Football, racing and more with expert advice. Get the best football bets and prices!

Best Bets for the Midweek Carling Cup matches

It’s Carling Cup time again & that means absolutely anything is possible from a betting perspective as different teams treat the competition in different ways so team selection will be key but here are our own views on the best bets for the Carling Cup matches taking place on tuesday & wednesday night:

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN to beat Carlisle 2-0/2-1, Rhodes/Kay/Pilkington to score 1st/anytime

IPSWICH TOWN to beat Exeter City 2-0/2-1, Walters/Priskin/Stead to score 1st/anytime

NORWICH CITY to beat Gillingham 2-1/3-1, Martin/Holt/Jackson score 1st/anytime

BRIGHTON to beat Northampton 2-0/2-1 – Sparrow/Barnes/Smith score 1st/anytime

SOUTHAMPTON to beat Bournemouth 2-0/3-0 – Barnard/Lallana/Connolly score 1st/anytime

READING to beat Torquay 2-1/3-1 – Long/Sigurdsson/Church score 1st/anytime

BRISTOL CITY to beat Southend 2-0/3-0 – Sproule/Clarkson/Adomah score 1st/anytime
Those are our ideas of the best value bets in the Carling Cup this week & we have provided a range of correct score & goalscorer options to give different ideas for possible scorecast combinations but as ever we wish you all the best with whatever bets you have.

The Carling Cup Final is now upon us with Manchester United & Aston Villa all set to do battle in what looks guaranteed to be a fascinating, enthralling & intense footballing spectacle.
Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United & Martin O’Neill at Aston Villa, are two incredibly experienced, proud & talented managers who want to win & they have fantastic squads packed with top quality players so this really should be a game for everybody to enjoy.

We have had a good look at how we think the teams will perform, how they will approach this match tactically & how we think in general the match will go with the value betting recommendations we think are worth consideration:

Manchester United vs Aston Villa – (Sunday 3.00pm)

The Carling Cup is ranked 4th behind the F.A. Cup, Premier League & Champions League in terms of profile & it has had it’s fair share of knockers & negative press in recent years but that won’t matter an ounce come 3.00pm on sunday afternoon as Manchester United & Aston Villa step on to the Wembley turf ready to do battle in what looks set to be a really interesting, competitive game of football.

The footballing world will be focused on Wembley to watch Manchester United & Aston Villa do battle with Sir Alex Ferguson & Martin O’Neill both fully determined to win the first available trophy of the season.

Alex Ferguson & Martin O’Neill have both done well in this competition & it is certainly very important to both sides to win a trophy so we expect both Manchester United & Aston Villa to give absolutely everything here.

In terms of the history between these two clubs, then Manchester United had dominated games between the two sides for many years but Aston Villa made their mark by beating Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford & held them to a 0-0 draw a few weeks ago but whether any of that has an impact here is doubtful.

This match is about what happens on the day & tactically it is going to be fascinating, competitive contest with plenty of quality in both sides.

It is hard to predict exactly which players will line up for both Manchester United & Aston Villa but what we do know is whichever players do get to play will be top quality players who all have the ability to influence the match.

Wayne Rooney has been the star of the show for Manchester United this season with his tremendous goals return & all round performance levels as good as they have ever been & he will obviously be the focus of attention come sunday.

Rooney is certainly a red hot candidate for goalscoring honours in this match & he will be totally motivated to put on a show but it is not just a one man show at United & there are many more quality players who will want to have their say.

It will be interesting to see who plays in goal for Manchester United as Alex Ferguson has stated that he may rest Van de Sar which probably means Ben Foster will get the chance to be a Carling Cup Final hero again just like he was last season & impress the England management to try & push for a World Cup spot.

Nemanja Vidic has been missing for large parts of the season but he is a key part of the United defence & he will be determined to give his best to keep Villa out while Patrice Evra is a born winner who gives absolutely everything & will keep going for the entire 90 minutes & beyond if needed.

Midfield selection is also going to be important in this match & it will be fascinating to see who Alex Ferguson goes for but we are expecting Michael Carrick & Darren Fletcher to be in there with Darren Gibson, Paul Scholes & Antonio Valencia all in the mix as well.

