Betting Guides

Football Park’s Best Bets | Midweek EFL Cup Betting Guide | Free Multi Bet Tips 17/12/25

The English Football League Cup, also known as the Carabao, Carling, or Milk Cup, depending on which age demographic you’re with, is down to its last eight participants. Whilst it’s not held in the greatest of lights, always in the shadow of the Premier League and FA Cup, the winner is still given a spot in the Conference League, which for sides like Brentford, Fulham and Newcastle, might be the only incentive they need to go all the way.

Thursday night, the focus of today's official betting guide, is set to host two of the four quarter-final ties, featuring the reigning champions, Newcastle United, as well as eight-time winners, Manchester City.

West London duo, Fulham and Brentford, may be separated by the River Thames, but their ambitions are aligned, hoping to reach the final of this historic competition for the first time.

To celebrate the occasion, Football Park has put together a brilliant multi-bet that could see you cash in over £240! Our job for the next few paragraphs is to support our selections with all the facts, stats and trends to convince you that we’ve got this one right.

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Midweek EFL Cup Multi Bet

Manchester City v Brentford (22/5 or 5.40):

Manchester City Over 2.5 Goals
Brentford Under 5.5 Corners
Most Cards: Brentford
HT/FT Result: Manchester City/Manchester City

Newcastle United v Fulham (7/2 or 4.50):

Newcastle to Win
Both Teams to Score
Both Teams to be Carded

Combined Multiple Bet Total: 23/1 or 24.00 - all odds are taken from talkSPORT BET, a successful £10 wager on the multi bet could cash in £243!

City Aim for Nine

Manchester City won the competition in four straight seasons between 2018 and 2021, and for a while, it seemed as if no one else came close. Since then, the Citizens have failed to reach the semi-finals, losing to the likes of Southampton, West Ham, and Newcastle in frustrating fashion.

This time round, we’re expecting a dominant display from the boys in Sky Blue, removing any chance Brentford have of reaching a second-ever semi-final from the equation completely. Man City have won five games in a row in all competitions, and when you look closer at the fixtures against English teams who are seen as weaker opposition (Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Leeds United, and Fulham), they have scored at least three goals every single time.

Even if City rotate, they have scored 3+ goals on 11 occasions this season, rotational players such as Rayan Cherki, Omar Marmoush and Oscar Bobb all possess the attacking prowess to break down a Brentford defence that has conceded in every game (7) since the last round of the League Cup.

Therefore, City to score over 2.5 goals and to win both halves is a sensible choice as Pep Guardiola’s side looks to be leaving no room for nonsense in recent months.

Brentford to be Bullied

The Bees reached the last eight of this competition for the first time in 2020/21, and since then have appeared in the quarter finals three times from a possible five occasions. Brentford have done well to brush off their pre-season doubters by picking up some respectable victories in both the Premier League and cup competitions, including a 5-0 thumping of Grimsby Town, who knocked out Manchester United back in August.

A win in this tie, however, seems simply too big an ask. Brentford have not beaten City in any of their last five meetings with the Northern side. It might also be a step too far to suggest Mikkel Damsgaard will be making his way to the corner flag much, as the Bees have averaged 5.125 corners per game in the top flight this season. This includes last time out against Leeds, when Brentford failed to force a single corner.

It's also expected that through their struggle, Brentford will pick up more cards than Man City. The away team have picked up two yellow cards in their last three domestic fixtures; you read that right, only two. The Bees are not a dirty team, but they do average more yellow cards per game (1.875 p/g) than their opponents (1.6875 p/g) and under pressure, are bound to give away a foul or two.

The Toon Hunt for a Third Final in Four

Newcastle will be thanking the gods that they were handed Fulham in the QF draw and not a City, Chelsea, or Arsenal, as the Toon Army have won seven of their last 9 meetings with Fulham.

Neither side is in world-beating form, but both have been competitive in almost every game this season, which is why a both teams to score leg in this multi bet makes sense. Especially as in recent weeks the Cottagers have put four past Man City, beaten Spurs and Sunderland, and lost narrowly to Palace. The Magpies' blank scoresheet in the Tyne-Wear derby was the first time they’d failed to get the ball over the line since mid-September (17 games).

Both teams to be carded bets are a strategic and valuable choice for any bet builder or accumulator for the League Cup Quarter Finals. In the last eight QFs played across the 2023/24 and 2024/25 competitions, all 16 teams involved were shown at least one card, a trend that is likely to be continued this campaign.

There are plenty of psychological factors behind why a player is more/less likely to find themselves in the book, the occasion often being one of them. With a spot in the semis at stake, individuals are more likely to do whatever it takes to help their side, including making the odd cheeky slide tackle or two.

Odds from talkSPORT BET, correct as of 22:00, 15/12/25. Sports betting, even with advice, is always a risk to your capital that should be enjoyed responsibly. Set a stop-loss, never chase any losses, and never stake what you cannot afford to lose.