The 2021/22 season concluded with Liverpool achieving a domestic double, winning both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in thrilling penalty shoot-outs against Chelsea. After a 16-year absence from winning the FA Cup, Liverpool returned to the winner’s circle just months after reclaiming their spot as the most successful League Cup side in English football.
Chelsea will be looking back on the previous season asking themselves ‘what could have been’ after two very impressive domestic cup runs, to fall short at the final hurdle. Meanwhile, Manchester City’s early exit in the Carabao Cup to West Ham – and Wembley dismantling by Liverpool – has resulted in an uncharacteristic trophyless season in the domestic cup competitions.
Ahead of the 2022/23 season, the footballing landscape continues to evolve as sides look to bring in fresh faces, with the added logistical problem of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Manchester City continue to bring fresh talent into their ranks but simultaneously have lost long-standing dressing room leaders over the last three seasons. So what does this mean for our early betting tips?
FA Cup Betting Tips
Liverpool and Chelsea will be looking again to repeat their successful FA Cup runs and book further visits to Wembley, however both may turn their attention back to the Premier League in efforts to break up the Manchester City dominance. City themselves will be looking at last season’s semi-final loss to Liverpool with a bitter taste in their mouth as they struggled to find answers to Jurgen Klopp’s side on the day, and will want to better last season’s campaign.
Expectedly favourites, Manchester City are priced well at 10/3 and provide value that isn’t often associated with the domestic cup juggernauts. The addition of Erling Haaland only strengthens an almost faultless City side who will be hoping injury problems dissipate ahead of the coming season.
Dark Horses
Antonio Conte’s Tottenham side continue to evolve after several seasons of inconsistency and lack of direction. Speculation continues around star man Harry Kane; however, despite this, the future is beginning to look bright at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium. Whilst ambitions will be to close the gap in the league to Liverpool and Manchester City, by the time the FA Cup begins, the picture should start to be painted for who the focus will be on for the league title. Should Tottenham not be in the mix, Spurs supporters will be expecting attention to turn to the cup competitions within which the FA Cup provides a solid opportunity for success with healthy odds of 8/1.
Any £10 wager on the FA Cup outright winner earns you a guaranteed £50 in free bets when you bet with bet365.
Similar can also be said for David Moyes’ West Ham side as they showed their cup prowess in last season’s Europa League. Efforts on two fronts with two-legged ties and an outsiders chance at Champions League qualification saw them fall just short, however the stand-alone ties in the FA Cup could provide West Ham another opportunity to reach Wembley. Certainly the outsider bet, odds of 20/1 could provide great value should West Ham be able to keep hold of their star players.
Carabao Cup Betting Tips
In what eventually became a dress rehearsal in hindsight for the FA Cup Final, Liverpool again came out on top of Chelsea through a thrilling Penalty Shootout in 2022’s Carabao Cup Final. Manchester City and Liverpool again are the natural favourites, however, expect both sides to have their attention on League and Champions League campaigns after significant investment already from both on bringing in new faces.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification last season, however, they reinforced the progress being made under Artetas stewardship. With many top sides turning their attention away from the Carabao Cup until the latter stages of the competition, this could provide Arteta’s young Arsenal side with an opportunity to experience winning silverware in the early stages of their development. Odds of 12/1 certainly make them a value pick as new signings replace controversial characters as positive reshuffles continue at the Emirates.
Dark Horses
Erik Ten Hag could look to the Carabao Cup to make a fast start to life at Old Trafford. He comes into a Manchester United side lacking belief and direction, however, should he make a fast start, it could be fruitful to turn towards an early attempt to add silverware to the trophy cabinet. This United side needs a feel-good story, and quickly, with many supporters becoming disillusioned at the lack of progress on the pitch. Odds of 10/1 – whilst not as healthy as Arsenal – still provide good value here, and an outsider’s bet could prove fruitful.
Any £10 wager on the Carabao Cup outright winner earns you a guaranteed £50 in free bets when you bet with bet365.
Elsewhere, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side will be well backed again this transfer window, and after a positive start to life under their new ownership regime, settled signings look to have hit the ground running. Likely not to be pushing for Champions League qualification just yet as investment flows into the Toon side, this leaves a slight margin for attention to be turned outside of the league position. Odds of 16/1 solidify Newcastle as a certain ‘outsider’ but Howe’s side is certainly talented, and with the introduction of more talent to surround talisman Allan Saint-Maximin, the Toon side looks a much more threatening prospect this season.