For Aston Villa it will be all about how their key players perform in this match & most notably the spine of the team which is rock solid & dependable.

Brad Friedel is one of the top keepers in the Premier League, Richard Dunne & James Collins have been one of the most reliable & solid defensive partnerships all season while Petrov & James Milner have provided great presence, quality & physical energy from midfield to help support Gabriel Agbonlohar who is a tremendous goal threat with amazing pace & is developing all the time as a striker.

Those players have all been superbly supported by the likes of Ashley Young, Stewart Downing, Stephen Warnock, Carlos Cuelar, John Carew & Emile Heskey and whichever team Martin O’Neill puts forward, they will be tremendously well organised & committed to testing Manchester United all the way.

Both Manchester United & Aston Villa are superb at counter attacking so it will be fascinating to see how the game develops because both teams will be aware of each others threats which could mean they cancel each other out but hopefully not too much that it affects the game in a bad way.

The prize at stake & the importance of winning means that both teams are likely to be cautious for the first 10-20 minutes because they will not want to throw the chance of winning away early in the match but both teams are good enough to create chances while keeping it tight so that will make it very interesting.

In terms of making this game an enjoyable spectacle, then the best thing that can happen is for an early goal to be scored because that will open up the game & given how strong both Manchester United & Aston Villa are on the counter attack the first goal could well be the crucial factor in this match.

This has definitely got the makings of being an excellent final given the quality within both squads & we don’t expect there to be too much between the sides on the day but we like the price of Manchester United to win in 90 minutes & they look worth a bet to take the prize with Rooney likely to be the inspiration once again.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Manchester United win

Correct Score options: Manchester United to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Rooney/Gibson/Valencia

Scorecast options: Rooney/Gibson/Valencia score 1st & Man United win 2-0/2-1

Wincast (player to score & team to win): Rooney & Man United

Double Result: Man United H/T & F/T

The script for this match was written by the dramatic, high energy confrontation between these now bitter local rivals that took place last tuesday in the 1st leg & this looks set to be an absolute cracker again.

The first leg of the Carling Cup Semi Final between Manchester City & Manchester United was a fantastic, intense battle that could have gone either, probably should have been a draw on balance but ultimately went the way of City with a 2-1 win on the night.

That 2-1 scoreline sets everything up perfectly because Manchester United know they have to score & they have to win while Man City know they will have to be positive as well so this could well be one of the games of the season.

A place in Wembley final is at stake here but the given the animosity that now stand between these two clubs means there is so much more at stake than simply the chance to win a trophy.

The rivalry between United & City has always been relatively civilised & calm but that has now changed given the extreme wealth that Manchester City now possess & the threat they now carry to United and that makes this game an opportunity for both clubs to make statement to the footballing world.

Manchester United obviously want to win this for their own gain but the chance to claim a victory over Manchester City & to blunt their progress is something that Alex Ferguson will not want to miss so you can guarantee that Manchester United will be fully up for this one.

The fact United need to chase a win is not a hindrance because that will mean Manchester United have to start the game with high tempo, high energy approach & that is when they are their best with Wayne Rooney leading the way.

Manchester United dominated large parts of the game in the 1st leg & their performance should give them the confidence & knowledge that they can do the same again in this match but this time place more emphasis on directly attacking Manchester City.

A big factor for this match will be the return of Rio Ferdinand to the Manchester United defence & that should make them more solid against the attacking threat of City.

Manchester City want to win this match because they want the opportunity to win a trophy but more importantly to make a statement of intent & show that their extreme wealth will make them successful & ultimately over power Manchester United.

Manchester City will be pleased they have a 2-1 advantage to take to Old Trafford but having lead from the 1st leg can sometimes prove dangerous because teams mentally relax believing the job is done & so Roberto Mancini will have to make sure the City players are organised & focused ahead of this one.

Carlos Tevez was like a man possessed in the 1st leg & he made his point loud & clear with the two goals he scored & the subsequent celebrations and we certainly expect him to be totally fired up for this return to Old Trafford.

