Carabao Cup free betting tips: Best bets, latest odds, preview, kick-off & TV times for Thursday September 24 including Lincoln v Liverpool & Man City v Bournemouth

Recommended bets

1pt Aston Villa to beat Bristol City at 11/8

1pt Man City to beat Bournemouth & over 3.5 goals at 11/5

1pt Takumi Minamino to score and Liverpool win at 9/4

For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record

Bristol City v Aston Villa

• 7pm BST kick-off
• Match Odds: Home 21/10 | Draw 12/5 | Away 5/4

An odd game this one between two sides who could make a decent run at this competition, but both will make wholesale changes and at the moment see this as an unwanted distraction.

Villa usually progress against lower league sides when they're in the Premier League, winning 10 of their last 12, and after beating Sheffield United there's a much better feel about Dean Smith's side than last season.

They've got a nice little unbeaten run going and the confidence that spreads around the squad will show in whatever team they put out at Ashton Gate. With a crowd and with the Robins really going for this then it'd be a different story.

As it stands there's enough value in simply backing an away win to avoid having to scramble around for who will play and who won't play. Villa have enough strength in depth now to get the job done.

Prediction: Bristol City 0-1 Aston Villa (Sky Bet odds: 15/2)

Best bet: Aston Villa to beat Bristol City at 11/8

Bristol City v Aston Villa Opta stats

• This is the first League Cup meeting between Bristol City and Aston Villa – the Villans are unbeaten in their last five against the Robins in all competitions (W3 D2), all in the Championship between 2017-2019.
• Bristol City have progressed from four of their last five League Cup meetings with Premier League opposition, with all of these taking place in the 2017-18 campaign, when they reached the semi-final.
• Since the start of last season, Aston Villa have scored 23 goals in eight League Cup matches, conceding just eight in return.
• Antoine Semenya has been involved in five goals in his three League Cup appearances for Bristol City (2 goals, 3 assists), with four of those coming in his two games this term (2 goals, 2 assists).

Lincoln v Liverpool

• 7.45pm BST kick-off | Sky Sports Football
• Match Odds: Home 12/1 | Draw 5/1 | Away 2/9

This competition provided Jurgen Klopp with his first cup final with Liverpool, but it's hardly top of his list these days and it'll again be a much-changed line-up for the Premier League champions as they face Arsenal in the league on Monday.

Klopp didn't even do the pre-match press conference, handing over to assistant Pep Lijnders, who insisted that: "The team will be a strong team, I think some of you guys will be surprised.”

That doesn't mean we'll see Salah, Firmino and Mane all playing, maybe one will but odds are the likes of Harvey Elliott, Takumi Minamino and new signing Diogo Jota will be included. Throw in Neco Williams, Curtis Jones, James Milner and Adrian and you have plenty of changes, but also plenty of experience.

League One side Lincoln have won all five games they've played this season, albeit one via penalties, and battered Bradford 5-0 in the last round to get this top draw. Sadly these are the games when the lack of fans will really hit home.

So the Imps should give Klopp's side a decent game but without the crowd behind the hosts, most combinations of a Liverpool line-up should be too good, and plenty will be looking at the Liverpool to win and over 3.5 goals mark (11/8) as the avenue here with the Reds such massive favourites.

I'm looking at the goalscorers though - and all eyes could be on Diogo Jota at 6/5 for a debut goal, while if Rhian Brewster plays then gobble up that 21/20 on him bagging in what could be his final game before possibly leaving on loan again. He looked tremendous on loan at Swansea.

Takumi Minamino (8/5 anytime) is the one who catches the eye though, as he should be guaranteed a start, is adapting to life at Liverpool and looked lively in the Community Shield as he came off the bench to score the equaliser.

Prediction: Lincoln 1-3 Liverpool (Sky Bet odds: 10/1)

Best bet: Minamino to score and Liverpool win at 9/4

Lincoln v Liverpool Opta stats

• This is the first competitive meeting between Liverpool and Lincoln since the 1960-61 season, when Liverpool won home and away against the Imps in Division Two.
• This will be Lincoln’s second ever competitive meeting with a reigning top-flight champion – they lost 0-4 against Preston North End in the 1889-90 FA Cup.
• Liverpool have progressed from 15 of their last 16 League Cup ties against sides from a lower division, with the exception being a shootout defeat to Northampton in the third round in 2010-11.
• Liverpool have lost five of their last seven League Cup matches (W1 D1) and have shipped five goals in each of their last two games in the competition (5-5 v Arsenal, 0-5 v Aston Villa).
• Lincoln are looking to reach the fourth round of the League Cup for just the second time, last doing so in 1967-68.

Man City v Bournemouth

• 7.45pm BST kick-off
• Match Odds: Home 4/9 | Draw 7/2 | Away 5/1

Back-to-back-to-back winners City are going for four in a row and a record-equalling eighth League Cup victory but are without a host of first-teamers for this game.

Pep Guardiola is always keen to get some more history on his CV so will still be trying to again defend this trophy, and he could have a solid base with Aymeric Laporte and Eric Garcia in contention while Nathan Ake may face his former club.

City have won their last 10 games against Bournemouth, scoring 30 and conceding just five and with new signing Ferran Torres likely to get a first start, Riyad Mahrez set to play and even Raheem Sterling possible, even with some more unheralded names on show that's still a decent looking side.

And let's not forget Bournemouth boss Jason Tindall made wholesale changes for their penalty shoot-out win at Palace last week, and with Norwich to play in the Championship on Sunday that looks like being the case again at the Etihad.

And in a battle of the reserves then there's only ever going to be one winner. The serious point here is that Guardiola's training sessions are so intense, so detailed, that it's much easier for his teams to translate them into a game behind closed doors.

They're also fighting for starting places, and all that means they'll win this and score a few goals in the process.

Prediction: Man City 4-1 Bournemouth (Sky Bet odds: 18/1)

Best bet: Man City to beat Bournemouth & over 3.5 goals at 11/5

Manchester City v Bournemouth Opta stats

• This is the first ever meeting in cup competition between Manchester City and Bournemouth.
• Manchester City have won their last 15 League Cup ties, winning the competition in each of the last three seasons. Only Liverpool (25 between 1980-1984) and Nottingham Forest (17 between 1977-1980) have progressed from more consecutive ties in the competition.
• This is just the second time Bournemouth have faced the holders of the League Cup, losing the other such match 0-3 against Arsenal in 1987-88.
• Man City’s Raheem Sterling has been involved in 10 goals in his nine League Cup appearances against sides from a lower division (6 goals, 4 assists).

Odds correct at 1630 BST (23/09/20)

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