I am prioritising league matches ahead of cup matches today. Especially the English League Cup, where Premier League managers are in a race to exit it, looking as if they made the effort. You know, it looks a chock-full coupon this evening, full of interesting angles. German Cup, Spanish Cup, English League Cup will all be best served via the in-play stats and that is what I intent to do this evening. See you at around 19:30 on Twitter @drtclub.

ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP

19:45 - Arsenal v Norwich - 1.34 Arsenal

• The last 2 premier league head to heads were tight at 1-1 and 0-1 Arsenal.

Arsenal

• 6 wins and a loss to Watford recently. Good form.
• 6 consecutive home wins in all competitions. 4 clean sheets in 5 matches.
• No draw in 8 League Cup matches. 3 wins to nil in 4 matches.
• Arsenal actually have a poor home record which tells a story. They are not keen on this competition.
• Since 2011 at home, Loss, Win, Loss, Loss, Win, Loss Win.
• They only beat Doncaster 1-0.

Norwich

• Unbeaten in 9 matches in all competitions.
• 5 consecutive away wins in all competitions, saw 3 0-1 wins.
• Unbeaten in 9 League cup matches. The only way they were beaten was via penalties.
• Scored and conceded last 4 league cup matches and a recent 0-2 win v Everton catches the eye.

Conclusions

• A very interesting league cup match in which I think Arsenal's odds are too short against a Norwich winning away and only losing v pens in their last 9 league cup matches.
• To get value I would lay Arsenal if Arsenal led.

19:45 - Leicester v Leeds - 1.57 Leicester

Leicester

• Only 2 wins in 8 matches in all competitions came v Liverpool and Swansea.
• Have scored at home in all competitions in each of their last 17 matches so expect a Leicester goal.
• Teams beating Leicester at home in 2017? Chelsea (twice), Man Utd, Tottenham and Liverpool.
• Leicester are unbeaten in 6 league cup matches, 3 of which went to extra time or penalties and were losses to Leicester.
• This is the pattern at home 2 extra times and a win last 3 home matches.

Leeds

• 4 defeats in 4 matches in all competitions.
• Only 1 win in 5 away matches.
• Since 2015, only Liverpool have beaten Leeds in the league cup.5 matches did go to extra time and penalties.
• Scored and conceded in 4 of 5 matches, the exception was the Liverpool match.

Conclusions

• In 2017 at home, it takes a big name to beat Leicester. Leeds are not a big name (well they used to be back in the day!).
• Both teams have a good league cup record and tend, since 2015, only to go out in extra time or penalties. I would not therefore discount a draw and I would expect Leicester, at the very least, not to lose today.

19:45 - Swansea v Man Utd - 1.55 Man Utd

• Alex Ferguson treated the League Cup with disdain.
• 1-3 and 0-4 the last times United visited the Swans.

Swansea

• 3 defeats in 4 matches in all competitions.
• 4 defeats in 5 matches at home.
• Only 1 draw in the league cup since 2010. Can we safely avoid the draw this evening?
• Since 2014, Man City, Hull and Liverpool have beaten the Swans in this cup.
• Only 1 home loss in the cup since 2009 came last match, a 1-2 v Man City.

Man Utd

• Only 3 losses since May 2017.
• Lost to Huddersfield latest.
• It takes a good un to beat Man Utd away, like Barcelona, Real Madrid and, um, Huddersfield.
• 6 wins in 7 League cup matches. both teams scored in the last 3.
• Hull beat United 2-1 in January 2017.
• 3 losses in 4 aways in the league cup.

Conclusions

• The Special One will not be crying were United to crash out. It seems they target away matches to make a quick exit from the League Cup. Recent defeats v MK Dons especially catch the eye.
• We will see a large number of fringe players this evening for Man Utd which relays their attitude here. There is a quandry. United to not tend to do consecutive defeats. Remember they lost to Huddersfield last away match.
• United lasted until January 2017 last League cup. Do we expect them to go deeper?
• Lay any late draw based on the Swans?

