Football betting tips: Carabao Cup
2pts Kobbie Mainoo 1+ total shot at 5/4 (Unibet)
1pt Kobbie Mainoo to be carded at 9/2 (Sky Bet)
BuildABet @ 20/1
- Man Utd to win
- Kobbie Mainoo 1+ total shot
- Kobbie Mainoo to be carded
Languishing 10th and 13th in the Premier League, it's fair to say the season has so far been a poor one for Tottenham and Manchester United.
The Carabao Cup, though, could represent a great opportunity for either to win a piece of silverware this season, so we should expect the pair of 'big six' clubs to play full strength teams here in a bid to make it to the two-legged semi-finals.
Both are coming off excellent weekend wins, Spurs thrashing Southampton 5-0 and Manchester United snatching a derby win with two late goals, so some confidence will be restored in both camps.
You do feel this is a free hit for Amorim and United, but with Ange 'I always win a trophy in my second season' Postecoglou under pressure to win a piece of silverware, the pressure is on Spurs, especially in a home quarter final.
What are the best bets?
Tottenham have huge availability issues ahead of this game, and that could give a big edge to Manchester United. Ange Postecoglou will again be forced to play Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin at centre-back, with Djed Spence likely to play at left back with Destiny Udogie likely absent.
United have a huge squad and Ruben Amorim has rotated heavily so far in his tenure, mainly due to the non-stop schedule but also as he wants to take a look at every player ahead of a big rebuild.
One player I expect to see start here is KOBBIE MAINOO and his prices in a couple of markets appeal. First, he is 5/4 to have 1+ TOTAL SHOT in the game which looks massive. It's as short as 2/5 in places.
The Englishman has started nine games across all competitions this season and has had one shot in six of those, including in two of three starts under Amorim.
He didn't start at the weekend in the Manchester derby, but came on early due to Mason Mount's injury, and while he registered a shot, it was the positions he was picking up that caught the eye. He got into some very advanced areas bursting from midfield, and I wonder if we will see more of that over the coming months.
His heat map since Amorim's arrival tells us as much, with the majority of his work coming in the right spaces, but he has consistently got into central areas at the edge of and in the box, more than you'd expect from a 'defensive midfielder' or one of two 'sixes'.
Another thing of note is MAINOO's card record when starting, making the 9/2 about him TO BE CARDED a solid bet too.
He has collected five cards across his nine starts this season, and will be tasked with pressing with intent and containing a fluid Tottenham attack with some excellent foul drawers such as James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.
John Brooks is the referee on Thursday and has averaged 5.54 cards per game across all competitions this season, including a seven card outing in his sole Carabao Cup match to date.
Let's just hope Ruben Roulette spins in our favour and Mainoo does start...
Team news
Tottenham's lengthy absentee list features Rodrigo Bentancur, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison, Ben Davies, Wilson Odobert, Guglielmo Vicario and Mikey Moore.
It appears as though Destiny Udogie has joined them too, after picking up an injury against Southampton. As a result Djed Spence will likely keep his place in the XI, though will be switched to left-back with Pedro Porro brought back in.
Yves Bissouma is available after missing out last time, while Brennan Johnson could get a recall having been rested at the weekend, with either Dejan Kulusevski or Dominic Solanke making way.
Manchester United are assessing yet another injury sustained by Mason Mount, and he is highly unlikely to feature here, though Noussair Mazraoui will be assessed ahead of kickoff and could start. Luke Shaw and Jonny Evans are sidelined.
Amorim has regularly rotated his XI since being appointed, and could do so again to freshen things up, with Leny Yoro, Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro, Antony and Joshua Zirkzee all pushing to start alongside Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, who were both left out of the squad for the Manchester derby last weekend..
Predicted line-ups
Tottenham: Forster; Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Spence; Bissouma, Sarr; Kulusevski, Maddison, Johnson; Son
Manchester United: Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Martinez; Dalot, Mainoo, Ugarte, Malacia; Diallo, Fernandes; Hojlund
Odds correct at 2005 GMT (17/12/24)
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