FA Cup Tips: Fulham and Sunderland to play safe again

Sunderland certainly haven't been prolific travellers this season

One of Tuesday's non-televised FA Cup replays will see both teams score and the other under 2.5 goals, says Michael Lintorn...

Both matches are on Tuesday at 19:45

Fulham v Sunderland

Match Odds: Fulham 3.211/5, Sunderland 2.466/4, The Draw 3.55/2

Sunderland broke the habit of a season against Burnley at the weekend, winning for only the sixth time in 27 encounters. That was something that they weren't able to achieve when they entertained Fulham, and it should be even trickier to right that at Craven Cottage, where the Londoners have lost just three in 13.

While the outcome is up in the air, there are countless reasons to believe that the goalless initial tie will be followed by a replay with under 2.5 goals.

The Black Cats are at their least prolific when visiting inferior opposition, failing to score away to any of the Premier League bottom-five sides that they have faced - Aston Villa, Burnley, QPR and Leicester - and conceding once in those six hours of football.

There is a similar pattern across Fulham's meetings with higher-ups. In 11 clashes with either Premier League teams or those placed ninth or higher in the Championship this term, they have scored a mere five times, and never more than once in a game.

Recommended Bet: Back under 2.5 goals @ 1.814/5

Sheffield United v Preston

Match Odds: Sheffield United 2.3411/8, Preston 3.45n/a, The Draw 3.45n/a

Sheffield United and Preston have collided far more often in recent years than either will feel happy about due to both outstaying their League One welcomes following their shock Championship demotions in 2010/11.

This is their third scrap in three-and-a-half weeks and fourth of the campaign and there has been a common thread running through all of the matches to date: both clubs getting on the scoresheet.

Nigel Clough's Blades have fired blanks in just two of their 18 home games in 2014/15, netting at least twice in each of the latest three, while only one of the previous 14 FA Cup guests to Bramall Lane departed with a clean sheet (Birmingham in 2012).

Both teams striking has been a feature of five of Preston's last six fixtures, with the exception being the second leg of their Johnstone's Paint Trophy northern area final at Walsall in which the hosts were incentivised by knowing that a shutout would see them through. That was their only "nil" in ten on the road.

Recommended Bet: Back both teams to score @ 2.0421/20