Entering this weekend, it was thought that the two FA Cup semifinal matchups represented a main event and an undercard, a varsity and a junior varsity affair. It was a natural analogy, as today’s semifinal showdown saw Chelsea best Manchester City 1-0 in a matchup of two enormously powerful clubs run by obscenely wealthy people.
Meanwhile Sunday’s clash sees two non-big six clubs collide, in an affair that could prove to be just as hotly contested.
Leicester City vs Southampton FA Cup Semifinal FYIs
Kickoff: 630pm local, Wembley Stadium, Sun Apr 18
Team News for Both Sides: go here
Form Guide (all competitions): Leicester City DWWWLL Southampton WLLWWL
Odds: Leicester City -125 Southampton +310 Draw +250
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Key matchup: Kelechi Iheanacho is one of the hottest scorers in the Premier League right now, along with West Ham’s Jesse Lingard. And oh, Leicester also has that Jamie Vardy guy too. How will Southampton stop both? It will be creative game of trying to overcome the “pick your poison” cliche.
Southampton FC Starting XI Prediction:
Forster; Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Bertrand; Walcott, Ward-Prowse, Diallo, Armstrong; Adams, Ings
Leicester City Starting XI Prediction:
Schmeichel; Fofana, Evans, Soyuncu; Pereira, Tielemans, Ndidi, Praet, Castagne; Vardy, Iheanacho
FA Cup Semifinal Prediction: Leicester City 2, Southampton 1
I totally called the upset in the other semifinal, as I knew City would have to falter in a cup competition somewhere, sometime, but I am not feeling brave enough again here, to go with the upset pick the second time.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.