The third round of the Carabao Cup sees the introduction of the very best and Tom Carnduff picks out his outright winner for the competition.
Football betting tips: Carabao Cup
2.5pts e.w. Chelsea to win the Carabao Cup at 6/1 (General 1/2 1,2)
This is Manchester City's competition - but for how long can their dominant run continue?
They have won it for four seasons in a row - denied in the final in 2016/17 - with success also coming in 2013/14 and 2015/16. It can be explained by squad depth that tends to be unrivalled - Pep Guardiola can rotate and still put out a much stronger side than most of their opponents.
It's also a competition that many see as more of a distraction - early round exits just aren't an issue for those teams. City know that it's a serious opportunity for early silverware to build a winning mentality for the latter stages of the season.
There is no surprise to see City are the 3/1 favourites for this competition, with some bookmakers going as short as 9/4 for the current holders to retain their title again.
Even with that remarkable track record, a best price of 3/1 just isn't interesting enough for a competition that lasts five/six months. They could well win it and have done well to avoid difficult runs but this season will see a genuine rival in this cup.
The one team who can match their squad depth is CHELSEA. At 6/1 across the board, Thomas Tuchel's side provide value to be the ones who finally topple City in England's second cup competition.
Rotation is not an issue because there is genuine quality in every single position. Romelu Lukaku is the established striker but behind him there is a battle for just two spots in the squad - Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic are the options available to the Blues' head coach.
In midfield, the arrival of Saul further boosts an area that is already well established. He joins N'Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic as part of the four that can switch in and out of the two central positions.
Marcos Alonso and Ben Chilwell battle for the LWB role, with plenty of options on the other side, and the emergence of Trevoh Chalobah as a genuine first team option gives further depth to the centre of defence.
Chelsea can switch their entire XI for this competition and still field a team that would beat most Premier League sides - that's before we even consider the remarkable turnaround they've seen since Tuchel arrived in January.
There is also the fact that they have been strong in knockout competitions since his appointment. Chelsea won the Champions League and reached the final of the FA Cup - they will fancy success in both this time around.
This campaign provides Tuchel with the opportunity to attack the Carabao Cup - something that he didn't have before as he came after they had been eliminated from the competition. Success is expected at a club like Chelsea - this can be viewed as one of the easier wins.
There is also the fact that the head coach does have success on his CV in other domestic cup competitions. He won the DFB-Pokal with Dortmund in 2016/17 - firmly in the midst of Bayern's dominance - while also winning both cups on offer in France with PSG in 2019/20.
Tuchel has a good record of winning trophies and has a squad capable of competing on all fronts. Their odds for the Premier League continue to get shorter - both domestic cups and the Champions League remain a firm possibility too.
At 6/1, double the price of Manchester City, Chelsea look a solid bet for Carabao Cup success.
Football betting tips: Carabao Cup
- 2.5pts e.w. Chelsea to win the Carabao Cup at 6/1 (General 1/2 1,2)
Odds correct 1100 GMT (20/09/21)
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