Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace Tips, Bet Builder & Latest Odds
Crystal Palace begin their FA Cup title defence with a trip to face non-league side Macclesfield on Saturday afternoon.
Residing in the sixth tier of the English football pyramid, Macclesfield will relish the chance to pit their wits against an established Premier League outfit.
Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace Tips
Will there be a giant killing? We’ve rummaged through the markets and suggested a few football betting tips worth investigating further.
Tip 1: Crystal Palace to Win & Both Teams to Score
This will be the first time Palace will be facing Macclesfield, and they will want to justify their tag as heavy favourites.
Of course, upsets are nothing new in the FA Cup. For example, Hereford, once of the Southern League, claimed a huge scalp by taking out Newcastle in 1972.
Back to the here and now, and while Palace have been woefully out of form with no wins in any of their past eight matches in all competitions, they will want to set things right.
Macclesfield aren’t flying in the National League North, as they are 14th in the table, but they got back to winning ways last weekend with a 2-1 victory against Radcliffe Boro.
Although Palace have been goal-shy lately, scoring just once in their past four league outings, they may have more joy against Macclesfield. I don’t think the Eagles will keep a clean sheet, so the visitors to win & BTTS seems reasonable.
Tip 2: Crystal Palace First Goalscorer - Adam Wharton
Apart from being the first meeting between Palace and Macclesfield, it will also be the first FA Cup third-round clash between the holders and a non-league side since 2005 when Manchester United needed a replay to knock out Exeter.
Anyway, Palace have got plenty of attacking weapons in their squad, and one player that has caught my eye lately has been Adam Wharton.
Although he’s yet to register a league goal this term, he has provided a couple of assists, and he presents a threat to Macclesfield.
He gives Palace a bit of panache in midfield, and I fancy him to break his duck this season. While there are longer odds attached, Wharton to score Palace’s first goal isn’t beyond the realms of possibility, so it might be worth a cheeky punt.
Tip 3: Palace First Goalscorer (Adam Wharton), Palace to Qualify, BTTS - 40.26/1
While Wharton hasn’t opened his account this season, he’s happy to shoot on sight. Against Macclesfield, he could find the target, so open your bet builder with him to net Palace’s first goal.
For the second leg, barring a capitulation or not applying themselves properly, Palace should qualify for the fourth round without too much fuss.
Although Palace kept a clean sheet at home to Aston Villa earlier this week, Macclesfield could give their fans something to cheer about, and the BTTS line is a good leg to add to your slip.
Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace Odds
Check out the latest odds from our pick of betting sites ahead of this FA Cup clash.
Where to Watch Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace
Here's at Free Bets, we want to give you more than just the betting angle so here's a look at how you can watch the game on Saturday.
TV Channel
Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace will be broadcast on BBC One in the UK, giving free-to-air access to viewers. It’s also scheduled for coverage on TNT Sports 1 for those with subscription TV access.
Live Stream Information
In addition to the TV broadcast, you can watch Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace live online in the UK via BBC iPlayer for free and through discovery+ or TNT Sports streaming platforms if you have a subscription.
Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace Match Information
Here's everything you need to know before kick-off.
Kick-Off Time
The kick-off time for Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace in the third round of the FA Cup is 12:15pm on Saturday.
Fixture Date
This exciting FA Cup third-round showdown between non-league Macclesfield and reigning holders Crystal Palace is scheduled to take place on Saturday 10th January 2026.
Stadium
The match will be played at The Leasing.com Stadium, the home ground of Macclesfield FC, with the National League North side hosting Premier League opposition.
More Football Tips
Be sure to check out the rest of our football tips ahead of a big weekend for games for fans.
