Expert Jury: Tottenham unlikely to pose serious threat to ruthless Chelsea

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 Joe Casey: Arsenal’s poor start to the campaign has been well publicised but they did rack up 30 shots in their 1-0 win over Norwich and seem to be over most of their early-season injury concerns. The Gunners will also have had two days more rest than a Burnley side who have just one point so far and tamely surrendered their lead against Everton on Monday night.

Racing Post's Henry Hardwicke: I have been impressed with Birmingham in the early part of the Championship season and they look a good bet at Peterborough. Lee Bowyer is an excellent manager and the signing of Troy Deeney has got Blues buzzing. West Brom's late winner at the ABAX Stadium seems to have sapped Posh's confidence and they have suffered a couple of crushing defeats at Sheffield United and Reading since.

Racing Post's James Milton: Nice to beat Monaco in Ligue 1 on Sunday. Christophe Galtier's men have won their last three matches by an aggregate score of 10-0, including a 4-0 win over champions Lille, and it could have been four in a row as they were 1-0 up on Marseille when that game was abandoned due to crowd trouble. Monaco have lost three of their last four to nil and face a tough test against their Cote d'Azur rivals.

Charlie Walker from Betfred: Sutton away at Exeter. I think they started a lot better than their results first suggested and they picked up a fully-deserved win against Hartlepool in midweek, following up from last weekend’s victory against Stevenage. They can make it three on the bounce when they visit St James Park.

Who are the most vulnerable favourites?

Joe Casey: I wouldn’t be steaming into Aston Villa when they take on Everton in the late kick-off. Dean Smith’s side look like they are yet to work out their best shape after Jack Grealish’s departure and Rafael Benitez has breathed new life into the Toffees, who have dropped just two points so far this season.

Henry Hardwicke: I'm not sure QPR should be odds-on to beat Bristol City. Rangers have made a decent start, but talk of a playoff place or even automatic promotion seems a little optimistic. The Hoops have beaten only Hull, Coventry and Middlesbrough and you have to ask questions of a defence that has shipped ten goals in seven second-tier games. The Robins lack quality, but they are tough to beat and they could shock Shepherd's Bush.

James Milton: Juventus have lost two of their first three Serie A matches in Massimiliano Allegri's second spell at the club and things won't get any easier against Milan. The Rossoneri have won their first three in the league this term, played their part in a thrilling 3-2 midweek defeat at Liverpool in the Champions League, and won 3-0 away to Juve in May – when the Old Lady still had Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line.

Charlie Walker: I’m not sure why Norwich are close to even-money against Watford in a rematch of a game they lost at the end of last season when the league title hadn’t yet been clinched. I also wouldn’t want to be laying Ipswich at big prices away at Lincoln – results must come good soon for the Tractor Boys.

Where's the value for Tottenham v Chelsea on Sunday?

Joe Casey: Tottenham top the Premier League card list after four games and discipline could be an issue again with a disrupted backline up against Romelu Lukaku. Christian Romero to be shown a card looks the best bet at 11-4. He averaged 12 cards a season in Serie A and looks likely to be thrown back in at the deep end on his return from international duty.

Henry Hardwicke: Under 2.5 goals. Tottenham look a fair way off Chelsea’s level this season and it seems clear that new boss Nuno Espirito Santo is going to take a cautious approach. Spurs have managed only three goals in their opening four Premier League games, and for all that Chelsea are an excellent side, they are hardly all-out attack under Thomas Tuchel.

James Milton: Chelsea are bigger than 6-4 to be leading at half-time and that looks a good bet given that Nuno's teams rarely seem to blast out of the traps. Chelsea, in contrast, have scored first in all four Premier League games this term, in the 27th, 15th, 22nd and 15th minutes, and they would have been leading at the break in all four but for Mohamed Salah's penalty in first-half stoppage time at Anfield.

Charlie Walker: Chelsea to win and under 3.5 goals has been a go-to bet recently. This game will feature two of the best strikers in the Premier League but I can’t see either manager wanting to give up easy chances and I expect a cagey game to be won by the Blues.

Which team or player caught the eye in this week's Champions League?

Joe Casey: Jude Bellingham was hugely impressive for Dortmund against Besiktas. He hit the headlines with a goal and an assist but I was most struck by how comfortable he was on the ball. He looked the best ball player on the park by a country mile and at 18 years old, he is already showing why Birmingham retired his number.

Henry Hardwicke: I watched Inter v Real Madrid and I was impressed by the Italians despite the defeat. The Nerazzurri won the shot count 13-6 and it wouldn’t surprise me if they turned the tables on Real in the return fixture. There were some high-profile departures from San Siro in the summer, but Inter seem to have made a decent job of sourcing replacements.

James Milton: There was a lot to like about Club Brugge's performance in their 1-1 draw with Paris St-Germain in which Scotland defender Jack Hendry and goalscorer Hans Vanaken were particularly impressive. With so many Belgian players scattered around Europe's top clubs, it is nice to see the elegant 29-year-old attacking midfielder Vanaken starring on the international and Champions League stages despite having spent his entire career in Belgium.

Charlie Walker: A couple of youngsters that everyone knows about but probably don’t watch all that often, Jamal Musiala and Jude Bellingham – I thought both were superb. The pair of them are in capable hands and I expect to see them both go far in this year’s competition and in their careers.

Who wins the EFL Cup?

Joe Casey: This competition is usually fought out by those at the top of the Premier League, with Manchester City dominating over the last few years. Given Chelsea’s strength in depth and Thomas Tuchel’s tactical ability in one-off games, the Blues look a value punt to lift the trophy.

Henry Hardwicke: It's difficult to see past Manchester City making it five EFL Cups on the bounce. City have an unrivaled squad depth, which allows them to rotate in the early rounds of the competition, before recalling the big-hitters at the business end. A third-round home tie against Wycombe is a nice start, and with four all-Premier League clashes in the next round of fixtures, a few of the live chances could go out of the competition.

James Milton: Manchester City are hard to oppose but Arsenal's odds may well shorten significantly without them having to do much. They thumped West Brom 6-0 in the previous round to set up a home tie against AFC Wimbledon and under-pressure boss Mikel Arteta cannot afford to take any competition lightly. The Gunners won the FA Cup in Arteta's first season and the lack of Europa League football could help them go deep in this competition.

Charlie Walker: I expect it to stay put at the Etihad. Manchester City’s strength in depth surpasses everyone else in the competition and when you have the ability to put out such a strong second team, as Pep Guardiola does, it should be a stroll to the latter stages.

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