The EFL Cup continues across Tuesday the 15th and Wednesday the 16th of September with three fixtures on the programme catching our eye.
Liverpool welcome Tottenham to Anfield, Coventry City host Aston Villa before Manchester United face Brighton at Old Trafford. We take a closer look at all three encounters from a betting perspective below.
Liverpool vs Tottenham – Click here to bet
Recent Form
Liverpool enter this cup tie unbeaten across their last five competitive matches in all competitions. They were held to a goalless draw by Fulham in their latest Premier League fixture after earning a 2-1 Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid.
The Reds had previously beaten Ipswich Town 2-0 following successive 2-2 draws against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United.
Tottenham have struggled for consistency and arrive after consecutive goalless draws against Everton and Nottingham Forest. Those results followed a 2-0 home defeat against Newcastle United.
Their strongest performance came in the previous round of the EFL Cup, where they produced a convincing 5-1 victory over Charlton. However, Spurs have failed to score in each of their last three Premier League appearances.
Head-to-Head
Liverpool have dominated the recent history of this fixture, winning four of the last six meetings while Tottenham have claimed one victory and the remainder ended level.
Liverpool recorded a 2-1 win away to Spurs last season before the sides drew 1-1 at Anfield. Liverpool also overturned a first-leg deficit against Tottenham in the 2024/25 EFL Cup semi-finals, winning the return fixture 4-0.
Match Odds (1X2)
Liverpool: 1.71
Draw: 4.00
Tottenham: 4.50
Verdict
Tottenham’s recent defensive improvement could make this a competitive contest but their lack of goals remains a concern. Liverpool are unbeaten in competitive action this season and have consistently held the upper hand in this matchup. I think home advantage should help the Reds secure their place in the next round.
BET: Liverpool to Win at 1.71
Coventry City vs Aston Villa – Click here to bet
Recent Form
Coventry City have endured a difficult start to their Premier League campaign and enter this fixture following four consecutive league defeats. They were heavily beaten 5-0 at home by Brighton after narrowly losing 1-0 away to Manchester City.
Earlier defeats came against Hull City and Arsenal, with Coventry failing to score in all four matches. Their only competitive victory arrived in the previous EFL Cup round, where they defeated Plymouth 4-2 away from home.
Aston Villa claimed their first competitive victory of the season when they travelled to Belgium and defeated Club Brugge 3-2 in the Champions League.
They were unable to build on that success and suffered a 2-1 home defeat against Nottingham Forest in their latest outing back in England. Villa had previously drawn 0-0 with Hull City after losing against Arsenal and Brighton in their opening two Premier League fixtures.
Head-to-Head
There is little recent history between these Midlands rivals, with their last competitive meeting taking place in May 2001. Aston Villa won that encounter 3-2 and have recorded three victories across the last six meetings, while Coventry have won twice and one match ended level.
Match Odds (1X2)
Coventry City: 3.00
Draw: 3.65
Aston Villa: 2.25
Verdict
Neither side has started the domestic campaign particularly well and Coventry’s struggles up front are difficult to overlook. Aston Villa recently demonstrated their quality by winning away in the Champions League and should be good enough to progress to the next round.
BET: Aston Villa to Win at 2.25
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Manchester United vs Brighton – Click here to bet
Recent Form
Manchester United come into this encounter after suffering a narrow 1-0 derby defeat against Manchester City. That result followed a commanding 4-0 Champions League victory over Sabah Baku.
United have experienced mixed results in the Premier League, drawing 2-2 with Everton and beating Ipswich Town 5-2 after opening their campaign with a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Hull City. Notably they have scored 11 goals across their last four matches in all competitions.
Brighton produced an outstanding performance in their latest fixture as they cruised to a 5-0 away victory over Coventry City. They had previously drawn 1-1 with Leeds after losing a seven-goal thriller 4-3 against Chelsea.
The side have also impressed in Europe, defeating Tromso 4-0 after a goalless first leg in Norway. Their league campaign began with another convincing 4-0 victory over Aston Villa, highlighting the attacking threat they carry.
Head-to-Head
The last six meetings have been evenly divided, with both clubs recording three victories. Manchester United won the most recent encounter 3-0 away from home but Brighton eliminated United from the FA Cup with a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford earlier in 2026.
Match Odds (1X2)
Manchester United: 1.87
Draw: 4.00
Brighton: 3.85
Verdict
Manchester United are favourites at home but have lacked consistency while Brighton arrive with greater momentum after scoring nine goals across their last three matches. The visitors have also enjoyed success at Old Trafford in recent seasons and are attractively priced to cause another upset.
BET: Brighton to Win at 3.85
Note: All prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.
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