Fulham travel to League One strugglers Wycombe, while Wrexham are the favourites to win their Welsh derby with League One promotion hopefuls Cardiff.

Odds courtesy of Betway. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

Favourable path for EFL Cup favourites

The bookmakers have Liverpool and Manchester City as the favourites for this season’s EFL Cup as we approach the last 16. The Reds overcame a stubborn Southampton in the third round, while Manchester City ground out a routine win at League One Huddersfield Town.

The fourth round draw has been equally kind to them, with Arne Slot’s men handed a home game with Crystal Palace, who are likely to have one eye on their Conference League campaign. 

Given the Reds’ attacking depth, any side they face will likely have to defend against either Salah, Ekitike or Isak. It’s a fearsome prospect for any team.

Meanwhile, Manchester City will travel to South Wales to face mid-table Championship outfit Swansea City. This competition is a chance to regain their winning mentality. Like a lot of top managers, Pep Guardiola has used this competition as a building block to further success. They are eight-time winners of the EFL Cup, winning six of those trophies since 2014. 

However, it’s been four years since their last success at Wembley. Pep Guardiola’s side may still have bigger fish to fry in the Premier League and Champions League, but don’t write them off here. 

Arsenal are also firmly in the mix for this year’s EFL Cup, with the betting markets jotting them as third favourites for the trophy. The Gunners also have a home tie in the fourth Round, but they face a tougher examination against Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Gunners have made it to the semi finals of this competition twice in the last four seasons. Mikel Arteta hasn’t tasted success since that 2020 FA Cup win. Many would think that every trophy should be the target but Arteta’s primary focus remains the Premier League and Champions League. 

From the trio of current favourites in the EFL Cup outright winner market, Liverpool feel like the only safe bet right now. Their attacking options cannot be ignored.

Play the long game with the Cottagers and the Red Dragons

A good approach could be to look for value picks at the fourth round stage with a view to cashing out at the quarter-finals or further. There are two prime candidates here that could see their odds slashed with another EFL Cup win next month.

Marco Silva’s Fulham have quietly worked their way into the last 16 and have been given one of the kindest draws possible in the 4th round. The Cottagers travel to Adams Park to face a Wycombe Wanderers side currently languishing in 18th place in League One.

Wanderers recently dispensed with the services of former manager Mike Dodds, having won only two of their first nine league games of the season.

The fairytale continues for Wrexham too, with Phil Parkinson’s men reaching the last 16 of the EFL Cup for the first time since 1977/78. They went on to reach the quarter-finals that year and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if they got that far again this season.

The Red Dragons beat Reading to make the 4th round draw. They’ve been handed an all-Welsh tie in the last 16 at home to League One promotion hopefuls Cardiff City.

Wrexham will be the favourites for the contest and victory over the Bluebirds will see their odds heavily slashed on the media darlings to win the competition outright. It could be a good time to back them for success in this competition.  Â