What a night that was, lads! Out of 16 picks across the main bets and the tips list, we landed 14 winners, and that is the kind of return that keeps the bankroll healthy. Sabah absolutely tore Hapoel Beer-Sheva apart in Baku, coming back from a goal down to win 5-2 in extra time and book their place in the Champions League group stage. Bodo/Glimt did the business against NEC with a comfortable 3-0 win at the Aspmyra, and LASK produced the shock of the night by hammering Celtic 5-1 in Linz, which made the over 2.5 an absolute stroll. The only one that let us down was Valencia failing to score against Real Betis, but when you are hitting 14 out of 16, you do not dwell on the one that got away. Let us see if we can keep the hot streak going tonight.
Bradford City vs Burnley – Under 2.5 Goals
Valley Parade hosts this Yorkshire vs Lancashire clash, and I am expecting a tight, low-scoring affair. Bradford have made a cracking start to their League One campaign, winning all three games and keeping clean sheets in every single one. They have conceded just 0.67 goals per game across their last six home matches, and while their attacking numbers are decent, they are not exactly free-scoring.
Burnley, meanwhile, are still finding their feet under a new manager. They have not won a game in regular time in their last ten outings, and their away form is particularly worrying – four defeats in their last five on the road, conceding 2.60 goals per match. They got hammered 3-1 by West Brom at the weekend, and their only goal in that game was an own goal. Zian Flemming, their top scorer from last season, missed that game with a knock, and his availability is uncertain.
Both teams are likely to rotate heavily for this cup tie, which often leads to disjointed, cautious football. Bradford will be well-organised and tough to break down, while Burnley lack the fluency to blow teams away. Under 2.5 goals at around 1.73 is the play here. If you want a correct score, 1-0 to Burnley at 6.50 or 1-1 at 6.00 are worth small stakes.
Newcastle vs West Brom – Both Teams to Score
The Magpies host the Baggies at St James’ Park, and this should be an open game. Newcastle have been involved in high-scoring affairs lately. Their Premier League opener against Liverpool finished 2-2, and they have been finding the net consistently under new boss Matthias Jaissle. But their defence is leaky, having conceded in their last four games.
West Brom have made a flying start to the Championship, winning their opening two league games and hammering Rotherham 4-1 in the first round of this competition. They have scored nine goals in their three competitive matches this season, and both teams have scored in all three of those fixtures. Isaac Price has been in red-hot form, scoring a brace against Burnley at the weekend.
Newcastle have won nine of the last 21 meetings between these two, and 71 percent of those encounters have seen both teams score. With West Brom’s attacking confidence and Newcastle’s defensive frailties, BTTS at around 1.80 looks a solid bet. Over 2.5 at 1.50 also appeals given the goal-scoring form both sides bring into this one.
Tottenham vs Charlton – Tottenham to Win & BTTS – No
Spurs host their London neighbours at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and while they are heavy favorites at 1.25, this is not as straightforward as the odds suggest. Tottenham got battered 3-0 by Brentford on the opening weekend, which was a real wake-up call after an unbeaten pre-season. They have injury concerns too – Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro are fitness doubts, while Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski, and Mohammed Kudus are all ruled out.
Charlton, on the other hand, have won all three of their competitive games this season, including a 2-1 win at West Ham and a 3-1 cup victory at Cheltenham. They have scored in every one of their last 10 matches, but their defence is not great – 1.82 expected goals against per game.
That said, Tottenham at home against Championship opposition should have too much quality. They have won the last five head-to-heads between these two, and while Charlton will have a go, Spurs should keep them out. Tottenham to win at 1.25 is short but solid for an acca, and BTTS – No at 1.80 is the value play. If you want a bit more juice, Tottenham -1.5 Asian Handicap at 1.63 could be worth a look.
Preston vs Everton – Everton to Win
Deepdale hosts this Lancashire derby, and Everton should have too much class for a struggling Preston side. The Lilywhites have lost both of their opening Championship games, including a 3-1 home defeat to Wolves where they managed just two shots on target. They have conceded 1.90 goals per game across their last 10 matches and have failed to keep a single clean sheet in that run. Their home form is particularly poor – no wins in their last five at Deepdale.
Everton, meanwhile, made a winning start to their Premier League campaign with a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace. They have been solid defensively, conceding just 1.00 goal per game in their last seven away matches. David Moyes will likely rotate his squad, but even a second-string Everton side should have enough quality to see off Preston. The Toffees have players like Beto, Brennan Johnson, and Alcaraz who can make the difference.
Everton to win at around 1.70 is the pick. If you want to be cautious, Everton draw no bet at 1.20 is an option, but I think the Premier League side gets the job done comfortably.
Signing Off
There you have it, four picks for your Wednesday night Carabao Cup action. The standout for me is Everton at Preston – that looks like the most straightforward bet on the card. Under 2.5 at Valley Parade should land given both teams’ struggles in front of goal, and BTTS at St James’ Park has goals written all over it. Let us keep the momentum rolling after yesterday’s incredible 14 from 16. Catch you tomorrow.
