Mark O’Haire’s Capital One Cup Tips – Wednesday

It’s been an underwhelming start to life under Jurgen Klopp for Liverpool fans. The hype of three weeks ago has dissipated and standard service resumed with the Reds trundling their way to three successive draws under the charismatic German’s tutelage.

Liverpool v Bournemouth, Wednesday 28 October 19.45, Sky Sports 1
Those with glasses half full will point towards Klopp’s unbeaten start but supporters will want the ex-Dortmund boss to scratch the winless itch by beating Bournemouth in the Capital One Cup fourth round encounter on Wednesday night. However, odds of 2/5 on a home success make little appeal.

Liverpool face a crunch Premier League trip to Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime and with skipper Jordan Henderson, top goal-getter Daniel Sturridge, midfield schemer James Milner plus the likes of Joe Gomez and Danny Ings all absent, you’d be mad to find the faith to back the hosts at such a short price considering they’ve W2-D5-L1 of their last eight Anfield dates.

Include all competitions and away days and Liverpool have won just once in 12 games since beating Bournemouth back in August under controversial circumstances.

The Reds have bagged just one victory in eight League Cup ties in front of their home fans in recent years and will no doubt have their eyes set on Saturday’s match-up.

Of course, the Cherries have troubles of their own in similar departments. Top marksman Callum Wilson has been joined on the long-term injury list by Harry Arter, Tyrone Mings, Max Gradel and Tommy Elphick to rock the Premier League debutants and back-to-back 5-1 mauling’s have sent the south-coast club tumbling down the table.

Glenn Murray is cup tied for this trip and with just one league win in eight games since August, it’s difficult to find the faith in a rotated, injury-hit and out-of-form Cherries team to do the business. Like their hosts, Eddie Howe will be concentrating on the league with a derby fixture against Southampton coming up this weekend.

So instead of plumping for either side, it might well be worth entering the goals markets. Liverpool have now gone seven games without shutting out opposition at Anfield with Both Teams To Score proving successful in six of those matches. The BTTS bet has also been a profitable angle in nine of their previous 10 contests.

The Cherries are also fond of the popular market – notching in each of their last 10 games with Both Teams To Score banking in their most recent five and four on the spin whilst on the road. BoyleSports have chalked up a repeat at 5/6 this midweek.

Recommended Bet:
Both Teams To Score @ 5/6

Southampton v Aston Villa, Wednesday 28 October, 19.45
Aston Villa dismissed Tim Sherwood after their weekend loss at home to Swansea and it was no major surprise with the Villans managing a paltry W2-D2-L8 from their 12 fixtures this term.

Naturally, those results are far from fetching but we shouldn’t rule out odds of 15/8 on Villa snatching a shock win or taking their Capital One Cup tie at Southampton to extra-time.

More often than not, results do pick up when managers are moved on.

With players eager to impress a potential new boss in the stands, an uplift in Villa’s standards and performances at St Mary’s can be expected.

For all the Villans’ woes, they’ve suffered just one defeat by more than one goal this term and that certainly suggests the margins are small. With Southampton managing just four wins in 13, one clean sheet in six on home soil (leaking at least twice on three separate occasions) and a much-changed side on show, Villa could well avoid defeat and reward us at a handsome price.

Recommended Bet:
Double Chance – Aston Villa or Draw @ 15/8

*Prices correct at time of publication