League Cup Betting Tips – 22nd & 23rd September 2015

The League Cup third round sees the teams that had qualified for European competitions enter the fray, and their introduction has prompted some mammoth ties being drawn. Two significant derby matches are the highlight of the third round. On Tuesday, Aston Villa host bitter rivals Birmingham City in their first meeting since the latter were relegated from the Premier League in 2011. Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are much more used to each other; 1994 is the last year in which the two sides did not meet, and that was due to a scheduling quirk. They do battle once again in the League Cup, in which they have shared some riveting encounters, on Wednesday.

Wednesday also sees Championship club Ipswich Town, who have now spent longer in the second tier than any of their contemporaries, get a taste of the big time. They face Manchester United at Old Trafford for the first time since September 2001. Walsall have already knocked Nottingham Forest and Brighton out of the tournament and will be keen to take an even bigger scalp as cup holders Chelsea visit the Bescot Stadium. The watchword this week is underdogs – there are clear favourites for these ties, with the tie between Spurs and Arsenal being the exception, but it would be a mistake to rule out the lower league sides. Banking on them putting up a fight should be the key to making a tidy midweek profit.

  • Aston Villa v Birmingham City – Draw after 90 minutes (5/2 at Coral)
  • Manchester United v Ipswich Town – Both teams to score (Evens at Bet365)
  • Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal – Arsenal to win (11/8 at Coral)
  • Walsall v Chelsea – Half time/Full time result as Draw/Chelsea (7/2 at Coral)

Aston Villa v Birmingham City – 22nd September

The Second City derby returns after a hiatus of four years as Aston Villa take on Birmingham City at Villa Park. A lot has happened to the two sides since a 1-1 draw in January 2011. Villa have seen three managers come and go including Alex McLeish, who they poached from their city rivals, before Tim Sherwood arrived and led the Villains to the FA Cup final. Birmingham beat their neighbours in the 2010/11 season in the League Cup, which they went on to win before being relegated from the Premier League in May 2011. The Blues even flirted with relegation to League One, but survived and are now much more stable under Gary Rowett.

Aston Villa have failed to impress in the Premier League, with a 3-2 defeat to Leicester after leading 2-0 their early season nadir, while Birmingham were unbeaten after five Championship games before a surprise home defeat to Nottingham Forest. The hosts needed extra time to overcome League Two side Notts County, and it will not be any easier against their fierce rivals. This has all the makings of a particularly feisty tie, and could even be one of the stand-out matches of the season in the Capital One Cup. One thing is for certain – it should be hotly, if not evenly, contested. Coral’s offer of 5/2 on the two sides needing extra time or even penalties to settle the tie is a good one to take.

  • Draw after 90 minutes – 5/2 at Coral

Manchester United v Ipswich Town – 23rd September

Precisely 14 years and a day after their last trip to Old Trafford, Ipswich Town return to the Theatre of Dreams. The 2001/02 season turned out to be more of a nightmare for the Tractor Boys, as a 4-0 defeat to United in September was one of many losses as the club were relegated to the Championship, where they have stayed ever since. Old Trafford does not hold many fond memories for Ipswich – their 9-0 defeat there in 1995 is still a Premier League record – but Mick McCarthy’s side will be looking to upset what could be a second string Manchester United side in the League Cup. In fact, the Suffolk side’s last win over the Red Devils came in this competition, back in October 1997.

However, you have to go back to 1984 for Ipswich’s last win at Old Trafford, and Louis van Gaal will be confident of victory. The hosts will be keen to avoid anything like the 4-0 humiliation they suffered at the hands of then League One side MK Dons, and Ipswich have the capability to cause a shock. The attacking sextet of Ryan Fraser, Freddie Sears, Daryl Murphy, David McGoldrick, Brett Pitman and on-loan Arsenal winger Ainsley Maitland-Niles all pack a punch, and they will not sit back and hope for the best, even against the quality the hosts have. Bet365 are offering evens on both teams to score, and it is as much about considering it will not be a full-strength Manchester United side as it is backing Ipswich to score.

  • Both teams to score – Evens at Bet365

Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal – 23rd September

Tottenham and Arsenal have played out some scintillating encounters in the League Cup over the years. This is their fourth meeting in this tournament in the past eight years, and the two sides have shared the spoils. Arsenal prevailed 5-3 on aggregate in the 2007 semi-finals, but Spurs thrashed Arsenal 5-1 at White Hart Lane to secure a 6-2 aggregate victory the following year. The two sides met in the third round in 2010, and a brace of Samir Nasri penalties helped the Gunners to a 4-1 victory after extra time. Arsenal would go on to lose to Birmingham City in the final, and they have not reached Wembley in this competition since. Spurs reached the final last season, but were defeated 2-0 by Chelsea. The two silverware-hungry sides clash at White Hart Lane on Wednesday desperate to maintain a cup run but also to contest vital bragging rights.

Arsenal are priced at 11/8 at Coral to win this tie, and the odds seem too good to be true. The Gunners have looked much better than their faltering neighbours, with poor performances against West Ham and Dinamo Zagreb the obvious exceptions, and have only fallen at the third round stage once since 2002. However, that defeat came last year at the hands of Southampton, and Spurs will hold high hopes of victory. That said, with bragging rights at stake and constant pressure on Arsene Wenger to deliver silverware despite back-to-back FA Cup triumphs, Arsenal will be desperate not to falter again.

  • Arsenal to win (11/8 at Coral)

Walsall v Chelsea – 23rd September

The tie with perhaps the biggest shock potential comes at the Bescot Stadium, as League One Walsall host Premier League champions Chelsea. Walsall have started the season in fine form, winning five of their opening seven league matches as well as beating two Championship sides in this competition. Nottingham Forest was the first scalp taken, as a Tom Bradshaw hat-trick sealed a stunning 4-3 victory, before Brighton and Hove Albion were defeated 2-1. Walsall’s chances are boosted by Chelsea’s awful start to the Premier League season, their worst opening to a season in any division since 1988.

Jose Mourinho’s side are however the League Cup defending champions, having beaten Tottenham at Wembley in March, and they have plenty of talent at their disposal. Even wholesale changes from their regular Premier League line-up would see the likes of Falcao, Loic Remy, Oscar and Ramires feature. Mourinho could also hand a debut to defender Papy Djilobodji in a tie the visitors are overwhelming favourites to win. Despite that, the League One outfit will not make life easy for their Premier League rivals, and the visitors’ defence has been the cause of concern all season. Coral are offering 7/2 on the two sides being level at half time with Chelsea eventually prevailing after 90 minutes, and it is quite likely the Premier League champions will be given a stern test at the Bescot Stadium.

  • Half time/full time result as Draw/Chelsea – 7/2 at Coral