King of Stats: All the numbers on the FA Cup third round

FA Cup third round day is one of the highlights of the football calendar and, with the excitement about to get underway, the King of Stats is weighing in with some nuggets of information that might help you fatten your wallet following it’s post-Christmas slim down.

3 – Chelsea have dominated this competition in recent seasons, lifting the trophy in three of the previous four years. A price of 13/2 is on offer for them to be celebrating a fourth win in five attempts come May.

1 – Manchester United have only endured one first round defeat since Bournemouth shocked them in 1984, a staggering 29 years ago. What’s even more impressive is they have beaten every Premier League team they’ve faced at this stage without requiring a replay; this doesn’t bode well for West Ham who will face the Red Devils in third round. United are 4/6 to win at the Boleyn Ground.

7 – Arsenal are staring down the barrel of an eighth consecutive season without a trophy and their away record in the FA Cup will not inspire confidence. Their last silverware was won in this competition in 2005, but since then they have failed to win seven from 12 matches on the road against Premier League opposition. Swansea can be backed at 9/4 to dump them out this year.

10 – This is the number of goals Manchester City have scored under Roberto Mancini when facing lower league opposition at home. In three games he’s overseen sufficing this criterion, his side have conceded just twice and they’re available at 6/5 to beat Watford after overcoming a two-goal handicap.

20 – In Liverpool’s previous 24 FA Cup outings, they have failed to keep a clean sheet 20 times, including two when they faced Havant and Waterlooville at Anfield in 2008. This gives hope to their non-league third round opponents Mansfield of at least giving their fans something to cheer and a price of 7/4 says the Reds will prevail with both teams on target.

2 – Championship promotion contenders Middlesbrough face a battle with Hastings on their own patch. They should be wary of a slip up on the basis that they’ve failed to win two of their last five against opposition from League Two or below in this competition. The Isthmian Premier League side – who operate five tiers below their next adversaries – can be backed at 16/1 to win at the Riverside.

1 – Despite conquering Chelsea in their previous Premier League outing, QPR will have their work cut out against a team they have beaten just once in 10 renewals. They’ve lost six of these clashes, including twice in the Premier League this season and a generous price of 7/4 says the Baggies will claim the spoils at Loftus Road this time around.

All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date