Cody Gakpo

Liverpool vs West Ham betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview



Football betting tips: Carabao Cup

2pts Cody Gakpo to score in 90 minutes at 41/20 (Unibet)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair


BuildABet @ 11/1

  • Liverpool to score 3+ goals
  • Cody Gakpo to score in 90 minutes
  • Darwin Nunez to score in 90 minutes
  • Wataru Endo 3+ tackles in 90 minutes

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Kick-off time: 20:00 BST, Wednesday

TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event

Home 1/3 | Draw 15/4 | Away 11/2


Often, guessing who'll start for any team in the Carabao Cup is exactly that: guesswork.

Fortunately, holders Liverpool have done much of the legwork for us by selecting nine of the same outfield players for every top-flight match since the half-time whistle at Ipswich on opening weekend.

Darwin Nunez replacing Diogo Jota for Saturday's 3-0 win over Bournemouth, as well as the enforced goalkeeping change of Caoimhin Kelleher for Allison, are the only alterations Arne Slot has made following his decision to bring on Ibrahima Konate for Jarell Quansah at Portman Road.

To lighten a wet, miserable midweek in late September I've had a bash at predicting the Liverpool XI to see how clever (or stupid) I am come an hour before kick-off on Wednesday.

What are the best bets?

Home defeat by Nottingham Forest aside, Slot's start as Jurgen Klopp's successor has been excellent: won five, lost one, scored 13, conceded two.

The same cannot be said for David Moyes' replacement.

The nature of West Ham's 3-0 thrashing by Chelsea, the first time the club has started a league season with three straight home defeats, saw Julen Lopetegui cut from 18/1 to 6s to be the first Premier League manager to lose his job this season.

Julen Lopetegui hasn't had the best start at West Ham

Of huge concern ought to be the way in which his side was easily cut open by their London rivals; it wasn't a one-off either.

Only Everton and Wolves have conceded more goals in the opening five top-flight games. Only newly-promoted Ipswich and a Brentford team who have already faced Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham away from home, have given up more opportunities according to expected goals (xG).

It's something Liverpool can take full advantage of.

While the 6/5 about over 2.5 goals is tempting, the possibility of a less fluid Liverpool because of their changes, and the more controlled style of play under Slot has me leaning towards goalscorers instead, with CODY GAKPO TO SCORE ANYTIME at around 2/1 the standout selection.

The Netherlands forward scored in every round of the Carabao Cup last season other than the final, and should get plenty of opportunities to continue that impressive record on Wednesday night.

Incredibly, 100% of the Reds' league goals so far have come from their forwards, with half of those 10 via the man playing on the left of the front three, Luis Diaz, who Gakpo will replace.

I'm prepared to look past the anomaly of all three goals against Milan coming from elsewhere, and back Gakpo to ably step in.


Team news

Liverpool are likely to change the vast majority, if not the entire, outfield team from victory over Bournemouth, meaning Federico Chiesa should make his full debut.

Alisson remains out injured, but wouldn't have played in this game anyway.

West Ham should bring in Tomas Soucek, Michail Antonio and Lukasz Fabianski, with Carlos Soler and Jean-Clair Todibo also pushing to start. Guido Rodriguez may do so having been substituted before half-time against Chelsea for tactical reasons.

Niclas Fullkrug is still struggling with a calf injury.


Predicted line-ups

Liverpool: Kelleher; Bradley, Gomez, Quansah, Tsimikas; Endo, Morton; Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo; Jota.

West Ham: Fabianski; Coufal, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Soler, Soucek; Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus; Antonio.


Odds correct at 1200 BST (24/09/24)

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