EFL Cup Best Bets - August 8

Leicester arrive for their opening match of the EFL Cup on the back of a poor end to their friendlies across the summer break. A 3-3 draw with Malaga was quickly followed by a 1-0 loss to Genoa. These two failures came on the back of four consecutive friendly wins over Northampton, Bristol Rovers, Burton and Cadiz. While the Foxes did recently hammer Northampton 3-0 in a friendly, the difference between a pre-season outing and a cup match will be huge. I back Leicester to secure a third successive win over their opponents, but I do not predict a big win. 

West Ham return to competitive football for the first time since their relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2025/26 season. Pre-season has not been hugely convincing for the Hammers, although they are at least unbeaten. A 5-2 win over Stevenage has done little to paper over a lack of goals in pre-season, with a pair of 1-1 draws with Southend and Magdeburg coming alongside a goalless draw with Rangers. Three of the last four matches involving the pair have seen less than 2.5 goals scored, and I predict another low scoring game as West Ham's woes going forward bleed into the new season.