These teams took the latter stages of the 24/25 EFL Cup seriously. There is one side in particular that could benefit from a deep run in 25/26.

25/26 EFL Cup Winner MarketOddsArsenal+225Manchester City+225Chelsea+450Newcastle United+550

Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

Gunners rest players against bottom club Wolves before quarter-final tie

Arsenal are currently joint favourites with Manchester City to win the 2025/26 EFL Cup. The Gunners are top of the Premier League and currently have a chance to win at least a league and cup double.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been drawn at home to Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup quarter-finals. The game is scheduled for Tuesday, 16 December, three days after their home game against the EPL’s current bottom club Wolves.

Arteta couldn’t have asked for a better game before an important cup tie. After avoiding relegation for the last two or three seasons, Wanderers now seem resigned to being relegated from the Premier League this season. By the middle of December, the Gold and Blacks could be clearly separated from the rest of the division if they keep up their current form.

It may also give Arteta an opportunity to rest some key players for the cup game. Arteta rotated his squad in the EFL Cup last season, but only in the early rounds.

After Arsenal knocked out Preston to reach last year’s EFL Cup quarter-finals, he opted to pick his first-choice players, with a piece of silverware just three wins away.

Arsenal are also unbeaten in their last seven competitive meetings with Palace. The Eagles may have bigger challenges ahead, with a Conference League campaign well underway. Therefore, backing the Gunners’ odds in the EFL Cup Winner market may be a smart bet.

City and Chelsea to use the EPL schedule to their advantage

Manchester City are joint favourites to clinch the 2025/26 EFL Cup. Pep Guardiola’s men have been drawn at home to Brentford in the quarter-finals. City are eight-time EFL Cup winners, but haven’t won this trophy in five seasons.

City have won the EFL Cup a staggering six times between 2014 and 2021, as their squad depth proved to be a big advantage. Since City haven’t won any trophies in 2024/25, Guardiola may see this competition as a chance to get back to winning ways.

City are unbeaten in their last five meetings with the Bees. In recent seasons, Guardiola has used the EFL Cup as a chance to introduce young players like Rico Lewis and Nico O’Reilly. However, a win over Brentford moves them to within two victories of a ninth EFL Cup success.

They will visit Crystal Palace over the weekend before the Brentford game. Guardiola is likely to rotate his squad for this fixture, since they will face Real Madrid in the Champions League just four days before. That’s why some star players will be fresh for their EFL Cup exploits.

Chelsea have a decent fixture schedule before their EFL Cup quarter-final at League One Cardiff City. They host an Everton side whose good early-season form appears to be fading quickly ahead of winter.

The Blues’ odds of winning the EFL Cup seem very attractive in the betting markets. Enzo Maresca’s men have an 18.18% chance of clinching the trophy according to the bookies. Given that they face a third-tier side in the last eight, this percentage is lower than it should be.

Why defending champions Newcastle offer outsider value

Newcastle United won a historic EFL Cup in 2024/25 and Eddie Howe’s men are in the last eight again in 2025/26. The Magpies overcame Tottenham in the last 16 and were rewarded with a home tie against an injury-ravaged Fulham in the quarters.

The betting markets currently rate the defending champions at only a 15.39% chance of winning back-to-back trophies. However, Fulham have lost four of their last five league games and are in danger of being pulled into an EPL relegation battle.

Retaining their EPL status will be the Cottagers’ highest priority, so Newcastle could have faced much tougher opponents to reach the last four.