Football betting tips: EFL Trophy
1pt Leeds U21-Draw vs Barnsley (19:00) at 11/4 (Sky Bet)
1pt Newcastle U21-Draw vs Bradford (19:30) at 3/1 (Sky Bet)
0.5pt Leeds U21-Draw & Newcastle U21-Draw at 14/1 (Sky Bet)
The EFL Trophy got under way earlier this month and has continued its goals habit, particularly in games involving Premier League under-21 sides.
There were 22 goals across six fixtures (3.67 per game) with all but one going over 2.5. The highest-scoring game was Chesterfield’s 5-3 win over Manchester City U21, with Newcastle U21’s 3-1 victory at York was the only other match to clear 3.5 goals.
In that defeat by Newcastle’s youngsters, York were one of several clubs to just about comply with the competition’s team-strength rules by making early substitutions. In reality, they fielded a second-string XI.
That doubtless contributed to three wins from six for top-flight under-21 sides, and with goals lines painfully short this week, finding the right U21 teams to back this time around is the way I'm going.
This week comes at the end of an exceptionally busy start to the campaign, with several clubs having played 10 fixtures across the league and Carabao Cup in just 42 days.
League One duo BARNSLEY and BRADFORD are the only sides in action on Tuesday to have endured that schedule.
The Tykes have a threadbare squad of young players, while the Bantams have bigger priorities as they chase promotion and have a huge chance to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after drawing Peterborough at home in the fourth round.
Both are worth opposing as massive odds-on favourites against under-21 opposition, with the DOUBLE CHANCE quotes for LEEDS U21-DRAW at 11/4 and NEWCASTLE U21-DRAW at 3/1.
It pays 14/1 as a DOUBLE.
If you prefer the singles, Leeds are 8/1 and Newcastle 17/2. But despite this being a group-stage competition, these matches cannot finish as traditional draws: if level after 90 minutes, they go straight to penalties.
At those prices, the double chance looks the smarter play.
Odds correct at 13:50 BST (21/09/26)
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