carabao kevin

Thursday best bets: Carabao Cup tips for 25 August 2026



Football betting tips: Carabao Cup

19:30 – Chelsea vs Luton

2pts Over 2.5 goals and BTTS at 7/5 (Coral, Ladbrokes)

20:00 – Fulham vs Wimbledon

1pt Kevin to score anytime at 7/4 (Sky Bet)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair

https://media.betfair.com/redirect.aspx?pid=17888340&lpid=159&bid=1615

Chelsea vs Luton

Jimmy 'The Punt'

Luton’s games have not been short of goals this season.

They kicked off the campaign with a 3-0 win at Gillingham in the Carabao Cup, came from 3-1 down to beat Reading 4-3 in League One, then drew 2-2 with Notts County in their last outing.

That’s three games, nine goals scored and five conceded.

Luton manager Jack Wilshere
Luton manager Jack Wilshere

Nothing’s changed from last season then. Jack Wilshere was hired in mid-October and his Hatters side league games averaged 2.8 goals.

He wasn’t in-charge for any fixtures in this competition but in the FA Cup, Luton edged a seven goal thriller with Forest Green before getting knocked-out on penalties at Fleetwood after a 2-2 draw.

At 7/5 backing OVER 2.5 GOALS AND BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE appeals at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are clear favourites to win on Thursday, generally 1/5, and should ultimately progress but they looked a little bit vulnerable defensively at Craven Cottage on Monday conceding twice from an xGA of 1.33.


Fulham vs Wimbledon

Jake Osgathorpe

Fulham started the season with a 3-2 defeat against Chelsea in which there were a lot of positives to take for Alvaro Arbeloa. The main thing I was thinking while watching was 'Fulham will be fine this season'.

That opens up an opportunity for a cup run, so we shouldn't be surprised to see the Cottagers go semi-strong here, though even if it is wholesale changes their XI will still be very good.

Visitors Wimbledon are still winless this season in all competitions, needing penalties in round one of the Carabao Cup to get past League Two Newport County before a 3-0 shellacking at Huddersfield and a goalless draw against Reading.

This is a huge step up in class for the Dons who will be fighting for their lives in League One and could do without yet another game so early in the season.

One Fulham change that we should see is a start for KEVIN, and his 7/4 price TO SCORE ANYTIME looks too big.

kevin shot map

He only started nine league games last season for the Cottagers but started all five cup games. In those five matches, four coming against lower league opponents, he took 23 shots, hit the target nine times and scored twice, averaging 0.46 xG per 90.

At the time of writing no firms have priced up shot lines, but if any go up before kick-off take a look at some of the high lines for Kevin who is a shoot-on-sight merchant, but for now we'll just back him to find the net on Thursday.


Odds correct at 17:00 BST (25/08/26)

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