitors.

Bet 2: Porto (AWAY) @ 2.68