England League Cup

League Cup tips by:

Robin Cohen

Matches

Fixtures League Cup

Preliminary Round1st Round2nd Round3rd RoundRound 4

2025/20262024/20252023/20242022/20232021/2022

			Predictions
19:4528 Oct	Grimsby - Brentford		Brentford to win 1.39
Nostrabet's Analysis Grimsby Aiming for Another Upset Grimsby is currently involved in the battle for top positions in English League 2, having lost 2:3 away to Crewe over the weekend. However, the team has made headlines by eliminating Manchester United from the cup competition. They followed that up by knocking out Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, and now they face another Premier League opponent, hoping for yet another remarkable achievement. Brentford arrives here in high spirits following their impressive home victory over Liverpool, winning 3:2 on Saturday. There may be some fatigue and rotation in the squad now. Nevertheless, Brentford has already eliminated Bournemouth and Aston Villa in the tournament so far, and now they face what appears to be a relatively easier challenge. It remains to be seen how motivated and focused the visitors will be for this match. Prediction: Brentford to Win Grimsby has exceeded expectations in the tournament on two occasions already, but it is believed that their adventure will come to an end here. Brentford is unlikely to give 100% in this match, but there is still a significant gap between the two teams, and a victory for the visitors is anticipated.
19:4528 Oct	Wycombe - Fulham		Fulham to win 1.54
Nostrabet's Analysis Fulham is currently experiencing a challenging period in the Premier League, despite the team performing reasonably well. Next up is a visit to Wycombe for the League Cup. The "Cottagers" have set their sights on this trophy Manager Marco Silva has explicitly stated that winning the League Cup is one of Fulham's objectives for this season. From this perspective, it is anticipated that the team will be fully mobilised and will not underestimate their opponents. Wycombe has been playing well in League 1, but the gap in quality remains significant, and the Londoners have no excuse not to progress. A victory could be enough to alleviate some of the current tension. Bet on Fulham to win It is believed that the "Cottagers" will possess enough quality to secure the win.
20:0028 Oct	Wrexham - Cardiff		1 2.34 X 3.42 2 3.27
Nostrabet's Analysis
19:4529 Oct	Wolves - Chelsea		1 5.00 X 4.25 2 1.71
Nostrabet's Analysis
19:4529 Oct	Arsenal - Brighton		1 1.44 X 4.90 2 7.50
Nostrabet's Analysis
19:4529 Oct	Liverpool - Crystal Palace		1 1.62 X 4.75 2 5.29
Nostrabet's Analysis
19:4529 Oct	Swansea - Manchester City		1 14.50 X 6.95 2 1.24
Nostrabet's Analysis
20:0029 Oct	Newcastle - Tottenham		1 1.85 X 3.88 2 4.50
Nostrabet's Analysis

The Carabao Cup (EFL Cup) is the least prestigious domestic silverware up for grabs in English football. However, the competition will still be taken very seriously once the early rounds have been completed. It can be unpredictable, hugely exciting and great fun to bet on.

Our football betting experts have considered all the angles and crunched all the data. They have then compared the best bookies to bring you excellent value. Read on for our football predictions and Carabao Cup betting tips.

EFL Cup History and Format

Behind the Premier League and FA Cup, the EFL Cup (it is also known as the League Cup, and Carabao is the current sponsor) is the most important competition in English football. As the name implies, it features teams from the EFL. Consequently, 92 clubs take part each year.

There is sometimes a preliminary round before the 68 teams from the Championship, League One and League Two enter the first round properly. In the second round, Premier League clubs not involved in European action enter the fray. Last, the Premier League sides who are playing in Europe join the Carabao Cup at the third-round stage.

The format of the Carabao Cup is simple. It is a straight knockout competition with seven rounds, including the final. However, no preliminary rounds are included. There is a draw for each round, which determines who plays who and has home advantage.

The semi-finals are held over two legs, home and away, while the final is a one-off game at Wembley. The winners lift the cup and also earn a place in next season’s Europa League. Indeed, European qualification helps bring extra prestige to the competition. That said, the Carabao Cup is often won by a club that has already qualified for the Champions League.

