The only mid-season silverware in English football is up for grabs as the League Cup reaches its business end in January, with a heavily anticipated set of heavyweight semi-final ties around the corner.
Defending champions Newcastle United remain in the mix, but the best betting sites in the UK don’t favour them to retain the title, with the Premier League’s leading duo, Arsenal and Manchester City, still in the competition, along with perennial title threats Chelsea.
In fact, all three rivals have better betting odds than Newcastle for lifting the trophy in March.
Eddie Howe’s side bested Liverpool in last year’s final to lift the trophy for the first time and could now become only the third side this century to defend the crown, alongside the two Manchester clubs.
However, the Magpies must first overcome Pep Guardiola’s high-flying team in the semi-finals, which might prove easier said than done, considering the Cityzens are back on track after last season’s woes.
Arsenal and Chelsea are set to renew hostilities in the other two-legged semi-final tie, with the former seeking their first League Cup triumph since the early 1990s.
Only Liverpool, Man City, and Man Utd have conquered this competition more often than the Blues in the 21st century, but the last of their three titles this millennium arrived in 2015.
Chelsea Vs Arsenal
Chelsea’s road to the semi-finals has been pretty much straightforward, even though two of their three League Cup victories this season came by a narrow one-goal margin.
Enzo Maresca’s side squeezed past lower-league Lincoln City in the opening round before a nerve-shredding 4-3 win over Premier League basement boys Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Then, they beat Cardiff City 3-1 to set up this all-London showdown, where they face long odds against an Arsenal side brimming with confidence and silverware ambitions.
Priced at 2.9 to halt Arsenal’s pursuit of their first League Cup title since 1993, Chelsea must defy not only the bookies’ expectations but also their recent struggles in this fixture.
Indeed, the Blues have failed to beat Arsenal in their last eight meetings in the Premier League since a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium in August 2021, highlighting the magnitude of the task ahead.
It’s hardly surprising that the bookies view the Gunners as favourites to progress (2.35), given that Mikel Arteta’s men are leading the way in the league and, overall, look unstoppable.
Yet, after a pair of 2-0 wins over Port Vale and Brighton & Hove Albion, Arsenal had to survive a dramatic penalty shootout against Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals.
Newcastle United Vs Manchester City
Despite their status as the reigning holders, Newcastle remain the least-favoured team to win the trophy this season (7.5), perhaps due to their underwhelming form against top-flight opponents.
However, the Magpies defied their lacklustre league form to beat fellow London rivals Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur in their last two League Cup fixtures.
Unfortunately for Howe, his charges have since gone winless in back-to-back league clashes against Chelsea (2-2) and Man Utd (0-1), further derailing their top-four hopes.
Facing Man City must, therefore, look terrifying.
That said, Newcastle won their last encounter against the Cityzens and came out on top when the two teams met in this competition in September 2023.
Revenge will be at the forefront of Guardiola’s mind, as Man City head into the semi-finals as the bookies’ favourites (2.5) to clinch the title and close the gap on record-time winners Liverpool.
Seeking their ninth League Cup title, Guardiola’s men have eased past Huddersfield Town, Swansea City, and Brentford in the opening three rounds, with each win yielding two-goal margins.
Still, it’s worth noting that they’ve not won this competition since 2021, though they can draw confidence from their scintillating seven-game winning streak, bookended by a 3-0 rout of West Ham United on Boxing Day.
