Credits: IMAGO / Sportimage

FA Cup Best Bet of the Day – Our Top FA Cup 2025-26 4th Round Picks for Matchday 26

Credits: IMAGO / Sportimage

The FA Cup 4th Round will begin on Friday, February 13, 2026, pitting Premier League heavyweights in decisive knockout against lower-league challengers and some of their top-flight rivals in 16 games. Manchester City will welcome Salford City in a classic David vs Goliath clash at the Etihad.

Liverpool will host Brighton in a tactically layered all-Premier League encounter at Anfield. Arsenal will face Wigan Athletic in North London with attacking momentum on their side. In several other fixtures, teams like Chelsea, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Brentford, Fulham, Wolves, and more will fight their way for a place in the next round.

The #EmiratesFACup fourth round proper is here 🤩🏆

Which team are you backing this weekend? 👀 pic.twitter.com/63kw9jGKgS
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) February 13, 2026

For more analysis across England and Europe, visit our main soccer predictions and FA Cup betting tips hub, but for now, scroll on for today’s best bets.

Our FA Cup Best Picks of 4th Round

Match	Market & Pick	Odds & Book
Manchester City vs Salford City	Erling Haaland to Score or Assist	-70p via Fanduel
Liverpool vs Brighton	Liverpool to Win	-192 via BetMGM
Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic	Total Goals: Over 2.5	-430 via FanDuel

Odds from FanDuel and BetMGM, accurate as of Tuesday morning ET. FA Cup lines can move quickly on matchday, so always check the latest prices before betting.

Best Bet #1 – Manchester City vs Salford City: Erling Haaland to Score or Assist

Market	Pick	Odds & Book
Score or Assist	Erling Haaland	-700 via Fanduel

Saturday’s FA Cup tie at the Etihad Stadium will see Manchester City go up against League Two opposition in Salford City. Across City’s last 10 matches in all competitions, Man City have averaged above 2.3 xG per game. Erling Haaland was directly involved in over 50 percent of those goals.

His non-penalty xG per 90 remains among Europe’s elite forwards. Salford’s defensive metrics in League Two reveal concession rates above 1.4 xGA per match across their previous 10 fixtures. There is a chance that Guardiola may choose to rotate and give Haaland some rest in the match.

Even so, Haaland’s minutes in domestic cup ties historically remain significant. Given the gulf in squad valuation and overall quality, Haaland registering either a goal or assist aligns with expected match flow. The short price reflects the high probability of Haaland being involved in a goal.

Best Bet #2 – Liverpool vs Brighton: Reds to Win

Market	Pick	Odds & Book
Match Result	Liverpool to Win	-192 at BetMGM

Sunday’s fixture at Anfield will see two top-flight sides clash, but Liverpool’s form at home remains undeniable. Across their last 10 matches at Anfield in all competitions, the Reds have generated close to 2.1 xG per match while conceding under 1.0 xGA. Brighton remain possession-oriented, but their recent away profile shows vulnerability against aggressive transitional teams.

Over their last 10 away matches, they have conceded multiple goals in six and allowed over 1.5 xGA in half of those fixtures. Liverpool’s forward line, anchored by Mohamed Salah’s chance conversion and Darwin Nunez’s movement between center-backs, consistently exploits high defensive lines.

Liverpool are handling fixture congestion and may rotate but Slot will still try to line up his strongest XI. In terms of head-to-head records, Liverpool hold a strong FA Cup record at Anfield. While Brighton can control phases of possession, Liverpool’s intensity and directness at home tilt the win probability toward the Merseyside side.

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Best Bet #3 – Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic: Total Goals Over 2.5

Market	Pick	Odds & Book
Total Goals	Over 2.5	-430 at FanDuel

Monday night at the Emirates Stadium will see Arsenal face League One side Wigan Athletic. The Gunners have been registering consistent multi-goal output in their last 10 matches. They’re averaging above 2.0 xG per game with high shot volume inside the penalty area. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli remain key in wide areas.

Meanwhile Martin Odegaard orchestrates final-third combinations. Wigan is a disciplined side in lower-division competition. However, they have conceded more than 1.3 xGA per game in their last 10 outings. Against top-flight opposition in cup fixtures, their defense usually tends to compress deep.

Arsenal’s positional play produces repeated cutbacks and second-phase attempts, both conducive to crossing the 2.5 threshold. The Gunners have also seen over 2.5 goals in seven of their last 10 home matches across competitions. Given the disparity in squad depth and Arsenal’s emphasis on attacking rhythm even in rotation scenarios, multiple scoring opportunity remains high.

FA Cup Best Bets for 4th Round Recap – February 13-16, 2026

Best Bet #1: Manchester City vs Salford City – Erling Haaland to Score or Assist (-700 at FanDuel)
Best Bet #2: Liverpool vs Brighton – Liverpool to Win (-192 at BetMGM)
Best Bet #3: Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic – Total Goals Over 2.5 (-430 at FanDuel)

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FA Cup 4th Round

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Moumita Dutta

soccer

Football writer at The Playoffs. I’ve been obsessed with the beautiful game since I was a kid.. Eventually, I realized I could combine my passion for writing with my love for football, and I’ve never looked back. My favorite part of the job is everything—when you’re doing what you love, even a late-night deadline feels like extra time in a thrilling cup final. Lastly, Lionel Messi is the GOAT.