The key for Manchester City will be their defensive organisation & strength because Manchester United will put them under great pressure from the start and how they perform defensively could well decide this match & tie.

The first leg was an absolutely cracking match that had great drama, tension, excitement & quality and this 2nd leg looks set to be even better with both Manchester United & Manchester City fulled charged to go for each other so anything is possible but Manchester United have to win this in 90 minutes & they look a solid bet to do so.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Manchester United to win

Correct Score options: Manchester United to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Rooney/Berbatov/Valencia

Scorecast options: Rooney/Berbatov/Valencia score 1st & Manchester United win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Manchester United Half Time & Full Time

What a game we have in prospect here with the great Manchester rivals of City & United clashing in what definitely could be one of the games of the season.

The local derby element has always dictated that these two clubs are fierce rivals but now this fixture means so much more because Manchester City are aiming to reach the incredibly high standards set by Manchester United and so this is so much more than just about getting to a cup final.

This semi final first leg represents the first opportunity for the great players of Manchester City & Manchester United to show who can earn the right to claim not only the local bragging rights for fans but also to make a statement to the footballing world.

Manchester United have the motivation of wanting to defend the trophy the fought hard to win last year & the opportunity to beat Manchester City along the way is something that should inspire them to give absolutely everything here.

Alex Ferguson knows that Manchester United cannot afford to lose this tie against Manchester City & especially after being beaten by Leeds United in the F.A. Cup so we are expecting a really fierce & committed response from the Manchester United players in this one.

Manchester United’s form has been inconsistent in recent weeks & admittedly they were not at their fluent best against Burnley but that 3-0 win should further boost confidence levels within the squad ahead of this match.

Alex Ferguson has used this competition to rotate his squad by resting most of the first team & but this is such a massive game that we fully expect Alex Ferguson to field the strongest possible side in this one

Manchester City have made it clear that their ambitions are to get into the Champions League & to win the Premier League but this opportunity to win a domestic cup & knock out their arch rivals is a massive opportunity for them to make their mark.

Roberto Mancini is still settling in as Manchester City manager & indeed it will take him some time to get used to english football & certainly the defeat against Everton will have given a much need wake up call as to what can be expected.

The first few weeks of Roberto Mancini’s career at Manchester City had gone very smoothly with successive wins against Stoke City, Middlesbrough, Wolves & Blackburn Rovers & everything looked comfortable for him but the manner of the performance & result against Everton changes all that & puts it all into context.

That match against an in-form & confident Everton side was Mancini’s first real test & it is a test that the Manchester city players failed in spectacular fashion.

Manchester City never got going in the match, unable to match Everton’s commitment, desire, work-rate & quality and quite simply they were outplayed in every department & only Shay Given prevented it from becoming a more convincing defeat.

Roberto Mancini will be looking for an immediate response to that performance & clearly this massive game against arch rivals Manchester United is an excellent opportunity to do that.

The Manchester City players should have no trouble getting motivated for this match & especially ex Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez who will be determined to score against his old team.

Both Manchester City & Manchester United have shown a tendency to be fragile defensively so far this season & given the attacking quality in both squads we are expecting this to be an incredibly competitive but open match and goals do look likely to come at both ends.

The perfect example of what to expect came earlier in the season when Manchester United & Manchester City fought out the best game of the season so far with United winning 4-3 with an incredibly late goal.

That game had absolutely everything with great attacking football, excellent goals, incredibly competitive tackling & also fragile defending so the prospect are definitely for the same again here.

This has got the prospects of being one of the most entertaining & competitive games of the season given the importance of this match to both Manchester City & Manchester United and that makes it hard to call but we like the look of Manchester United in this one & they look a value bet to get a vital win.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Manchester United to win

Correct Score options: Manchester United to win 2-1/3-1

First goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Rooney/Berbatov/Valencia

Scorecast options: Rooney/Berbatov/Valencia score 1st & Man United win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Man United Half Time & Full Time

Somewhat surprisingly, Blackburn and Villa have never met in this competition.

