12 Jun 2019
There are four Football League Cup games taking place on Wednesday evening and we take a look at some potential betting opportunities for each:
EVERTON v ROTHERHAM (7.45pm)
Rotherham are huge outsiders for their trip to Goodison Park as they bid to cause a major upset.
Everton have won one of their first three Premier League games, while the Millers have made a fair start to the Championship, having bounced straight back into the second tier following relegation at the end of the 2016/17 season.
They have beaten the likes of Ipswich and Millwall in the league, while downing Wigan in the last round of this competition, so have belied their critics somewhat.
Everton could rest players but their strength in depth makes an upset unlikely.
However, historically, the Toffeemen do not have a great record, beating the Millers just four times in the last 10 clashes. Conversely, they scored three times in each of the last three meetings at Goodison. It is 4/7 that Everton lead at half-time and, on the handicap, Everton -3 goals is on offer at 14/5.
That might tempt a few, especially if putting faith in another trend: Four of the last five meetings saw one or other side fail to net. It is The Genting Casino football odds are 3/4 for that trend to continue.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST v NEWCASTLE (7.45pm)
On paper, this is one of the ties of the round, with the Championship side hosting the Premier League outfit at the City Ground.
Rafa Benitez has already stated his intention to field a weakened side as he insists he does not have the strength in depth to devote resources to this competition. It seems a rather negative approach and one that purely financial, as it is imperative that the Magpies stay in the lucrative Premier League. Newcastle’s odds remain at 5/4 to win this tie, however.
Forest have made an unbeaten start to the season under Altor Karanka, picking up points in all five games, although they have drawn four of them.
They spent well in the summer, bringing in Benfica’s Joao Carvalho for £13.2m and paid Bournemouth an undisclosed fee, thought to be around £6m, for Lewis Grabban. The 30-year-old striker scored 20 goals on loan spells with Sunderland and Aston Villa last season and may be a bit of value at 8/5 to score at any time against Newcastle.
Punters putting faith in historic trends may look at the last 10 meetings, which all saw a positive result and given Newcastle’s promise to field and under-strength side, the 8/15 on offer for a Forest win or a draw might prove a fair bet.
Newcastle have been shuffling their defensive pieces and will likely do so again, so there will be some interest in taking the 17/20 for over 2.5 goals in the game. The four previous clashes yielded three goals or more.
MILLWALL v PLYMOUTH (7.45pm)
‘The Den’ in its old and new guises has not been a happy hunting ground for Plymouth over the years and they are 6/1 to win and break a 51-year hoodoo in south London.
Millwall are unbeaten in 16 home meetings with Plymouth, who last beat the Lions on their own patch in January 1967. In that time, Millwall won 10 of the 16 meetings, drawing the other six.
And the League One side have won just one of the last 11 meetings. Seven of those 11 clashes yielded three goals or more and given that Championship side Millwall have suffered defeats at Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham in recent weeks, and will be without Shaun Hutchinson and cup-tied Tom Bradshaw, goals could be on the cards again.
The Pilgrims looked poor in a 5-1 reverse to Peterborough United at the weekend and the Genting Casino football odds of 4/5 for over 2.5 goals in the game will interest some.
Millwall’s fine record against the Pilgrims will also tempt bettors onto taking them at 6/5 to win with over 2.5 goals scored in total.
READING v WATFORD (8pm)
Another Championship side taking on Premier League opposition are Reading, who face a Watford side that has won each of its last three Premier League games and sit at the top of the table with Liverpool and Tottenham.
Reading are expected to field a much-changed team from the one that drew at Aston Villa at the weekend. They have struggled this term, and have yet to record a victory in the League, their only success coming with a 2-0 win over Birmingham in the last round.
Reading are 7/2 to beat Watford, who have a fine record here, having lost on just one of their last eight visits.
The Hornets are 8/11 to win and it is worth noting that in the last 19 meetings, the home side has won just four times. Watford to win and both teams to score is on offer at 14/5.
They are 7/10 to score the first goal and given Reading’s ineptitude in front of goal, with just four goals in five Championship outings, that may interest some.
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