Crystal Palace and Manchester City will contest the final of the EFL Cup at Wembley on Saturday and we take a look at a number of options available to punters.
Prices are correct at the time of publication but subject to change.
Crystal Palace
Palace have never won the FA Cup and this will be their third attempt, the last being back in 2016. They came up against Aston Villa in the semi finals at Wembley towards the end of April and although they started as underdogs they came out on top 3-0 with Eze and Sarr twice in the second doing the damage.
Palace had faced lower league opposition in the earlier rounds, edging past Stockport 1-0 at Selhurst Park before following up with a 2-0 win away to Doncaster and a 3-1 home win over Championship side Millwall. In the quarter finals they came away from Fulham with a 3-0 win.
In the EPL Palace can finish no lower than their current position of 12th although if they win their last 2 matches they could still break into the top 8 if other results go their way.
Manchester City
City were runners up to Man United in the FA Cup last season, they had won it in 2023 after beating United and that was the 8th time they have lifted this trophy.
In the semi finals goals early in each half from Lewis and Gvardiol gave them a 2-0 win over Notts Forest.
They were 8-0 winners at home to Salford in Round 3 before they were made to work hard for a 2-1 win at Leyton Orient. City also completed a 3-1 home win over Plymouth and they were 2-1 winners away to Bournemouth in the quarters.
City are currently fourth in the EPL standings and could find themselves out of the top 5 (UCL qualifying places) if both Villa and Chelsea win their league games on Friday night. City would then have the opportunity to catch up when they host Bournemouth in midweek.
Recent Head to Head
The first of two league meetings this season saw the teams draw 2-2 at Selhurst Park in early December, Palace led twice through Munoz and Lacroix but City twice equalized through Haaland and Rico Lewis.
The return in Manchester came on 12th April and 5 different City players found the net in a 5-2 win.
The Betting:
To Lift the trophy by any method of victory Palace are 21/10 (boosted from 19/10) and City are 0.37/1 with Sportingbet
Palace are 34/10 to win the match in regulation time, the draw is 29/10 and City are 0.73/1
Both teams to score in normal time is 0.68/1 and over 2.5 total goals is the same price
Haaland is 28/10 to score the first goal and in the same market Mateta is 5.75/1
The Verdict
Palace are the underdogs and understandably so but we saw Newcastle turn Liverpool over in this season's EFL Cup final when the match result odds were pretty similar to what is chalked up here and I wouldn't rule Palace out.
I'll give the in form Eze a punchers chance of scoring a goal at some stage in regulation time while Daniel Munoz is my candidate to pick up a card. .
Bet: Any time goalscorer Eze at 38/10 with Sportingbet
Player to be shown a card Daniel Munoz at 1.35/1 with Sportingbet
Note, odds are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
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