Carling Cup records:

Blackburn: Have not won the trophy to date (1 appearance in the final)

Aston Villa: 5 victories via seven appearances in the final

Four meetings to date:

City: 2 wins–1 draw: United: 1 win

Record in this competition:

Both teams have won the competition on two occasions.

City have have lost one final, whilst United have endured four defeats in the competition decider.

The Carling Cup Semi Finals are now upon with Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester United & Manchester City all knowing they are just 2 games away from a Wembley Cup Final & so everything is to play for.
These Semi Final matches certainly do look set to be dramatic & entertaining encounters with Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa taking on Sam Allardyce’s Blackburn Rovers while the great Manchester rivals of City & United take each other on.

We have had a good look at how we think all the teams involved will approach these games, how the games will develop & to go with that the value betting options that we feel are worth consideration.

Blackburn Rovers vs Aston Villa – (Tuesday 8.00pm)

Neither Blackburn Rovers or Aston Villa would have had this competition as one of their priorities when the season began but now we have reached Semi Final stage that definitely changes & this is now a massive opportunity for both clubs to taste domestic success.

Sam Allardyce & Martin O’Neill are both fierce competitors whom we expect to take this game very seriously indeed & we do expect them both to have their teams fully fired up for this one.

The twist to this fixture is both teams clashed in the F.A. Cup at the weekend with Aston Villa coming out on top so that will give some confidence to Aston Villa but at the same time motivate Blackburn Rovers to improve & show what they can do so this should be a cracking game & atmosphere.

Sam Allardyce knows that Blackburn’s strength this season has been at home as they showed by knocking out Chelsea & he will know that Blackburn have to aim to take a lead into the 2nd leg because of how poor their away record is.

We are expecting Blackburn Rovers to be set up to play a high tempo, physically competitive game but also attempt to keep the Aston Villa attack under control because their attacking pace will be a big concern for Blackburn’s defence.

The one major weakness for Blackburn Rovers is that they do not score enough goals & that has to be a big concern against an Aston Villa side who are well capable of being hard to break down.

Martin O’Neill & his Aston Villa players have suffered a few heavy blows to their confidence & belief in recent weeks with defeats against Arsenal & Liverpool which has rocked their Premier League hopes so this Semi Final now becomes an even game because of that.

Martin O’Neill knows this competition is a massive opportunity for Aston Villa to win a trophy & we are expecting Aston Villa to do everything they can to get to the final & give themselves a chance of winning the cup.

The defeats against Arsenal & Liverpool were a big blow to Aston Villa but they showed the character & the excellent team spirit they have by bouncing back to beat Blackburn 3-1 in the F.A. Cup & that win should give them the confidence to go for it in this match.

Martin O’Neill & his players also have the extra motivation of wanting to get revenge on Blackburn for beating them 2-1 when the sides met here in the Premier League & so we do expect a really positive, attacking Aston Villa performance here.

This should be a good game because Blackburn Rovers know they probably need to take a win into the 2nd leg while Aston Villa will want the same so there could be a few goals here & we like the look of Aston Villa as a good bet show their extra allround quality & get a vital 1st leg win.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Aston Villa to win

Correct Score options: Aston Villa to win 2-1/3-1

First goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Agbonlohar/Carew/Milner

Scorecast options: Agbonlohar/Carew/Milner score 1st & Aston Villa win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Aston Villa Half Time & Full Time

Manchester City vs Manchester United – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

What a game we have in prospect here with the great Manchester rivals of City & United clashing in what definitely could be one of the games of the season.

The local element has always dictated that these two clubs are fierce rivals but now this fixture means so much more because Manchester City are aiming to reach the incredibly high standards set by Manchester United and so this is so much more than just about getting to a cup final.

This match represents the first opportunity for the great players of Manchester City & Manchester United to show who can earn the right to claim not only the local bragging rights for fans but also to make a statement to the footballing world.

Manchester United have the motivation of wanting to defend the trophy the fought hard to win last year & the opportunity to beat Manchester City along the way is something that should inspire them to give absolutely everything here.

Alex Ferguson knows that Manchester United cannot afford to lose this tie against Manchester City & especially after being beaten by Leeds United in the F.A. Cup so we are expecting a really fierce & committed response from the Manchester United players in this one.

