EFL Cup Predictions > Dec 17th & 18th

[StevieDay1983]

The EFL Cup Quarter-Finals are here and there's some tasty ties coming up. To be honest, I am steering clear of the one tonight. I know Liverpool are fielding their youth side basically but you can never tell what Aston Villa will do in football in those situations. They're one of those teams. Like Tottenham... or Cardiff! 

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[thfc]

I think Everton are worth a go tomorrow night.  The price of 2.9 seems too high for me, when you factor in Leicester's league position (so may rest some players for this one), and they have a massive game against Man City at the weekend.  They played recently in the league, and Everton gave them a good game, and were unlucky to lose.  however, that was away, and this time they have home advantage.

Ferguson is still in charge for Everton, and I can't see him allowing the team to put in anything less than 100% effort if this is his last game before Ancelotti supposedly comes in.  Everton should be targeting this competition as they won't get relegated, won't get in the top 6 so will end up being mid-table.  They have a tough FA cup draw so chances are this is their only chance of silverware.  I think they put out a strong team and even if Leicester do play a full strength team, I think the price is way too high given the upturn in recent form.

[eddiem]

The bets bet for me tonight is Both Teams To Score.

Both will rest players and i think as Villa will rest less players they will win but I do fancy any Liverpool side to score as they have attacking traits built into them right through the club.

[malabgd]

Everton FC vs Leicester City

Everton FC

Doubtful: Gylfi Sigurdsson (16/1 m, illness), Djibril Sidibe (9/0 d, illness), Fabian Delph (7/0 m, probably out)

Out (injuries/other): Lucas Digne (17/0 d), Morgan Schneiderlin (11/0 m), Theo Walcott (11/0 f), Andre Gomes (8/0 m), Jean-Philippe Gbamin (2/0 m)

Suspended: -

 

Leicester City

Doubtful: -

Out (injuries/other): Matthew James (0/0 m)

Suspended: -

 

Daily updated injuries and suspensions information from more then 100 football leagues and competitions worldwide at: www.injuriesandsuspensions.com

[waynecoyne]

i will try a sell of the first and second colchester goals at 69 and 86 with spreadex in the hope that solskjaer picks the kids

[StevieDay1983]

Everton vs Leicester

The EFL Cup provided some memorable moments last night as Aston Villa ripped apart a youthful Liverpool side that should be proud of their efforts. It was never going to be a fair encounter but that's the situation the EFL has brought onto itself. In this second night of action, we have a couple of games that are expected to be slightly more competitive... maybe. The first is an all-Premier League clash between Everton and Leicester that kicks off at 7:45pm GMT from Goodison Park.

Everton come into this game looking re-energised with caretaker head coach Duncan Ferguson winning plaudits for the way he has giving this Toffees side a rocket up the rear. I mean, let's face it, you're not going to question the mad Scottish nut case are you? Unless you're Moise Kean... and clearly he has no concern for his own well being. Anyway, an impressive 3-1 win at home to Chelsea was followed by a hard-earned point away to Manchester United. Can Ferguson rally his troops against their toughest challenge yet? A solid two goal victory achieved in their previous rounds against Lincoln, Sheffield Wednesday, and Watford might be too much to ask.

Leicester are having a season to remember under Brendan Rodgers. The Foxes are re-capturing the spirit of the 2015/16 season and proving to be the main rivals for Liverpool's title challenge. It's now 9 league games unbeaten for the team and they'll be looking to carry that momentum into this game. It'll be interesting to see if Rodgers fields a full-strength side or not. He's generally fielded strong sides in the previous rounds against Newcastle, Luton, and Burton so I can't see that changing for this game.

I can completely see why @thfc is keen to back the Everton win. Ferguson will know his team are within touching distance of a domestic cup final. Their performances under him so far have been encouraging. I'm not sure they'll get the win but I think a draw could be worth backing given the price difference. I would certainly see this game needing to be decided by penalties.

Draw @ 3.65 with Unibet

BTTS @ 1.70 with Sportingbet

[StevieDay1983]

Manchester United vs Colchester

The second preview for this round of the EFL Cup is between Premier League side Manchester United and League Two club Colchester in a 7:45pm GMT kick-off at Old Trafford tonight. On paper, this looks like a done and dusted affair but this competition has a funny way of upsetting the odds over recent times. Can the visitors pull off one of the biggest shocks in the competition's long history here?

Manchester United are almost certain to make changes for this game. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came under fire once again for his side's failure to beat Everton at home on the weekend. Defeat here would surely be a loss that would be too much to stomach for the Red Devils hierarchy. There will no doubt be memories of past Quarter-Final failures for their fans with United having lost 3 of their last 5 matches at this stage of the competition. However, their record against fourth-tier opposition in this competition is impeccable with all 10 of those ties ending in a United win.

Colchester have already defied the odds to reach this stage. John McGreal's men are mid-table in the basement division of the Football League yet they are in the final 8 of this competition having navigated their way past the likes of Swindon, Crystal Palace, Tottenham, and Crawley. This will be the club's first appearance in the EFL Cup Quarter-Finals since 1974/75. The challenge that lies ahead of them cannot be understated. The U's are looking to become the first club outside the top three tiers of English football to seal a win away to Manchester United since Portsmouth back in 1907.

This will be just the third time these two sides have met. Manchester United won both of the previous meetings with a 1-0 win the FA Cup back in 1979 and a 2-0 victory in the EFL Cup in 1983. It's hard to see anything other than a United win in this game but if Solskjaer names a lot of younger players then they could be there for the taking. I think it's certainly worth backing both teams to score and for Colchester to keep the score-line down.

BTTS @ 2.10 with Sportingbet

Colchester +3 @ 1.73 with Blacktype

[Tiffy]

3 hours ago, waynecoyne said:

i will try a sell of the first and second colchester goals at 69 and 86 with spreadex in the hope that solskjaer picks the kids

That could pay off as Colchester will be pumped up at the start. Liverpool were unlucky last night not to get on the score sheet early doors. 

I'm going for a sell of first corners with Colchester and Oxford.. I would have filled my boots last night, had I of stuck with my gut feeling on Liverpool.