Man City +275 EFL Cup Favorites Ahead of Round of 16

• The  fourth round of the EFL Cup begins on Tuesday, with Manchester City the current favorites to lift the trophy after winning the last three years
• Liverpool and Chelsea are also favored as we head into the round of 16
• Who’s the best bet to win the League Cup? See the latest odds and our best bet below

With the conclusion of the third round of the EFL Cup this week, it’s down to 16 teams left, with the big six of the Premier League all still in the competition. Manchester City, the current favorites, snuck out by the skin of their teeth against Bournemouth, while the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool took care of business in fine fashion, beating Barnsley and Lincoln FC, respectively.

EFL Cup Round of 16 Odds

Odds taken Sept 25 at DraftKings

Can City Win for Fourth Consecutive Year?

Last season was a disappointment for the Citizens, failing to win the Premier League title and also bowing out in the quarterfinals of the Champions League to Lyon. The only positive was their League Cup trophy, where they beat Aston Villa in the final.

They didn’t look too sharp in their third-round victory over Bournemouth on Thursday, winning just 2-1. Nonetheless, they still advanced and will face Burnley on Wednesday. City did a solid job strengthening their squad in the summer, bringing in several key signings such as former Bournemouth standout Nathan Ake and Valencia winger Ferran Torres.

This is a competition they’ve won a total of seven times and in recent memory, the League Cup has been dominated by Pep Guardiola’s side. But, their focus will be on winning the PL title and competing for the Champions League trophy as well. Regardless, they’re still a heavy favorite to win it considering their recent success.

Liverpool, Chelsea Also Contenders

The Reds looked tremendous against Lincoln FC on Thursday, burying their opponents 7-2. They’ve won the League Cup a total of eight times, more than any other English club. However, it’s been a long time since they actually found themselves in the latter stages of this competition, finishing as runners up in 2015/16 and winning it last in 2011/12.

Our #CarabaoCup fourth-round tie against @Arsenal details confirmed:

🗓️ Thursday October 1
⏰ 19:45 BST
🏟️ Anfield
📺 Sky Sports pic.twitter.com/OBtN7tZQzO

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 25, 2020

Liverpool will instantly have a tough test in the round of 16, where they will face an Arsenal squad who has looked a lot better this term so far. But, Jurgen Klopp’s side is even stronger now after adding the likes of Thiago from Bayern Munich and Diogo Jota from Wolves. With an already electric attack, they’re definitely a side to watch in the League Cup.

Chelsea heavily impressed in the third round against Barnsley, winning 6-0 behind Kai Havertz’s hat-trick, his first goals for the club since joining from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer. The Blues splashed the cash in the transfer window, bringing in a boatload of new talent, including Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech, and most recently, former Rennes keeper Edouard Mendy.

It always takes time for new players to learn how to co-exist with one another on the pitch. However, I do think this team is going to open some eyes this season. Tottenham will be their round of 16 opponents as the Blues will look to turn around their fortunes after crashing out at this point in the competition last year, where they lost to Manchester United.

Best Bet

Personally, I don’t see Manchester United getting very far in this competition. I think they will prioritize league play after a slow start and with that being the case, I see them either losing in the fourth or fifth round.

Arsenal is a team that could do some damage, but they face a tough draw, clashing with Liverpool in the round of 16. Manchester City is no stranger to winning the League Cup and I do believe they’ll be in the mix of the latter stages, but they won’t win it for the fourth straight year as they direct their focus to Europe and the league. As for Chelsea, I do also see them enjoying a certain level of success in the competition, but they aren’t going to end up the winners.

I like Liverpool as the favorite to win their first EFL Cup since 2012. Jurgen Klopp’s side has lifted every notable trophy in the last few years, having won the Premier League and the Champions League. It’s their time to finally win the League Cup.

Pick: Liverpool +500