Manchester United always respond after losing & the pain of putting in a poor performance & losing against Leeds United will surely mean the Manchester United players come out fighting in this one & totally determined to go for the win.

Importantly for Manchester United, we expect the likes of Patrice Evra, Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs & Antonio Valencia to return to the starting line-up which should definitely improve Manchester United & make them a much more solid team unit than the one that played so poorly against Leeds.

Manchester City have made it clear that their ambitions are to get into the Champions League & to win the Premier League but this opportunity to win a domestic cup & knock out their arch rivals is a massive opportunity for them to make their mark.

Roberto Mancini is still settling in as Manchester City & indeed it will tame him some time to get used to english football but the three wins Man City have enjoyed since he took over will certainly help that process.

Admittedly the 3 wins against Stoke City, Wolves & Middlesbrough have been 3 steady introductions to english football for Roberto Mancini & indeed Man City would have been expected to have won those games no matter who was in charge but wins breed confidence & that is a big factor coming into such an important match.

Roberto Mancini rested the majority of his main players against Middlesbrough & clearly the motivation for that was to have the likes of Tevez, Bellamy, Robinho all fit & ready for this massive game and we do expect Manchester City to be really pumped up for this one.

Both Manchester City & Manchester United have shown a tendency to be fragile defensively so far this season & given the attacking quality in both squads we are expecting this to be an incredibly competitive but open match and goals do look likely to come at both ends.

The perfect example of what to expect came earlier in the season when Manchester United & Manchester City fought out the best game of the season so far with United winning 4-3 with an incredibly late goal.

That game had absolutely everything with great attacking football, excellent goals, incredibly competitive tackling & also fragile defending so the prospect are definitely for the same again here.

This is an incredibly hard game to call given what is at stake for both Manchester City & Manchester United and neither side will want to lose this match so that made the draw a very tempting option but we are going to side with Manchester United to bounce back & get a massive away win over their rivals.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Manchester United to win

Correct Score options: Manchester United to win 2-1/3-1

First goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Rooney/Berbatov/Valencia

Scorecast options: Rooney/Berbatov/Valencia score 1st & Man United win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Man United Half Time & Full Time

The Carling Cup has now reached the Quarter Final stage & this is the point at which the competition really begins to get serious & important to teams as they all know they are only 3 games away from a place in the final & so there everything is to play for.

8 Premier League teams make up the quarter finalists & to emphasise the quality left in the competition, 6 of the 8 teams are in the top 7 in the Premier League so we are expecting 4 very competitive & entertaining ties.

All 4 quarter finals look fascinating games that should provide plenty of entertainment & here are our views on the matches with the value betting recommendations we feel are worth consideration.

Manchester United vs Tottenham – (Tuesday 8.00pm)

This is a re-run of last years Carling Cup final & this definitely looks set to be a very interesting tie with both teams intent on playing positive football & going for the win.

Both Manchester United & Tottenham have had fantastic starts to the season which is born out by the fact Manchester United sit 2nd & Tottenham 3rd so we are expecting this to be a very competitive match.

The key to this match could well be the relative team selection of both sides because we are expecting Alex Ferguson to continue his policy of using his squad members & youth players to form the basis of the team & that will have a big impact on this match.

The Manchester United squad is very strong & indeed the back-up players are very talented but there can be no denying that Manchester United are not as strong & don’t carry as much attacking threat to the option without their main players just as they showed in getting beaten by Besiktas last week.

We fully expect Harry Redknapp to field his strongest possible side because he will believe Tottenham can win this trophy & certainly Tottenham’s strongest side will carry a massive threat to the Manchester United team & they will feel they can definitely win this match.

Tottenham have been in very good form & their 2nd half performance against Aston Villa will give them a lot of confidence to go & be very positive against Manchester United with their attacking pace a key factor.

