Thursday’s football is highlighted by a trio of matches from the FA Cup third round, with teams from the Premier League and Championship entering at this stage, as well as a Scottish Premiership clash between Dundee and Rangers.
Fans of continental action can also get stuck into the second of the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals, with Real Madrid set to face Mallorca in Jeddah.
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Bet of the day
Rangers to beat Dundee and both teams to score @ 8/5
After opening the door on the Scottish Premiership title race by beating leaders Celtic 3-0 in their first match of 2025, Rangers saw it slammed back shut following Sunday’s 3-3 draw at Hibernian.
Another away game now awaits for Philippe Clement’s side, who have not been great on their travels this season, winning just three of their 10 Premiership matches on the road.
However, they should have too much for a Dundee outfit that have lost back-to-back home games against Ross County and local rivals Dundee United, while Rangers are unbeaten in their last 15 meetings with the Dark Blues, winning 13 of those games.
Dundee can get on the scoresheet, though, as only three teams have notched more home goals than Tony Docherty’s side in the Premiership this season, while Rangers have conceded seven in their last three top-flight away games.
Special of the day
Sheffield United, Fulham and Real Madrid to win @ 15/8
Sheffield United, Fulham and Real Madrid are all considerably odds-on to win their respective matches but backing all three as a treble offers plenty of value.
Championship promotion-hopefuls Sheff Utd appear to be over their recent mini wobble after beating Watford last time out and they should have too much for divisional rivals Cardiff in the third round of the FA Cup on home soil, especially as they won 2-0 against the same opponents in south Wales just before Christmas.
In the same competition, Premier League side Fulham should also make home advantage count against Watford, whose defeat to the Blades on Saturday was their third in a row and fourth in five games.
Rounding off this treble, Real Madrid will be keen to seal their place in the Spanish Super Cup final at the expense of Mallorca and confidence should be high within Carlo Ancelotti’s squad, as they are unbeaten in seven, winning six of those and scoring 23 goals.
Long shot of the day
Peterborough to beat Everton @ 7/1
The magic of the FA Cup could be alive and well at Goodison Park, at least for League One Peterborough, who can spring a surprise by beating Premier League strugglers Everton.
Everton have won just one of their last 11 games and goalscoring has been a major issue all season, as they have drawn a blank in 11 of their 19 league matches to date.
The pressure is mounting on manager Sean Dyche and although Peterborough’s defence should be easier to breach than that of a Premier League team, the Posh are an attacking threat and could buck their own recent struggles by winning on Merseyside.
Darren Ferguson’s side are the joint-second highest scorers in League One and if they can get an early goal, then Everton’s heads could drop and it may prove a long night for Dyche and his team.
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