The second round of the Carabao Cup plays out over Tuesday and Wednesday nights this week. Our EFL Cup tips highlight some value in underdogs who can outrun their odds against out-of-form bigger fish.
EFL Cup second round best bets
Everton vs Doncaster – Under 2.5 total goals @ 8/5
Fleetwood to beat Rotherham @ 19/10
West Ham vs Bournemouth – Draw @ 13/5
Bet on the latest EFL Cup odds at Betzone
Donny can make it a tricky night for the Toffees in EFL Cup reunion
Everton meet Doncaster at the second-round stage for the second season in succession but look queasy 3/10 favourites even before any squad rotation.
Sean Dyche’s side followed up their 3-0 opening day loss at home to Brighton with 4-0 pasting at Spurs and have the second-lowest xG in the EPL after two games.
Donny have started the League Two campaign in better nick, winning three of their four games, suggesting they can cause their misfiring hosts some problems at Goodison.
The 7/1-rated upset win may be beyond Grant McCann’s men but under 2.5 goals in the game appeals as a way of backing them to frustrate the hosts. Everton have the second-worst xG in the top flight this term and have yet to score.
Tip: Everton vs Doncaster – Under 2.5 total goals @ 8/5
Fishermen to net another upset against Rotherham side yet to click
Charlie Adam’s Fleetwood have already pulled off one EFL Cup shock at the Highbury Stadium this season, when bouncing Championship West Brom 2-1 in the first round.
They look a tempting price to add another higher division scalp to their collection in the shape of League One Rotherham.
Steve Evans’ outfit have yet to score in any of their three league games this season as the two-time Millers manager continues to search for his most coherent side.
Town, meanwhile, are unbeaten in four games across all competitions and they’ve kept clean sheets in two of their three home outings in the sequence.
Tip: Fleetwood to beat Rotherham @ 19/10
Irons and Cherries likely to prove inseparable once again
West Ham’s Wednesday night clash with Bournemouth features the teams with the highest and second highest xG totals in the Premier League after two games.
The 8/5 about over 3.5 goals is attractive given the Irons (4.02) and Cherries’ (3.98) totals on that metric, but in anticipation of the likely shake-ups to both sides’ starting line-ups the draw is the better bet at 13/5.
Last season they fought out 1-1 draws in East London and with Bournemouth having drawn both their league games so far this term another close one could be in the offing.
