The elite sides in the Premier League join the EFL Cup this week, as the competition hits the third round. We now have all of the sides involved, so one of them is likely starting their run to the trophy this week. Will Jose Mourinho guide his United side to this trophy again, or will he discard the League Cup after winning it last term? Getting an early trophy on the board is key for Mourinho, although in his second season he tends to focus on the league. On top of that, there are plenty of rivals battling for glory.
With so many big games in the EFL Cup this week, we can see quite a few goals. The third round tends to be littered with rotated squads and shocks, making goals even more likely. We’ve decided to take advantage of that, by putting together a both teams to score accumulator for this week’s matches. We’re expecting a few top flight sides to struggle, while there’s likely to be a few thrilling encounters. Ahead of the EFL Cup third round, take a look at our BTTS picks for the midweek action below.
Tuesday 19th September 2017
- Bournemouth v Brighton (4/5 with Betfred) – After Bournemouth’s 2-1 win when these two met on Friday, it’s hard to back against goals here. Both sides are likely to rotate in defence, and we can see even more chances when they meet in the cup.
- Bristol City v Stoke (7/10 with Ladbrokes) – Bristol City have made a great start this season, scoring plenty in the Championship and winning 3-1 at Watford in this competition. Stoke have goals in their side, but they’ve started poorly, so we’re backing BTTS.
- Burnley v Leeds (13/15 with Betfair) – This is going to be a heated affair, especially after Chris Wood’s switch from Leeds to Burnley. Having made a strong start, expect Leeds to hurt a much-changed Burnley outfit.
- Crystal Palace v Huddersfield (4/5 with BetVictor) – Huddersfield’s defensive organisation left them in the last round, having failed to keep a clean sheet against Rotherham. They did manage to score three against Palace in their last trip here, so we see goals on both sides.
- Leicester v Liverpool (8/13 with Coral) – Leicester should be taking this competition seriously, while Jurgen Klopp has made the semis at least in two seasons in England. Both sides are lop-sided, with a packed attack and problems in defence, so this should be a great game.
Wednesday 20th September 2017
- Chelsea v Nottingham Forest (27/20 with Coral) – Chelsea are expected to make sweeping changes to their starting XI, which saw Bristol City score twice here last season. Forest have made a high scoring start to the season, and they can grab a goal here.
- West Brom v Man City (19/20 with Ladbrokes) – City are expected to rotate their defence for this one, which will leave them vulnerable to most sides. While they have firepower up front in reserve, there’s going to be little resistance for West Brom to face going forward.