With the Premier League now in full swing and the Champions League up and running, the new season is properly upon us right now. We’ve seen some great action so far, and we’ve not been short of midweek games. That’s the case this week again, as we have the third round of the League Cup spread across Tuesday and Wednesday.
This is the stage when all the sides involved in Europe join the competition, and those are the main contenders to lift the trophy. Will all the big sides progress safely through? We aren’t focusing too much on the big guns in this preview, although we are casting an eye towards the north London derby on Wednesday night. Here we’re looking at middling Premier League sides, seeing if they can have an impact. We have the two live games covered, with betting tips on each.
Tuesday 22nd September 2015
Leicester v West Ham (19:45) – West Ham to win (9/4 with Bet365)
The high flying Foxes have made a fantastic start in the Premier League, but can they follow that up in the League Cup? They’ll be looking for a bigger push in the cups this season, with the team looking to establish themselves in the top flight. A cup run alongside that would be fantastic for the King Power faithful, but can they expect to see their side come out on top on Tuesday night?
They face a West Ham side who have recorded some good results on the road, and they’ll face a stern test against the Hammers. Slaven Bilic has got his team playing a great brand of counter attacking football, and that makes them a huge threat. That style didn’t work too well at home to Leicester earlier this season, but it should fare better in this game. With the goal-scoring threat the Hammers have, plus the fact that they’ve tightened up at the back in recent games, we’re backing the visitors to take the win and progress to the fourth round. The Hammers are also 5/1 with Bet365 to win with BTTS, which is a massive price.
Aston Villa v Birmingham (19:45) – Both teams to score (8/11 with Bet365)
The live game on Tuesday sees the first meeting between these two bitter rivals in years. Birmingham have struggled to get back to the top flight in recent times, but they’ve started well this season, and they’ll be hoping for a famous upset at Villa Park. Traditionally, the Blues have always had the edge in these meetings, but will that still be the case with such a gap between the two? Villa are capable of off days, and the visitors will need this to be one of them.
One thing the two second city teams have had this season is goals. Villa have changed massively under Tim Sherwood, and they’re now a much more open, attacking side. Birmingham have become regulars on ‘both teams to score’ coupons around the country, given their goal-friendly nature. Although they’re stepping up to face a Premier League side, we can certainly see the Championship team troubling Villa’s defence, and getting themselves a goal. We’re backing both teams to score in this game, which is odds on, but it still looks like the best value bet in this game.
Wednesday 23rd September 2015
Tottenham v Arsenal (19:45) – Over 2.5 goals (17/20 with Bet365)
The highlight of the round has to be the derby between Tottenham and Arsenal. Not just for the rivalry, but because these games tend to be exciting, end to end clashes. Neither set of fans will have wanted this hard a tie so early on, but they’ll both be delighted by the prospect of an extra derby game, and possibly quite nervous about it too. On the pitch, Spurs haven’t got as many points as their performances have deserved, but could a big cup win like this make up for their poor luck so far?
You’d think it would. Luckily for them, they seem to be clicking up front just at the right time. Arsenal’s good defending early in the season was dashed in their defeat in Zagreb, and with a rotated team likely, they’ll be far from their best here. Goals look to be the order of the day in this one, and that’s why we’re going for the over 2.5 market with our bet here. Over 2.5 goals is something you expect when either of these two play, so with them both on the pitch, fielding weakened defences, it’s hard to see anything but a game packed full of goals.
Newcastle v Sheffield Wednesday (19:45) – Newcastle to win (4/5 with Bet365)
Newcastle’s Premier League start means Sheffield Wednesday will be looking for an upset at St James’, but it could also work against the visitors. Mike Ashley said his side were aiming for a trophy, and they’ve brought in League Cup winner Steve McClaren to try and do that. With a big investment in the team, plus pressure on the boss, expect to see a strong line up for the Magpies in this game. This is the perfect chance for them to turn around their poor start to the season, and they really have to take it.
Wednesday are sitting in the bottom half of the Championship, so they aren’t going to come here high on confidence either. They could sense an upset, but really they should be swiftly dealt with by the Premier League side, who have been given a great opportunity to progress here. They’ve not had the greatest cup record in recent seasons, but we’re backing Steve McClaren and his team to give the Toon Army something to shout about here, by sealing progression in to the fourth round. Priced close to evens, this looks like fantastic value for the hosts to see off the Championship side.