Leicester welcome Aston Villa to the King Power Stadium on Wednesday night. Tom Carnduff has two best bets to back.
Recommended bets
1pt Kortney Hause to be shown a card at 11/2
1pt Neil Taylor to be shown a card at 5/1
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
Leicester find themselves as very strong contenders to finish in the top-four this season, and they're also in a great position to progress to the final of the Carabao Cup.
"I'm aware the club hasn't been to a final for 20 years so let's get there then," Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers has said of this tie.
"Let's not be worried too much about the past. Let's create this new history but we know we're going to have to play well to get there.
"It's always nice when you have something tangible to show for your progress.
"The players have been amazing so if you can do that it would be great. You can still do some great work as a team and as a club and not win but our ambition is to win."
The Foxes are 2/9 favourites to progress to Wembley where they are expected to meet Manchester City. Leicester are odds-on in near all departments when it comes to success in this semi-final, including their first leg at home.
Even the -1 handicap has the hosts at a shorter price than even money. It's difficult to argue against Rodgers' men reaching the final given the current status of the two sides.
The appointment of referee Chris Kavanagh to this contest should see a few cards handed out. He's failed to hit a consistent region of cards in any competition this season, the lowest being none in Liverpool's 3-0 win at Burnley and the most in a domestic game came in Tottenham's 1-1 draw with Watford as seven were shown.
It'll be a competitive game where we expect to see Leicester on the front foot and because of that it's worth taking the 11/2 price on Kortney Hause being shown a card.
The defender averages a foul per game this season and should be in for a busy evening, particularly if Jamie Vardy is fit enough to take his place in the starting line-up.
The price mentioned above appears a tad too generous given the context of the match. It's worth a small play and gambling on a mistake from Hause which leads to him in the referee's book.
It's also a game where the 5/1 available on Neil Taylor to experience similar fortunes looks too good to pass up.
The 30-year-old has filled in at left-back following an injury to Matt Targett but should retain his place here having featured in their last two Carabao Cup fixtures.
He has three yellows on his tally, despite only featuring in 12 matches across all competitions, and there's every chance he could pick up card number four on Wednesday night.
There's little value in taking the 1/3 on a home victory here, and even the 10/11 on the -1 handicap could be bettered.
Instead, in the hunt for attractive prices in the game-based markets, Sky Bet's 5/4 on Leicester to score three or more goals is worth consideration.
Score prediction: Leicester 3-0 Aston Villa (Sky Bet odds: 8/1)
Best bet: Kortney Hause to be shown a card at 11/2
Best bet: Neil Taylor to be shown a card at 5/1
Opta facts
- Leicester and Aston Villa faced in the League Cup semi-final the last time the Foxes reached this stage in 1999/2000, with Leicester winning 1-0 on aggregate and going on to win the trophy.
- Aston Villa have lost their last two away matches against Leicester, in the Premier League during 2015 – their last away win at the King Power was in the League Cup back in October 2006, a 3-2 victory under Martin O’Neill.
- Leicester have gone on to reach the final of the League Cup on each of the five occasions they’ve played at the semi-final stage (1963/64, 1964/65, 1996/97, 1998/99 and 1999/2000).
- This is Aston Villa’s 15th League Cup semi-final tie and their first since 2012/13, when they lost 4-3 on aggregate to Bradford City. They’ve only won the first leg in two of their previous 14 League Cup semi-finals (W2 D7 L5).
- Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has progressed from his last 30 domestic cup ties with Liverpool, Celtic and Leicester – the last team to beat Rodgers was Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-final in 2014/15, when he was Liverpool manager.
- Aston Villa have scored 16 goals in the League Cup this season, six more than any other team. They’ve had two wins by five goals this season (6-1 v Crewe, 5-0 v Liverpool), the first team to achieve that in a single League Cup campaign since Man City in 2013/14, who won the tournament.
- Leicester’s James Maddison has scored four goals and assisted five in his last eight League Cup appearances, scoring in each of his three matches this season.
- Aston Villa have won their last four League Cup matches, last winning five in a row back in October 1994.
Odds correct at 1750 GMT (07/01/20)
