Carling Cup

This tip was spot on from Tom Allen. If you’d backed the Gunners at 4.33 you’d be laughing all the way to the bank – but the lay of Liverpool brought in a good profit also.

For the record, Arsenal won 6-3 as their second string blew away an  out of sorts Liverpool featuring an unfamiliar line-up. Now, if only we got into the total goals market…

Following the postponement of the original fixture due to fog, Liverpool and Arsenal meet at Anfield on Tuesday in their Carling Cup quarter final with the home side keen to exact revenge for crashing out of the FA Cup to their opponents on Saturday.

Much is made of the big four in the Premiership being some way ahead of the rest but the fact remains that when they clash with one another Arsenal are usually the team to be with. In contrast, the Reds have a truly awful record.

Having won at Old Trafford in the Premiership and narrowly missing out on collecting all three points at Stamford Bridge, Saturday’s win at Anfield in the FA Cup confirmed the Gunners as the side for the big occasion. While they may not be suited to a physical test at the likes of the Reebok, their fluent passing style is crucial against the top sides and I expect them to put Liverpool under pressure once more.

Despite having been unbeaten at Anfield for nudging nine months Rafa Benitez’s side were outclassed by the Gunners on the weekend and with Arsene Wenger likely to field a similar side, he has named a strong looking squad, the hosts will be up against it.

Arsenal were a best priced 3.75 to progress in the FA Cup and, having swept past the Reds 3-1, it is surprising that they are bigger for this Carling Cup game. They are available at 4.33 to win inside 90 minutes in a place and while that is tempting, the confident play is to lay Liverpool. You can do so at 1.90 on Betfair and that is the recommendation.