Who Will Reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals?
Eight clubs remain in the 2023/24 Carabao Cup. Three are from London and there are two non-Premier League sides still in the competition. Just who will make it into the semi-finals?
Everton in Top Form
It’s been an emotional 2023 for Everton but is having a happy ending. They were nearly relegated last season and a few months ago their chairman Ben Kenwright passed away. Then came a ten-point deduction but the Toffees come into this home tie against Fulham in excellent form.
Saturday saw them win 2-0 at Burnley making it four league wins in a row, all with clean sheets. They have already beaten two Premier League sides in this season’s Carabao Cup. That includes winning at Villa Park. They beat Burnley 3-0 in the last round and are 1/1 at bet365 to defeat Fulham on Tuesday December 19.
Fulham have also been in good form of late with two 5-0 wins over Nottingham Forest and West Ham United. Both wins were at Craven Cottage and the weekend saw them lose 3-0 at Newcastle. They did win at Goodison Park in August but have lost their last three away games, conceding ten goals and are 23/10 at William Hill to win on Tuesday.
We will have one non-Premier League side in the Carabao Cup semi-finals. League One Port Vale host Championship side Middlesbrough on Tuesday. Port Vale are in their first quarter final and currently 15th in League One.
They have enjoyed luck in their draws with all their ties so far being against League One and Two clubs. Now they step up a level and at BetVictor are 3/1 to win on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough made an appalling start to the new season but have recovered and are 13th in the Championship. They won 2-1 at Swansea City on Saturday ending a run of three successive losses but it’s been a tough fixture list.
In the Carabao Cup, Boro have won four games to get this far and all have been played away from home. One Championship side has been beaten and it’s 17/20 at bet365 they beat Port Vale.
Consolation for Newcastle?
It’s not been a good month for Newcastle with their Champions League exit last week. Saturday saw them return to form with a 3-0 home win over Fulham. They lost to Manchester United in the 2022/23 Carabao Cup final but avenged that loss in the last round with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford.
United also beat Manchester City in the third round and are available at odds of 31/10 at BetVictor to win away at Stamford Bridge.
If Chelsea are going to win silverware this season, it’ll be in a cup competition. They continue to be inconsistent in the Premier League and are only 10th after Saturday’s home win over Sheffield United.
The Blues have had three home draws in this season’s Carabao Cup and have beaten Brighton. They recently lost 4-1 at Newcastle and are 7/10 at William Hill to win Tuesday’s game.
Finally, we have Liverpool at home to West Ham United on Wednesday December 20. The Reds drew 0-0 at home to Manchester United on Sunday to continue their long unbeaten run at Anfield.
They last won this trophy in 2022 and will be looking to reach another semi-final this term. To get this far, Liverpool have beaten Leicester City at home and won away at Bournemouth. Over 90 minutes they haven’t lost a home Carabao Cup tie since 2018.
They’ve already beaten West Ham once at home this season. It’s 2/5 at BetVictor they beat the Hammers on Wednesday evening.
West Ham United had a good home win over Wolves but this is a lot tougher. They are a good cup team of course but haven’t reached the last eight of this competition since the 2013/14 season. They aren’t always at their best on the road and their win in the last round over a weakened Arsenal was at home. It’s 11/2 at bet365 they cause a shock and win at Anfield.