19:45 - Bournemouth v Middlesbrough - 1.81 Bournemouth

• Results shared in head to heads last year.

Bournemouth

• Only 3 wins in 12 matches in all competitions.
• Last 3 wins have been 2-1.
• Only 1 win in 7 home matches.
• 2 consecutive 0-0's at home, one was a league cup 0-0 which ended with a 99th minute Bournemouth winner.
• Only 2 defeats since 2014 in the league cup came v Liverpool.
• 3 of the last 6 matches went to extra time. 2 extra time matches in the last 3.
• 2 consecutive extra times at home sees 3 home league cup matches without a win.

Middlesbrough

• No win in 5 in all competitions saw 3 score draws.
• Only 3 away wins in all competitions since August 2016.
• Unbeaten though in 5 aways seeing 2 wins and 3 draws.3-0-2-1-2 scored recently away. A concerted effort for goals away?
• Only 1 loss in 11 league cup matches was v Everton.
• 2 consecutive wins to nil v Scunthorpe and Aston Villa.
• Only 1 loss in 12 aways.
• 4 extra times in 6 away league cup matches.

Conclusions

• Middlesbrough could be more competitive tonight. Look at their 4 extra times in their last 6 aways. 3 wins only since August 2016 away is dire stuff but vast recent improvement sees 5 unbeaten away and 2 of those 3 wins so Boro have obviously worked at something away from home.
• I could see this ending a draw. 2 consecutive extra times at home for Bournemouth.

19:45 - Bristol City v C Palace - 2.74 Bristol City

• A match to gloss over. The league cup is tough enough without looking into a 2.74 the favourite match!!

19:45 - Man City v Wolves - 1.17 Man City

• A very interesting match with both teams riding high in their prospective leagues.
• All about records tonight. Aguero can be City's all time scorer with a goal and they can record a 12th consecutive win so there are incentives.
• Be wary that City may field academy players this evening.

Man City

• 11 consecutive wins.
• Unbeaten at home since 6th December 2016.
• Since 2015 in the cup, they have only lost to Everton and Man Utd away from home.
• Scored and conceded in 8 of their last 9 matches.
• 7 wins and a 0-2 loss at home in their last 8 home league cup matches.
• Have conceded in their last 4 league cup at home.

Wolves

• New manager working like a charm. Top of the league.
• Only 2 defeats this season.
• Only 1 away loss this season.
• Since 2015, only Newcastle and Middlesbrough have beaten Wolves in the cup.
• 3 consecutive clean sheets in the cup.and the last a 0-0.
• 4 consecutive away defeats ended with a win v Premiership Southampton.

Conclusions

• Team news vital for City to justify such short odds. They do tend only to lose to north west rivals in the league cup and then away from home.
• Newcastle the last team to beat City at home in the league cup.
• We have the added factor of aiming for a record breaking 12th win City.
• City may concede a goal as they tend to do in the league cup at home. Ideally Wolves score first to allow a value trade (in which case 3-1 and any other home would appeal).

ITALIAN SERIA A

19:45 - Inter v Sampdoria - 1.51 Inter

• Sampdoria won the last 2 head to heads.
• Inter go top temporarily with a win.

Inter Milan

• Unbeaten.
• Only conceded at home in the Milan derby.
• Failed to score last match, a 0-0.
• Not played the current top 8 at home.
• Scored first in every home match and led at halftime in 3/4.

Sampdoria

• Only loss away v Udinese.
• Scored 2 goals at least in 6 of 8 matches.
• Not played a top 8 side home or away.

Conclusions

• Neither side has met a top 8 side (Inter at home) and Sampdoria overall so you could argue this is their first tester.
• Inter Milan have done something. New signings? They are a lot more resilient this season. They tend to score first at home.
• Lay the 0-0 in the halftime score market based on Inter leading in 3/4 at halftime although as I say this is a sterner test.
• Sampdoria are scoring goals  (scored 2+ goals in 6 of 8 matches including Fiorentina, Torino and AC Milan) but Inter do look far better this season and should simply outscore Samp.