This should be a fantastic game of positive, attacking football because that is the only way both Manchester United & Tottenham play the game & we do expect a few goals but the key to the match will be team knews so with Manchester United likely to playing a weaker side, that makes Tottenham appeal even more as likely winners of this match & they look a fantastic value price to do so.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Tottenham to win

Correct Score options: Tottenham to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Defoe/Keane/Krancjar

Scorecast options: Defoe/Keane/Krancjar score 1st & Tottenham win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Tottenham Half Time & Full Time

Portsmouth vs Aston Villa – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

This is a really fascinating quarter final tie with bottom club Portsmouth taking on 6th place Aston Villa & it should be a match well worth watching.

With this being a case of bottom club Portsmouth against 6th placed Aston Villa then naturally the assumption is that Aston Villa have a stronger chance to win this but the real key who wants to win it more.

Portsmouth’s sole motivation for this season has to try & survive in the Premier League so while this is cup Quarter Final, it is hard to know exactly how serious they will take this competition because league form & points is that counts right now.

Admittedly, new Portsmouth manager Avram Grant will be looking to boost confidence within the team & obviously a victory in the cup would help that but he may just be tempted to rest some of the main players in this match & that will affect how they play.

Portsmouth did get beaten 4-1 by Manchester United which sounds like a thrashing but that scoreline does not reveal that Portsmouth were the better side in the 1st half & probably should have been in front with them showing enough quality & spirit to give them confidence to be positive in this match against Aston Villa.

If Portsmouth are to succeed in this match then the key will be their defending which has been poor all season & they will have to be very, very careful against an Aston Villa side with the attacking threat of the likes of Agbonlohar, Ashley Young, Carew, Heskey & Milner.

Martin O’Neill has a main ambition of guiding Aston Villa into a top 4 finish & of course Champions League place for next season but he has also stated his desire to win a trophy so we are expecting Aston Villa to take this tie very seriously indeed.

Aston Villa have been in good, consistent form & they will see this match as a fantastic opportunity to earn a semi-final place & put themselves only 2 matches from the final.

A very important element to this match will be who scores first because that first goal will open up the game & force the team who are trailing to chase the game & given how both Portsmouth & Aston Villa play, they will both be suited by that & it should make for an excellent game.

Premier League form is more important to both Portsmouth & Aston Villa but we expect both to have a real go at winning this on the night which should make the game open & on that basis Aston Villa look a cracking bet to win this & make their extra attacking quality pay off.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Aston Villa to win

Correct Score options: Aston Villa 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Carew/Heskey/Agbonlohar

Scorecast options: Carew/Heskey/Agbonlohar score 1st & Aston Villa win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Aston Villa Half Time & Full Time

Blackburn Rovers vs Chelsea – (Wednesday 8.00pm)

Just like in the other Carling Cup matches, neither Blackburn Rovers or Chelsea will see this match or competition as a priority but we are still expecting both teams to have a go on the night.

Blackburn Rovers are an inconsistent side with mixed form but the fact this is a home tie will give them confidence given how solid they have been at Ewood Park so far this season.

Blackburn Rovers don’t have the strongest of squads & no real top class players although in David Dunn they have a creative influence who can hurt teams on his best form & he will be the key for Blackburn on the night.

Chelsea come into this match on a roll & at present it simply looks as though no team can beat them as they look supremely well balanced, solid & have quality right throughout the team.

Chelsea are dominating the Premier League at present with a 5 point lead & comfortable wins over Liverpool, Manchester United & Arsenal in the Premier League as well as equally straightforward wins in the Champions League show why Chelsea are probably the strongest side in european at this point.

Chelsea don’t concede goals, they are flexible, well balanced & strong in midfield & have great attacking variety & quality up front so they are quite simply the complete package with fantastic confidence & belief running through their entire squad.

We expect Blackburn Rovers to be more positive & competitive than would be the case in a Premier League match but nevertheless in terms of the result we can only see another comfortable win for Chelsea to continue their excellent winning form.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Chelsea to win

Correct Score options: Chelsea to win 3-0/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Lampard/Kalou/Malouda

Scorecast options: Lampard/Kalou/Malouda score 1st & Chelsea win 3-0/3-1

Double Result: Chelsea Half Time & Full Time

Manchester City vs Arsenal – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

The common theme with all the Carling Cup quarter finals is that this competition is not a priority for anybody & up until recently that would have definitely been the case for both Manchester City & Arsenal but this has suddenly become a massively important match.

