EFL Cup

Carabao Cup Predictions – EFL Cup Second Round Preview

3 weeks ago

| BY Sam Cox

Get £40 in free bets
when you bet £10

18+. Play Safe. Online only. For new UK register customers using promo code G40. Deposit & place £10 cash single bet (min odds 1/2) on sportsbook (excl. Virtuals). Get £40 in Free Bets (4x£10), valid for sportsbook (excl. Virtuals), 7 days expiry, must use in full (£10 each). Not valid with deposits via PayPal, Neosurf, Paysafe, Apple Pay, NETELLER, Skrill, ecoPayz, Kalibra/Postpay or WH PLUS Card. One per customer. Full T&Cs apply. www.gambleaware.org #ad

Join Here

The second round of the 2025/26 Carabao Cup takes place this week and our writer makes his predictions on some of the standout ties.

Split into a northern and southern section, the competition has 11 out of 20 teams from the Premier League betting markets involved. The nine teams in European competition will enter the draw for the third round.

Bet on the EFL Cup at William Hill

An all-Premier League tie between Wolves and West Ham is the pick of the fixtures, along with a Yorkshire derby between Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United.

Manchester United are the sports betting favourite of the teams currently in the competition, and they are expected to cruise past Grimsby.

Early Season Priorities

The EFL Cup has traditionally been a test of a team’s true priorities. The early rounds are played when managers and players are trying to get into the rhythm of the new season.

For some, that means an opportunity to find some form. Others may look at this competition as unnecessary minutes in the legs of their players at the beginning of an arduous season.

Wolves and West Ham, for instance, look destined to be in a relegation fight. A victory here could kick start their season. It could equally add more matches into a schedule which already looks daunting.

Everton, after a stellar performance in their first match at their new stadium, should be seeing this Mansfield matchup as a chance to get minutes for some of their fringe players and put another show on for their fans.

Possible Carabao Cup Round Two Upsets

Huddersfield Town are off to a flyer in League One, including four clean sheets in five matches. They are facing a Sunderland team which checks a lot of the boxes for an early Carabao Cup exit, with a new-look squad, and a firm focus on staying in the Premier League.

The Black Cats are clear betting favourites, but Huddersfield are worth a look to sneak through – the Terriers are 9/2 to win in 90 minutes.

Bet on football at William Hill

Bristol City dealt with MK Dons in the first round and are yet to lose a match this season. Fulham could easily become complacent, and fatigue is a factor after forcing a draw with Manchester United at the weekend.

It won’t be much of an upset given how Southampton have started the season, but we like the look of Norwich in the Championship matchup at Carrow Road. The Canaries have already knocked out Watford and haven’t been knocked out in the second round of the competition since 2009.