First Trophy Up for Grabs

The competition runs from August through to February or March. Consequently, the Carabao Cup is the first piece of silverware up for grabs each season. It was first played back in the 1960/61 season, and is now an established part of the football landscape. It attracts big crowds, both live and on television, and it frequently throws up exciting, unpredictable clashes.

Part of the reason for this, and also part of the appeal of the EFL Cup, is that many big clubs give exciting youngsters an opportunity. Particularly in the early rounds, managers opt to rest stars and blood their best academy prospects. Over the years, many top stars have made their debuts in the League Cup.

Key Dates

The draws for the preliminary round and first round were made on the 26th of June 2025. On the 29th of July, Newport County advanced to the first round. Next, on the 5th of August, Accrington Stanley followed them.

The first round takes place on the 12th and 13th of August. Most PL teams join on the week commencing the 25th of August for the second round. The quarters take place in mid-December and the semis in January and February. The final itself will be on the 22nd of March 2026.

EFL Cup Previous Winners

Liverpool is the most successful side in the history of the EFL Cup. Indeed, they have won it 10 times. Manchester City are next with eight, then Manchester United (six), while Chelsea and Aston Villa have five victories each. The last 10 champions are:

• 2025 – Newcastle
• 2024 – Liverpool
• 2023 – Man United
• 2022 – Liverpool
• 2021 – Man City
• 2020 – Man City
• 2019 – Man City
• 2018 – Man City
• 2017 – Man United
• 2016 – Man City

When does Nostrabet release its Carabao Cup Predictions?

We release our Carabao Cup predictions 48-72 hours before each game. Generally, midweek Carabao Cup betting tips are published on Monday. Our experts believe it is vital to get the balance right regarding when picks are made. The predictions must be released early enough to allow punters to back them and get the value. However, not too early that they might miss vital team news and other developments.

Popular betting markets for the Carabao Cup

Whether you think you will know who will win the Carabao Cup, or just want to make a bet on a particular tie, there are lots of EFL Cup betting options open to you. All our preferred football betting sites have a wide range of League Cup markets. Here are some of the most popular:

Carabao Cup accumulator bets

Selecting an ACCA through each round of the Carabao Cup is a great way to make the competition even more exciting. Try to predict the winner of some – or even all – of the games in the round and you could win big!

Carabao Cup winner bets

Carabao Cup outright winner betting is hugely popular. Will we see another surprise, or will one of the North West giants win the EFL Cup yet again?

Carabao Cup top goalscorer bets

Think you know who will be the top goalscorer in the Carabao Cup? Have a bet on the EFL Cup golden boot/top scorer. You could land a winner at attractive odds.

Carabao Cup ‘To go through’ by penalty shootouts bets

Most rounds of the Carabao Cup do not have extra time. Therefore, if the game is level after 90 minutes, it goes straight to a penalty shootout. Backing a side to progress in this way is an incredibly tense and exciting bet – if you call it right!

Carabao Cup player props bets

Our Carabao Cup predictions today generally feature a range of different markets. That includes player prop bets. Proposition bets are often part of bet builders and might include a specific player to score, assist and be booked.

How to Bet on the Carabao Cup Games

If you want to bet on our Carabao Cup predictions this weekend, you are in the right place. Our expert bookmaker reviews can help you find the best sites to bet with. Moreover, our EFL Cup tips give you ideas about what EFL wagers to make.

Assuming you are 18+, gambling can be a lot of fun. However, you should always bet responsibly and within your means. Additionally, you should be aware that even the best tips are not certain to win.

You should do your own research, looking for bets that represent good value. Our experts provide betting tips and advice across all competitions, not just the EFL Cup. These are excellent starting points, but it is vital that you understand the markets and sports on which you decide to bet.

Best bookmakers for Betting on the Carabao Cup

At Nostrabet, we only work with highly trusted football betting sites. You could use any of these to back our Carabao Cup predictions or your own picks. This tournament is fun, exciting and at times very unpredictable. Call things right, and you could well find a winner at a really nice price.

To bet on the Carabao Cup, we particularly recommend the following sites. Indeed, all three are among the very, very best football bookies in the world:

• bet365
• Betway
• Betfred

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