Liverpool vs Arsenal in the Carling Cup Betting Tips

I think I speak for many when I say it was surprising that Arsenal managed to put three pass Liverpool when outpointing them at Anfield in their third round FA Cup tie on Saturday. The Gunners have beaten Pool in both meetings so far this season, yet bookies are still unanimous in making Rafa’s men odds-on favourites to prevail in their re-scheduled Carling Cup quarter-final clash on Tuesday.

 

That defeat was the first inflicted on the Reds in front of the Kop in 10 months. The fact that they have conceded just three goals in 11 Premiership matches at Anfield during the current campaign gives rise to the enormity of Arsenal’s achievement in scoring three at the Merseyside fortress. Admittedly, they were helped by some uncharacteristically shoddy Liverpool defending, but ultimately Arsene Wenger’s charges ran out worthy winners.

 

While many believe that Liverpool will be the more hungry side going into this game, as it’s their only realistic chance of winning silverware on the domestic front, I can’t imagine that Arsene Wenger will lead his charges to the quarter-final of this tournament and not make a concerted attempt to go all the way. Furthermore, the Reds lifted the FA Cup last season so, as defending champions, one would have expected them to have pulled out all the stops in a bid to retain the trophy this term.

 

Perhaps they did. Perhaps Arsenal are simply the better side. As I alluded to earlier, they’ve beaten Liverpool in both encounters this season, scoring six and conceding just once in the process. And there is added incentive for the north London side, as arch enemies Spurs will be their opponents in the semis if they can overcome Liverpool once more. All in all, the case for another Arsenal victory is pretty compelling and, at 67/20 with Vbet they are well worth a punt in the match result market.

 

Emmanuel Eboue and Robin Van Persie both incurred injuries in Saturday’s match, but with Hoyte or Lauren likely to replace Eboue, and Adebayor or Walcott set to step into the breach in place of the Dutchman, Wenger faces few selection headaches. He may well opt to rest Henry and play Adebayor as a sole striker up front, or Adebayor and Walcott together from the outset. In any case, Arsenal have goals in them and, if Pool’s defending is anything like it was on Saturday, the away side will score, that much is certain.

 

It remains a mystery why Craig Bellamy spent much of the game warming up but was never brought on during

Saturday’s game. Crouch and Kuyt had their a few chances between them, but Liverpool were lacking in terms of an end product against Arsenal. Surely Robbie Fowler, who boasts an exemplary goalscoring record against Arsenal, should have at least been named within the 16-man squad? Fowler is a clinical finisher with habitual predatory instincts, something which the Reds lacked at the weekend.

 

Benitez will surely make changes, and many will expect Liverpool to make a better fist of things this time around, but I am bemused by the prices – a best-priced 10/11 about a home win is ridiculous under the circumstances. They have fielded pretty much a first-choice team against Arsenal twice now, and have been comprehensively beaten on both occasions. Will it be third time lucky? Personally I doubt it.

Verdict - 1pt Arsenal in the match result market @ 67/20 (VCbet).