EFL Cup outright predictions, betting odds and tips: Liverpool the value to defend their crown

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Liverpool
2pts 10-1 general

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EFL Cup outright preview

EFL Cup surprises have been non-existent since Swansea's shock 66-1 success in 2013, with the 11 years since featuring six wins for Manchester City, a couple for Liverpool and Manchester United and a sole victory for Chelsea in 2015.

That suggests, in a schedule that is now busier than ever before, it can pay to stick with the heavy hitters who are blessed with squad depth and that is why the all-conquering Citizens are dominating the betting at 11-4.

However, Pep Guardiola's side have failed to reach the final in the last three seasons since making it four successive EFL Cup victories in 2021 and they look a tad short in comparison to their title rivals.

Arsenal are next in line at 8-1 but the Premier League is surely going to be Mikel Arteta's main objective, which means Liverpool, winners against Chelsea in last season's final and in 2022, may be the value bet.

Arne Slot would love to claim some silverware in his first season since replacing Jurgen Klopp as manager and the early indications have been positive with the Reds winning their opening two Premier League games 2-0 against Ipswich and Brentford.

Liverpool have looked full of energy and their big players have hit the ground running, which suggests it may be a more effortless transition from Klopp to Slot than may have initially been anticipated.

They are the same price as Chelsea and in the similar region in the market to Newcastle, who don't boast the same quality nor depth and the Magpies also enter a round earlier, beginning with a tough trip to Nottingham Forest.

Klopp left Slot with a squad that he can succeed with and this competition should allow Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Harvey Elliott and Conor Bradley to stake their claim for a starting berth in the league.

Manchester United, EFL Cup heroes in 2022-23 and FA Cup winners last season, are also prominent in the betting but they lack consistency and their normal standards rarely match those achievements.

Chelsea, given their wealth of options, will have their followers but they are a very Jekyll and Hyde outfit and Enzo Maresca has a task on his hands to keep the biggest squad in the Premier League happy.

This competition may be pretty low down the pecking order for Aston Villa, who have to manage their maiden Champions League campaign, and although legitimate cases can be made for Brighton and West Ham, Tottenham make slightly more appeal as they come in a round later.

Spurs have strengthened sufficiently over the summer and, having claimed no domestic silverware since winning this trophy in 2008, manager Ange Postecoglou should be keen to stop that rot.

Spurs have realistic top-four ambitions and they have Europa League football to contend with, but Postecoglou has more than just a starting line-up at his disposal and makeshift changes won't weaken them dramatically.

Runners-up in 2021 and semi-finalists in 2022, Spurs now may be ready to take that next step and add a much-needed trophy to the cabinet.

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