Chelsea now turns its attention to Wembley Stadium on Sunday for the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool. The Blues’ confidence is high on the back of a seven-match unbeaten streak and a particularly dominant 2-0 victory over Lille on Tuesday in the Champions League. This final will be crucial in determining the ultimate success of the 2021/22 campaign for the reigning European and World Champions, with two trophies already captured throughout the season, so expect a high-intensity contest from the opening kickoff.
Despite the 10-point gap currently separating the two sides in the Premier League table, Chelsea performed well in both previous league meetings against the Reds, which culminated in a 3-3 aggregate scoreline. Even the oddsmakers couldn’t decide who to favor for Sunday, with both teams currently boasting positive odds on a moneyline victory (Chelsea +240/Liverpool +130). There is a ton of plus juice on the board for this match overall, which is extremely exciting for anyone who has missed riding underdogs over the past few weeks, myself included.
Here is your gambling guide to the EFL Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool
There is a lot of outside noise surrounding the Blues at the moment with Roman Abramovich announcing that he would be giving stewardship of the club to the trustees of the charitable foundation on Saturday amidst a tense standoff with the English government. Thomas Tuchel gave voice to this distraction during his press conference earlier in the week when he admitted that he and his players felt a sense of uncertainty due to potential sanctions against the Russian oligarch. This can only have worsened since Abramovich’s statement was released, leaving the Blues’ manager and squad in limbo just a day before the cup final.
Fortunately for Chelsea, Tuchel is one of the best cup competition managers on the continent. He won the DFB Pokal with Dortmund, both domestic French cups with Paris Saint-Germain and has obviously already achieved European and world successes in west London. The German tactician will surely be looking to add another major trophy to his collection on Sunday and, with the Blues getting +240 odds on the moneyline, I would advise supporters to back Tuchel with both their wallets and their hearts.
While I’ll obviously be rooting for Chelsea to win outright, I’ll have my eyes on a few Liverpool props as well. The Reds’ forward line has been nearly unplayable for the entire season, but especially so in recent weeks. They’ve scored at least two goals in eight of their last nine and are the highest scoring side overall in the Premier League this season. Any match involving Jurgen Klopp’s men has the possibility of turning into a goalfest, so I really like over 2.5 total goals scored (+110) and Liverpool over 0.5 goals scored (-375).
Official odds (via WynnBet as of February 26)
Chelsea ML: +240
Liverpool ML: +130
Draw: +220
Over/Under: 2.5 (+110/-140)
My picks
Watching Cesar Azpilicueta hoist the trophy above his head while I count my winnings would be a fantastic way to spend my Sunday afternoon, so give me Chelsea ML at +240. I’m also going to buck my recent trend of riding the under, which has hit in three of the Blues’ past four matches, and choose over 2.5 total goals scored (+110). Finally, for my only favorite pick, I like the both teams to score prop at -120 odds. Both sides found the back of the net in each of their two Premier League encounters this season and I expect that to continue in the cup, as well.
What picks are you going with for the game? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!