FA Cup Quarter-Final Preview: Brighton Set to Host Nottingham Forest

Brighton and Nottingham Forest are set to battle it out in the FA Cup quarter-finals this Saturday at Brighton`s home ground, the Amex Stadium.

Football analysts have examined the upcoming match and provided their top betting recommendations and match insights.

Match Overview

The FA Cup is reaching its crucial stages, with eight teams vying for a coveted spot in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium.

This year`s FA Cup has been particularly unpredictable, witnessing early exits from major teams like Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United before the quarter-final stage.

Manchester City is still considered the favorite to win the competition in May, although their dominance isn`t as absolute as before.

This slight vulnerability opens up opportunities for other teams eager for silverware, including both Brighton and Nottingham Forest, to aim for FA Cup glory.

Brighton enters this match as the favored team to advance to the semi-finals, aiming for their first ever FA Cup title.

Their strong form supports this, having won against Norwich, Chelsea, and Newcastle in previous FA Cup rounds.

The Seagulls have demonstrated impressive performance recently, winning six out of their last seven matches across all competitions and scoring at least two goals in each of those wins.

Currently competing for a Champions League spot, Brighton has high hopes of reaching their third FA Cup semi-final in the last seven years.

However, Nottingham Forest, a team with two FA Cup titles to their name, stands in their path.

Forest is also enjoying a good run, currently five points above the relegation zone in the Premier League and coming off three consecutive victories, including wins against Ipswich Town and Manchester City.

Nottingham Forest`s journey in the FA Cup hasn`t been straightforward, requiring penalty shootouts to overcome both Ipswich Town and Exeter City from League One.

Despite this, Forest might have a psychological advantage, having defeated Brighton 7-0 just under two months ago. Their previous league encounter at the Amex also ended dramatically in a 2-2 draw, which saw both team managers being sent off towards the end of the game.

Betting Odds Preview

• Brighton: 4/5
• Draw: 5/2
• Nottingham Forest: 16/5

Betting odds are accurate at the time of this article and may fluctuate.

Betting Tips and Match Predictions

Cards Prediction

Anticipate a highly competitive and possibly heated match at the Amex Stadium this Saturday evening. Their two Premier League meetings this season have been eventful, featuring a total of 13 yellow cards, one red card, and both managers being ejected.

Brighton`s manager, Fabian Hurzeler, was even cautioned in both prior games, indicating a possible clash of styles with Nottingham Forest. Given the high stakes and existing tension between these teams, expect a significant number of bookings in this south coast derby.

• Prediction: Over 65 Booking Points at 7/2

First Goalscorer & Correct Score Prediction

Match: Brighton vs Nottingham Forest

• First Goalscorer Tip: Joao Pedro at 5/1
• Correct Score Tip: 2-1 at 13/2

Player Performance Prediction: Score or Assist

Brighton`s rising talent, Yankuba Minteh, offers good value to either score or assist in this match, priced at 23/20.

The 20-year-old has contributed significantly this season with six goals and four assists in 28 appearances for Brighton, including scoring and assisting in his FA Cup starts.

Statistically, Minteh leads Brighton in expected assists (xA) over the last six league games, and his expected goals (xG) rank fifth in the squad.

He has created nine scoring opportunities for teammates in his recent league play and leads the team in touches within the opposition`s penalty area (49) and shots on target (9).

• Player Tip: Yankuba Minteh to score or assist at 23/20