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BORO v WEST HAM FA CUP SEMI-FINAL - THE NEUTRAL PREVIEW
By Derek Bilton of Bettingzone.co.uk
West Ham are involved in Sunday's second FA Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough, and Boro could be there for the taking.
The teams met just last Monday, and the Teessiders claimed a psychological edge for this one by emerging 2-0 winners.
However, the fact that they have turned into this season's cup specialists could work against them.
The are obviously going well in the FA Cup, but it's their UEFA Cup exploits that could prove their undoing in this match.
They have performed admirably in Europe, taking the scalps of Stuttgart, Roma and (memorably) Basle, but those wins have come at a cost.
Boro have a decent-sized squad, but having played so many games recently means the players are being stretched to their limits.
Key figures Gareth Southgate and Mark Viduka are doubtful for this, the latter having not travelled to Romania for Thursday night's UEFA Cup semi-final first leg date.
It's a fair old trek from Teesside to Bucharest and back I would imagine, and given Sunday's clash is at Villa Park Steve McClaren's boys simply aren't getting much preparation for this one.
In contrast West Ham are well rested, and will have been able to focus on the job in hand this week.
Alan Pardew's men have made many friends with their fluid play this season, and at 15/8 they are the value call here and will want a win to honour the memory of their late boss John Lyall, a man who led the Hammers to two wins in this competition in 1975 and 1980.
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