Manchester City & Arsenal both come into this match experiencing problems with their form & with the pressures of expectancy mounting on them.

Mark Hughes & his Manchester City players are suddenly finding themselves under huge pressure to win with a run of 7 consecutive, dissappointing draws in the Premier League seriously damaging their Champions League ambitions.

Those 7 draws have highlighted how unbalanced & fragile the Manchester City teams looks with fantastic attacking quality combined with defensive fragility & weakness.

Mark Hughes is under immense pressure to deliver success at Manchester City & he knows that this competition has suddendly become a fantastic opportunity to attempt to win a cup so we are expecting Manchester City to be really pumped up for this match.

Arsene Wenger has had a comfortable ride as Arsenal manager & obviously that is down to his amazing achievements at the club but nearly 5 years without a trophy has started to cause unrest amongst the Arsenal fans & the pressure is definitey rising.

Up until a few weeks ago, Arsenal were going very well in the Premier League & also had qualification in the Champions League sorted out but it has all gone wrong in the last few weeks.

The biggest blow has been to lose key striker Robin Van Persie to a major injury & that has had a major impact on Arsenal’s style of play & performance levels with poor displays & damaging defeats against Sunderland & Chelsea.

Arsene Wenger knows that he has to deliver a trophy of some sort within the next couple of years & clearly this tournament is a great opportunity but the quandry for him his that he has to change his policy of playing the youth players which he seems unwilling to do.

We do expect Arsenal to play their reserve & youth players in this match & that has to be a concern for Arsenal & their hopes of winning this tie because while those young players are talented, they lack the experience & that could prove decisive.

Good, positive football looks guaranteed in this match as both teams have good motivation for wanting to win but we are going to take Manchester City to prove their strength at home by winning this & easing the pressure on Mark Hughes for now at least.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Manchester City to win

Correct Score options: Manchester City to win 3-0/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Tevez/Bellamy/Adebayor

Scorecast options: Tevez/Bellamy/Adebayor score 1st & Man City to win 3-0/3-1

Double Result: Manchester City Half Time & Full Time

Last year’s Round 4 results in stats form:

21 goals scored via the eight matches

10 goals scored in the first half—-11 in the second

5 home wins—1 draw—2 away wins (90 minutes)

Only semblance of a shock–Burnley’s eventual victory at Stamford Bridge

Seven of the eight teams that scored the first goal went on to win their respective games (five at home–2 away).

The only team that scored first and failed to win—were Chelsea!

Just two teams scored more than two goals

4 matches produced two goals or less–4 matches three goals or more

Last ten winners (moving backwards from last year):

Man Utd–Tottenham–Chelsea–Man Utd–Chelsea–Middlesbrough–Liverpool–Blackburn–Liverpool–Leicester (Tottenham have reached the last two finals)

Barnsley vs Burnley:

Fascinating game in prospect here with Championship strugglers Barnsley taking on a Burnley side who are doing very well in the Premier League & the Yorkshire vs Lancashire elements certainly adds something extra to the tie for the followers of each side.

Last season Burnley made many highlights in this competition by playing the under-dog role & beating stronger, more fancied sides so it will be very interesting to see how they cope being the strong favourites for this tie.

Owen Coyle’s clear target for this season is survival in the Premier League but given his professionalism & desire to win football matches, we expect Burnley to field a very strong side & go into this game with the determination to win it.

Barnsley are struggling to find any form at all this season & they currently sit 3rd bottom of the Championship with only 1 win in 8 & team confidence is bound to be low at present which makes it tough taking on a side as strong as Burnley.

Mark Robins has taken over as manager of Barnsley & I am sure he will be looking for Barnsley to put on a good performance in this game but for us Burnley are clearly a better, stronger side & they represent a good value bet to get the away win here & progress to the next round.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright match betting: Burnley to win

Correct score options: Burnley to win 2-1/3-1

First goalscorer options: Patterson/Blake/Nugent

Double Result: Burnley Half Time & Full Time