Two cup ties with very different shapes, and neither is a clean one-sided picture. One has a visitor that has openly said it will rotate; the other is a leaky home side in a game with goals in it.
Fulham against Crystal Palace is a possession side at home facing a visitor on short rest after a European trip. Palace have five fresh injuries, including both first-choice centre-backs, and the club has said it will rotate. Fulham have a short absence list and more rest, though their shots have often not turned into goals. Palace conceded heavily on the road in their 0-5 loss at Brighton. The pick rests on the patched Palace back line, not on possession numbers, so I am on Fulham to win in normal time.
Sparta Rotterdam against Sittard looks like an open game. Sparta's last five league matches all had three or more goals and they concede well over two a game. Sittard keep scoring, in eight of their last ten, and their numbers allow plenty of chances against. The absences on both sides are old news and already in the recent results. That is why I am on this one producing goals.
