Although many consider the Capital One Cup almost pointless and far behind the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in importance it still offers the first opportunity for teams to get their hands on silverware each season. This Tuesday and Wednesday sees the first legs from the semi finals as winners in 1972 take on the eight times champions and two time losing finalists take on a side that won their third title in four finals in 2014 in Stoke v Liverpool and Everton v Man City.
We preview both first leg clashes with online sportsbook 10Bet.com to provide our best Capital One Cup Semi Finals picks.
Stoke v Liverpool: 2.95 – 3.10 – 2.50
These two sides meet for the second time this season following a 1-0 away win at the Britannia for Liverpool on the opening weekend of the EPL season and although the side are now managed by Jurgen Klopp instead of Brendan Rodgers they are once again favoured to emerge victorious. However, Stoke have shown this season that they are a fighting team who can see off anyone on their day, and they have done on this ground with wins over Chelsea and both Manchester clubs in recent games, and with four clean sheets and four wins in these games in their last five on home soil they will fancy their chances at revenge from the league defeat in August.
Mark Hughes’ me have seen off Luton Town, Fulham, Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday to reach this final four stage and they showed their character by winning two of these games in penalty shootouts too. They have been boosted by the news that Geoff Cameron will be eligible to play as the FA overturned his red card at the weekend and this will see the home team at full strength for this game. Liverpool, however, are struggling with strikers Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi and Danny Ings out injured while midfielders Jordan Henderson and James Milner will be on the sidelines with injuries too.
Liverpool were shaky at the start of their Capital One Cup campaign as they saw off Carlisle on penalties before edging Bournemouth 1-0 but a 6-1 thumping of Southampton in the last round will see them confident for this match. The question is are they consistent enough to win as their last seven games in all competitions have seen three losses, two draws and two wins. We think not and we can see Stoke being up for this match more than the side struggling for goals as they aim to move towards their first League Cup Final in 44 years and we are backing them in this first leg, but we are covering ourselves too.
Our top Stoke v Liverpool tip is Stoke on the Draw No Bet market @ 2.05 in the 10Bet Sportsbook!
Everton v Man City: 3.65 – 3.60 – 2.00
The first leg of the second Capital One Cup semi final also sees the second team from Merseyside in action as Everton welcome Manchester City to Goodison Park for the second occasion this season following the three time winners of the League Cup triumphed 2-0 through goals from Aleksandar Kolarov and Samir Nasri at the end of August. That extended their unbeaten run against The Toffees to five matches, winning four of those, and with them having ended their appalling away form at Watford at the weekend with a late comeback victory they enter this match as the even money favourites with 10Bet to bring a lead back to The Etihad Stadium.
They certainly have looked impressive as they navigated their way to the final four stage as they netted 13 goals in three games against Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Hull. They are yet to keep a clean sheet in the competition, but with their hosts coming into this match with just one victory in six and having not reached the final since 1984 it will be Manuel Pellegrini’s men who are the most confident.
Everton certainly have the players to push their guests all the way and with captain Vincent Kompany still missing for City we can see them getting at least one goal in this match, but we feel that City’s free scoring style in this competition will be too much for Roberto Martinez’s side and we’re backing the away win this Wednesday evening.
Our best Everton v Man City bet is the Away Win and Both Teams to Score – Yes at odds of 3.20 with 10Bet.com.