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

19:45 - Hamilton v Partick - 2.64 Hamilton

• After 3 score draws, Partick won 2-0 in the last head to head.
• 10 matches into the season and these are bottom 3 sides.

Hamilton

• Scored and conceded in each of their last 8 matches.
• Scored and conceded in 4 of 5 at home. One win was a 3-0 v 9th.
• 2-2 draw away v 11th. Are the lower reaches of the league within Diddy David Hamilton's grasp?
• All over 2.5 goals bar the first match of the season.
• That was the only match they failed to score in.
• Conceded 2+ goals in each of their last 7 matches.
• No 0-0 at halftime at home.
• 6 goals conceded at home between 16th - 30th minute.
• 5 of 7 goals scored at home first half.

Partick

• Only win came last match at home.
• No clean sheet.
• Only 1 0-0 at halftime.
• 0-0-1-1 scored away.

Conclusions

• When bottom 3 teams meet there must be an expectation from the managers that they can end their woes against fellow strugglers.
• Strictly on form, both teams are likely to score. We are likely to see a goal before halftime.
• A slight nod towards Hamilton given their win at home v Dundee FC and 2-2 draw away v 11th. That said, Dundee FC was the sole win this season for Partick.
• Do note the peculiar conceding for Hamilton 16th-30th minute. Hold out if you want for 0-0 to the 15th minute, then lay the 0-0 in the halftime score market.

19:45 - Hibernian v Hearts - 2.06 Hibernian

• These 2 have only recently met in the FA CUP with Hibs remaining unbeaten and winning the home encounters.
• Mid table both sides after 10 matches.

Hibs

• Only 2 defeats came at home v Hamilton and Aberdeen.
• 4 score draws in their last 6 matches.
• Only 1 clean sheet.
• Failed to score only in that last match, 0-1 Aberdeen.
• Scored and conceded in 7 of 9 matches.

Hearts

• Hearts have played all bar 2 opening matches away from home so have had a tough opening set of fixtures.
• Defeats away came v Celtic, Motherwell and Dundee FC.
• Failed to score only once away, a 0-0 v Rangers.
• Scored and conceded in each of their last 5 away.
• 5 goals conceded away in the last 15 minutes of 1st half.

Conclusions

• Hibs have FA Cup head to heads (and recent ones) to draw upon where they win at home and draw away.
• Both teams could score today based on the first 10 matches although 2 1-0 scorelines have crept into Hibs last 3 matches.
• Note Hearts are late conceders of first half goals. If 0-0 coming to the 30th minute, take a chance and lay the 0-0 in the halftime score market.
• This match could be one to back 2-1 and 1-2 pre match if these 2 keep up their both teams scoring patterns and based on Hearts 3 2-1 scorelines away v 4th, 8th, 9th and 10th.

19:45 - St Johnstone v Ross Co - 2.36 St Johnstone

• 2-4 Ross County and 1-2 St Johnstone in the last 2 head to heads.
• 2.36 odds again relays lack of market confidence in picking a side here.

St Johnstone

• 4 defeats in 5 matches.
• Last home loss was v Rangers but prior to that, Win, Win, Draw, Win.
• Only 1 clean sheet.
• Failed to score in their last 3 matches, all defeats.
• A solid look to the home form, bar that loss v current 3rd placed Rangers.

Ross County

• Only 3 wins all season, 2 wins in 3 matches.
• Only 1 clean sheet.
• All defeats v the current top 7 sees St Johnstone in 6th.

Conclusions

• 2 of the lesser lights in the SPL. Not enough matches for me to be ultra confident but Ross County are showing a losing pattern v the top 7 sides, home and away.
• Of course, if that continues, then it is advantage 6th place St Johnstone who, themselves, have failed to score in 3 matches and have 4 defeats in 5 matches BUT they have only lost to 3rd placed Rangers this season and won their other 3 home matches.
• So a tentative nod towards the home side not to lose. Dare I remind you 2.36 fav is no fav at all as far as the market is concerned.