Stoke v Tottenham EFL Cup predictions: free betting tips and where to watch

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Stoke v Tottenham in Wednesday's EFL Cup quarter-final.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Football, 5.30pm Wednesday

Best bets

Tottenham & under 3.5 goals
1pt 6-4 Betway

Team news

Stoke
Keeper Joe Bursik is cup-tied. Joe Allen, Jon Obi Mikel, Sam Clucas, Nick Powell and several others are crocked. Michael O'Neill will rest one or two more.

Tottenham
Giovani Lo Celso is a doubt. Joe Hart, Ben Davies, Matt Doherty and Gareth Bale are likely to start.

Match preview

Even at this late stage of the League Cup there will be changes made by Michael O'Neill and Jose Mourinho in the midst of this most hectic of seasons, so Tottenham's greater depth makes them an appealing bet.

Stoke are in decent enough form in the Championship with three clean sheets in a row and just one loss in seven games.

They have got to the quarter-finals without shipping a single goal in four games including 1-0 wins over Wolves and Aston Villa.

In contrast, Tottenham are without a win in three which means, inevitably, the knives are being sharpened for Mourinho, though it's doubtful that bothers him too much.

However, the Stoke defence who are performing so manfully in tier two will have at least one key member missing as keeper Joe Bursik is cup-tied and the alternatives look quite scary if you're a Potters' fan.

Mourinho could be giving starts to Joe Hart, Ben Davies, Matt Doherty, Steven Bergwijn, Gareth Bale and a few more in a dazzling display of squad depth.

It's still a match the grumpy Spurs boss would rather not have but he also loves winning trophies and another final is within touching distance.

Spurs have been excellent this season, especially away. They have played on the road 12 times and lost just twice, one of which was at Liverpool.

There was a perceived sense of inferiority at home to Leicester but Mourinho was wary of the Foxes on the break and preached a degree of caution. They are sixth in the Premier League, just two points behind Leicester in second and can be forgiven a couple of bum notes in a start to a season that most people were praising just a few weeks ago.

It may pay not to expect loads of goals in a game where intensity levels could drop. Between them these sides have played six League Cup ties which have yielded a grand total of five goals. If Spurs win, it'll be a low scorer so a punt on Tottenham and under 3.5 goals appeals most.

Key stat

Stoke's last seven games have produced only six goals.

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