Expert Jury: Liverpool should add more silverware to their EFL Cup success

We asked our top team of writers and a leading odds-compiler for their thoughts on this week's big talking points and this is how they answered...

What is your best football bet this weekend?

Racing Post's Steve Davies: Swindon are star turns on the road having won a League Two-high ten games on their travels. They've also had three away wins in cup competition as well. They've been to Forest Green and won, to Port Vale and won, and more recently to a resurgent Carlisle and Bradford and won, so they're well capable of landing the odds at Rochdale.

Racing Post's Liam Flin: In the Bundesliga, Stuttgart are worth chancing in the draw-no-bet market against Arminia Bielefeld. Stuttgart have taken seven points from their last three league fixtures to pull clear of the drop zone, while Bielefeld have lost their last four matches without getting on the scoresheet in any of them.

Racing Post's Jack Ogalbe: Leeds to beat Southampton. Jesse Marsch has added some steel and extra spirit to the Whites. In contrast, the Saints lost their four games heading into the international break and are one of a number of teams with nothing to play for.

Stephen McDonnell of BoyleSports: MK Dons are a great bet at home to Shrewsbury at a shade of odds-on. The Dons are unbeaten in their last 12 matches and will want to keep the pressure on Wigan and Rotherham for that automatic promotion spot.

Who are the most vulnerable favourites?

Steve Davies: Coventry and Blackburn are two of the stutterers in the Championship playoff race as the pressure ratchets up. Coventry are around 11-10 shots at home to Blackburn which looks too short given they've won only one of their last six. Admittedly Rovers are also on the wobble but they can avoid defeat in what looks a tense affair.

Liam Flin: I would not rush to back Lazio at odds-on against Sassuolo in Serie A. Although they have had some time to reflect, Lazio were humbled 3-0 in the Rome derby in their last league game and Sassuolo are not a good team to be playing right now. The Neroverdi are loaded with quality in the final third and have won four of their last five matches.

Jack Ogalbe: Brighton are odds-on but they've lost their last six Premier League games and their season looks to be meandering aimlessly towards May 22. Norwich are also on a run of six straight defeats but at least they have survival to aim for and could grab a vital victory.

Stephen McDonnell: Manchester United look vulnerable at home to Leicester. The Foxes' away form this year has been poor but on their day they can perform and will enter this fixture with all the pressure on the hosts. Leicester +1 on the handicap looks the bet for me.

How many trophies will Liverpool win this season?

Steve Davies: I'm going to say two – although pinpointing the one to come isn't easy. They've got the toughest draw possible in the FA Cup, know they are in for a brute of a semi-final in the Champions League if they get Bayern, and I'd still rather be with Manchester City in the title race. But this is such a good Liverpool side that they'll add one more gong to the League Cup.

Liam Flin: I'll go with two and I think the second will be the Champions League. It is a competition Jurgen Klopp and his team know well and they have been given a favourable draw against Benfica in the next round. The Premier League is Manchester City's to lose and Klopp has struggled to make an impact in the FA Cup with the Reds since his arrival.

Jack Ogalbe: Winning the EFL Cup gives Liverpool real impetus and I fancy them to beat Benfica and, probably, Bayern in the Champions League, and then the final is anyone's. The Reds will surely add another trophy to their tally but I think we'll know more after their trip to the Etihad next weekend.

Stephen McDonnell: Now entering the crucial final phase of the season, I fancy Liverpool to add at least one more trophy to their collection. In my opinion their main chance will come in the Champions League.

Name one outright fancy for any of the three European competitions

Steve Davies: I was more than happy with Bayern Munich for the Champions League a round back and certainly see no reason to desert them now. It would be nice if they could get the Bundesliga wrapped up early and Villarreal will definitely present a formidable test. But Bayern's firepower sees them through and on to glory.

Liam Flin: I previously went for Marseille to win the Europa Conference League and I stand by that. The only team above them in the outright betting are inconsistent Roma and the Ligue 1 club received a fairly decent draw against PAOK in the quarter-finals. In Dimitri Payet, Arkadiusz Milik and Cedric Bakambu, they have the attacking firepower to go the distance.

Jack Ogalbe: Barcelona have to be confident of winning the Europa League. After going through the mire in recent years, a European trophy would be a nice way to properly start their reset. Xavi seems to be on to a good thing and his Barca side look a step ahead of their rivals.

Stephen McDonnell: Barcelona to win the Europa League. Barca have found form at the right time of the season and I would be surprised if they didn’t at least reach the final. The appointment of Xavi and recent signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have reinforced morale at Camp Nou.

Give us a winner on the midweek coupon

Steve Davies: Bodo/Glimt's nine home games in Europe this season have produced 29 goals, including an astonishing 6-1 romp past Roma in the group stage of the Conference League. They meet again in Norway in the last eight and it's a big price that the Glimt fairytale goes on by beating Jose Mourinho's men once again. At the very least, back both teams to score & over 2.5 goals.

Liam Flin: Leicester have not impressed me at all this season and even their two-legged win over Rennes in the last round of the Europa Conference League was unconvincing. I fancy PSV, who are flying domestically and dismantled Copenhagen in the last 16, to pull off a big win at the King Power Stadium.

Jack Ogalbe: West Ham to beat Lyon on Thursday in the Europa League. Yes, I've probably got my claret-tinted spectacles on, but if you can beat Sevilla at home, this current Lyon side, currently lacking their usual stardust and entrenched in mid-table mediocrity in Ligue 1, shouldn't give you too much trouble.

Stephen McDonnell: There are a lot of short favourites in midweek but West Ham at even-money looks a bet when they host Lyon. They will want to have a lead going into the second leg and their home form has been pretty good this season.

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