Weekend Review: Southampton upset the odds to dump Arsenal out of the FA Cup 

Bookmakers had a mixed weekend in the FA Cup over the Easter weekend, after early results saw favourites win comfortably – only for the final two fixtures to go in the layers’ favour.

Favourites Man City (8/11) brushed aside Liverpool on Saturday lunchtime, with an Erling Haaland hat-trick capping off an easy 4-0 victory against the reigning Premier League champions.

Meanwhile, Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea side made little work of the bottom of the table League One side in a comprehensive 7-0 win, though not many would have backed them in singles, or even included them in accas, at odds as short as 1/20 in places. 

In the final game on Saturday, league leaders Arsenal travelled to Southampton (13/2), only to be sent back to London having suffered a 2-1 defeat and ending their hopes of completing the treble and keeping alive the Saints’ hopes of once again lifting the trophy 50 years after their famous 1976 victory in the competition. 

Sunday’s only cup fixture involved Leeds United squandering a two-goal lead against West Ham in second-half added time. 

Some dejected Hammers fans had left the ground when two-nil down only for Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi to find the back of the net in dramatic fashion, though Leeds came out on top in the penalty shootout after neither side could find a winner in extra time.  

Betfred’s Alan Firkins said: “Manchester City were pretty solid favourites to record another victory this campaign against Liverpool, and so it proved with bells on at the Etihad.

“An even warmer favourite obliged at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea exceptionally prohibitive against League One basement side Port Vale.

“Far more intriguing, and where we recovered a few bob here and there, were in the other two ties. Arsenal went to Southampton [as favourites] for the 90 minute win but the Saints were magnificent throughout, edging a thriller 2-1.

“Leeds raced to a 2-0 lead and all looked lost for the home side, but two sensational scrambles in the 11 minutes of added time took the match to an extra period. No further goals in open play, so to the heartbreak and ecstasy of penalties, with Leeds keeping their composure most effectively.

“A 90-minute draw is invariably a great result for the books.”

Commenting on the action, Bet365’s Steve Freeth said: “From a quadruple to a double in the blink of an eye, Arsenal reverted to type.

“They had initially threatened to take us to the cleaners with all the trophy chat, but the Gunners played their part in a satisfying Saturday for us with Southampton causing the shock of the round at St Mary’s.

“Manchester City’s 4-0 win over Liverpool wasn’t that much of a surprise, with the Reds rolling over at the Etihad.

“A potential banana skin was averted at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea scoring seven without reply.”

In other football results across Europe, Mallorca (4/1) upset Real Madrid 2-1, while Barcelona (1/1) left it late to beat 10-men Atlético Madrid on the road. The gap at the top is now seven points in favour of the Catalan side.

Bayern Munich (1/2) were on course for a defeat against Freiburg, only for the champions to score three goals with 10 minutes remaining to win 3-2.

It was a similar story between Bayer Leverkusen (4/9) and Wolfsburg. Wolfsburg raced to a 3-1 lead, yet four second-half goals for the home side meant Leverkusen ran out 6-3 winners and are only four points behind fourth-placed Stuttgart – who were downed by Borussia Dortmund (7/4) thanks to two injury time goals.

Freeth added: “Late goals were order of the day in Spain on Saturday. On one hand, we had the positive of Mallorca beating Real Madrid. On the other, substitute Robert Lewandowski scored a late winner for Barcelona at Atlético Madrid.  

“There was a goal-fest in Leverkusen with relegation-threatened Wolfsburg racing into a 3-1 lead against the European-chasing hosts, thanks to goals from the Danish trio of Jonas Wind, Joakim Mæhle and Christian Eriksen.”

Turning to National Hunt action, 6/1-favourite Soldier In Milan blew away the competition to land the BOYLE Sports Irish Grand National on Easter Monday. 

A total of 30 runners lined up for the feature race at Fairyhouse, yet the Emmet Mullins-trained seven-year-old made light work of the three-mile, five-furlong Grade 3 handicap chase by recording a 16-length victory and taking the €269,500 (£235,148) prize for finishing first.  

Ridden by Donagh Meyler, Soldier In Milan had only run five times under rules ahead of the Irish Grand National. 

Showurappreciation (10/1), The Enabler (28/1) and Agento Boy (16/1) filled out the places in that order. 

All eyes now turn to the three-day Grand National meeting at Aintree starting this Thursday, where Jango Baie, runner up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, is around the 4/5 favourite for the Aintree Bowl. 

As for the big one, The Grand National on Saturday, Firkins said previous winners I am Maximus (15/2) and Nick Rockett (16/1) will feature, though L’Homme Presse, French Dynamite and Now Is The Hour have been withdrawn.

Freeth noted: “Betting for Saturday’s National is wide-open of course, but Dan Skelton’s 10-year-old mare Panic Attack has sneaked into the race as one of the bottom weights, and tends to bowl along beautifully near the front.”