Carabao Cup: Leeds’ Cup Trail Heads to London

Fulham vs Leeds United

Carabao Cup action returns this week and there’ll be some capital action when Premier League side Leeds heads south to take on Fulham.

Our Carabao Cup 2021 betting odds make Leeds joint ninth favourites to win the first piece of domestic silverware this season, at a price of 21.00 alongside West Ham United, while Fulham are way out at 111.00. These two teams have faced off regularly in recent seasons, in the Championship and the Premier League, though Fulham dropped out of the top flight last season while Leeds thrived with a top ten finish.

The Cottagers have made a strong start to life back in the second tier and currently sit second in the Championship table, losing top spot on Saturday when they fell to a shock home defeat to Reading. But they have a squad, and a manager, with plenty of Premier League experience and they will surely give the Yorkshire giants a stiff test.

Talking Points

Silva has a point to prove at Fulham

Carabao Cup: Marco Silva has been managing Fulham since July 2021 — Marco Silva during Fulham’s match against MilIwall

Following a three year absence in football management, Marco Silva took control at Craven Cottage after the departure of Scott Parker, who now leads the Championship’s top club, Bournemouth. Silva came to England as a rookie boss in the top European leagues, having made his name with Sporting CP and Olimpiacos. He started brightly with Hull City, almost keeping the Tigers in the Premier League before taking up residence at Watford, where he stayed for just half a season before he was sacked amidst rumours he was engineering a move to Everton.

He managed the Toffees for 18 months before being potted just before Christmas 2019 when his side was languishing in 18^th position, and he has been biding his time until this year, when he was appointed boss of newly relegated Fulham. After a great start he won the manager of the month in August, but a 1-2 defeat at home to Reading on Saturday rather spoiled his honeymoon period as Parker’s Cherries took top spot.

Silva has a great chance of success this term, with the likes of Bobby Reid and Jean Michael Seri in the team, and they have a striker who, while struggling in the Premier League, has always been a top scorer at Championship level. Alexander Mitrovic helped himself to a brace in a 4-1 away win at Birmingham last week to make it six for the season and the Serb hit both post and crossbar when the Cottagers were frustrated against Reading.

Leeds need a win

Last time out the Whites shared the spoils with Newcastle in a thrilling Friday night encounter and, while they are performing well in their second season back in the top flight, the Whites are yet to win, with three draws and two defeats leaving them on three points. Marcelo Bielsa’s attacking philosophy is entrenched in this exciting Leeds side and they will carry on entertaining their own fans and neutrals the length and breadth of the country, but they could do with a successful night in West London just to keep the feel good factor going at Elland Road.

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In Newcastle the Whites dominated the game with 65 per cent possession and 22 shots, nine on target, but they were undone by a spirited comeback from the Geordies as Allan Saint- Maximin equalised to make it 1-1.

There could be a start in London for new signing Daniel James as the former Manchester United winger looks to make a name for himself in Yorkshire, while centre forward Patrick Bamford will hope to rekindle his spectacular scoring form of last season.

History

The head to head results of the meetings between Leeds and Fulham, this century, have a beautiful symmetry to them, with both sides winning six…and there have been six draws.

Leeds are unbeaten in the last three meetings though, and they won 2-1 on their last visit to Craven Cottage as Bamford opened the scoring against the doomed Cottagers

In terms of recent form Leeds have won one in six, in all competitions, while Fulham have won four over that same period. But, of course, the Championship is a much easier environment to pick up points in than the Premier League, though Leeds are without a win in six matches on the road.

Betting Tip

	Fulham vs Leeds United	Over 2.50 @ 1.96
	September 22, 2:45 (GMT+8)

The pre-match SBOTOP odds suggest we’re in for a pulsating clash, with very little to chose between the two teams. Home advantage brings the Cottagers down to a price of 2.55 with Leeds slight favourites at odds of 2.43 and the draw is at 3.06.

We’ll be back in midweek with the Carabao Cup 2021 highlights and we expect this clash to provide some of the best moments. There should be plenty of goalmouth action between two attack minded teams, and so a punt on over 2.50 goals gets my vote.