We’re into the round of 16 in this season’s EFL Cup which leaves all remaining sides just three wins from the final at Wembley. Facing a very difficult path to the next stage are Swansea who host Man United for the second time this season. It’s Wolves who have arguably been given the toughest test of them all though, an away trip to Man City. The Citizens have been playing some scintillating football of late and Pep Guardiola would surely love another piece of silverware to add to his collection.
On Wednesday there are just the two matches, both of which take place in London. The slightly earlier of the pair to kick off is Chelsea against Everton. This is not Everton’s first trip to Stamford Bridge this season and they will be after a much better showing this time around. Heading a little further north in the capital and you’ll find Tottenham in action against rivals West Ham. There is no love lost between these two sides who will be both desperate to claim the bragging rights on offer.
Tuesday 24th October 2017
Swansea v Man United (19:45) – Man United to win to nil (13/10 with Coral)
Jose Mourinho was criticized for his negative playing style against Liverpool earlier in the month but you can expect his side to play much more openly here. They have a great record against the weaker sides in the Premier League and have the added benefit of previously beating Swansea 4-0 at the Liberty Stadium. Much like in the last round against Burton, you can expect the Portuguese manage to rotate but still be able to play a strong looking side featuring the likes of Martial, Rashford and Mata.
As for the Swans, they were able to pick up their first home win of the season when beating Huddersfield 2-0 on the 14th October. For a side that lost two key players in the summer, they have adapted well and it seems their summer acquisitions have been smart ones. It was the season of 2012/13 when Swansea won this trophy for the first time but the odds are stacked against them even making the quarter finals this time. With United’s defence so strong, it’s just hard to see how the Welsh side, who have struggled for goals this season, can come out on top in this contest.
Man City v Wolves (20:00) – Man City to win with a -2 handicap (4/5 with Betfred)
We have the favourites to win the Championship and the favourites for the Premier League going head to head here. This is shaping up to be a great game but not one in which the bookies are expecting an upset as Wolves are priced as long as 9/1 to qualify for the next round. For all their good form in the second tier of English football, playing a side like Man City is not something Nuno Espirito Santo’s side has faced before. They did see off a strong looking Southampton side 2-0 away from home in the second round but even this experience won’t come close to the one they face at the Etihad.
City have been in absolutely sumptuous form of late, scoring goals for fun. Their attacking play has been an absolute joy to watch, providing you aren’t a fan of the team trying to keep them out. Pep Guardiola will no doubt shake up his team for this game but they have such quality in depth that they will still be able to impress. Given that City have regularly been thrashing Premier League sides at home, this game looks like a case of how many will the home side win by and the answer could well be several.
Wednesday 25th October 2017
Chelsea v Everton (19:45) – Chelsea to win half time/full time (15/13 with Ladbrokes)
October hasn’t been the best month for the Blues and there is speculation that some of the players have turned on manager Antonio Conte. Whether the Italian is still in charge of the club by the time of this game kicks off remains to be seen. Either way, it may not end up having too much of an impact on the result as Everton are in real turmoil at the moment. Ronald Koeman is also a man who could be without a job very soon and the under pressure Dutchman knows that every defeat is one that brings him closer to the sack.
When the Toffees travelled to Stamford Bridge for a league fixture earlier in the season there was a huge gulf in quality between the two sides. Everton barely had a sniff all game while Chelsea could have easily won by a bigger margin on another day. With Everton’s attack still really struggling to click and problems at the back having emerged of late, it’s not hard to see a similar sort of match play out in south west London. It might not be quite as a one-sided match given Chelsea’s recent form but you should still definitely expect them to get the job done.
Tottenham v West Ham (20:00) – Tottenham to win by exactly one goal (3/1 with Bet365)
Wembley certainly isn’t the fortress that White Hart Lane was last season but Spurs do at least seem to finding their way a little inside their temporary home. Their league win against Bournemouth will help calm talk of the ‘Wembley curse’ but it still remains a place with little fear factor for visiting side. Whether an under-performing West Ham can take advantage of this though is another questions entirely. Their only way win of the season has come courtesy of League Two strugglers Cheltenham Town.
The two London rivals met in a heated exchange at the London Stadium last month in what ended as a 3-2 defeat to the Hammers. Prior to Tottenham being reduced to 10-men, Pochettino’s side were in complete control and he’ll be looking for more of the same here. They put in a rather lacklustre performance in the last round against Barnsley but a stronger side should feature here and the players will raise themselves for the bigger occasion. The home side look capable of edging it as a result but at Wembley, don’t expect it to be a vintage performance.