ALEX CROOK PREVIEW: EFL Cup Round 4

Star Sports football ambassador ALEX CROOK previews the EFL Cup fourth round…

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🐟 FLEETWOOD TOWN v ARSENAL 🔴
Tuesday, 8pm, Sky Sports Football

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Arsenal return to Highbury on Tuesday night. Well sort of!

The Gunners make their first ever trip to Highbury Stadium, which has absolutely no connection to their former home, to face League Two Fleetwood.

The Cod Army will be out in force to welcome Mikel Arteta’s Premier League champions, with a record crowd expected.

Fleetwood have already caused one upset en route to the last 16 after dumping out Championship strugglers Sheffield United in the last round.

The hosts have made it this far without conceding a goal, but it will be a very tall order to keep that run going against an Arsenal side who are enjoying a five-game unbeaten run.

Arteta made wholesale changes for their trip to Ipswich in the last round, but the Gunners still ran out comfortable winners.

Teenage sensation Max Dowman took centre stage at Portman Road, and I am backing the 16-year-old to shine again here.

Dowman is 21/20 with starsports.bet to score at any time.

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🔴 LIVERPOOL v CHELSEA 🔵
Wednesday, 8pm, Sky Sports Main Event and ITV1

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This is a match worthy of gracing Wembley itself and a repeat of the 2022 final when Liverpool emerged victorious in a penalty shootout.

The hosts will be in confident mood after Sunday’s 2-0 win at home to in-form Brighton.

Chelsea meanwhile suffered an unexpected 2-0 defeat at home to bitter rivals Tottenham on an afternoon to forget for Xabi Alonso.

The Liverpool icon returns to Anfield without the services of Cole Palmer after he was sent off in that feisty London derby.

With Joao Pedro also likely to be sidelined due to the injury that ruled him out at the weekend, Chelsea’s attack does not look anywhere near as potent as it has so far this season.

Alonso’s two previous visits to the red half of Merseyside as Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid gaffer ended in defeat and without the services of Palmer and Pedro, I do not see it being third time lucky.

Liverpool’s only defeat this season in any competition was the 3-0 reverse to Manchester City when they were well in the game before Ryan Gravenberch’s red card.

Liverpool to win and both teams to score is available at 23/10 with starsports.bet.

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⚪ FULHAM v CRYSTAL PALACE 🦅
Wednesday, 7.45pm, Sky Sports+

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Pierre Sage is surely running out of time to save his job as Crystal Palace manager.

Sage’s side were booed off after losing 2-0 at home to Newcastle on Sunday, a result that leaves them just one place and one point above the relegation zone.

The Frenchman was already feeling the heat from chairman Steve Parish so the next two games, away at Craven Cottage and next weekend’s trip to Tottenham, feel critical for his future.

I get the impression Sage will prioritise the Spurs game, especially with an already-stretched squad having to juggle their European commitments.

This feels like a great chance for Fulham, who have never won a major trophy, to progress to the quarter finals.

The Cottagers have picked up back-to-back wins over Coventry and Hull to take the spotlight off their owner manager Alvaro Arbeloa.

Arbeloa could opt to rest Gonzalo Garcia to the bench, so my build-a-bet is Fulham to win, over 2.5 goals, over 2.5 cards and Rodrigo Muniz to score which returns 4/1 with starsports.bet.

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🔵 EVERTON v NEWCASTLE UNITED ⚫
Thursday, 7.45pm, Sky Sports+

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The final last 16 tie is Thursday’s all-Premier League clash at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Everton fans are thirsty to see their side lift silverware for the first time since their 1995 FA Cup final victory over Manchester United.

Newcastle meanwhile won this competition only two seasons ago to end their 70-year wait for a major domestic honour.

I watched Everton lose 2-0 at Arsenal on Saturday. The Toffees did not play badly but David Moyes’s demeanour was very downbeat after the game and clearly still frustrated at the lack of summer signings.

I also saw Newcastle’s 2-0 win at Crystal Palace 24 hours later and manager Matthias Jaissle will be keen to build some positive momentum after a tricky run of form.

With Moyes unlikely to risk Jarrod Branthwaite, who missed the trip to the Emirates with concussion and Newcastle having more strength in depth, I fancy the visitors to go through.

Newcastle to win in 90 minutes is a 2/1 shot with starsports.bet.

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1⃣ BEST BET: Liverpool to win and both teams to score 1.5pts at 23/10 (⭐️ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
2⃣ NEXT BEST: Max Dowman to score at any time 1pt at 21/20 (⭐️ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
🎲 LONG SHOT: Newcastle to win 1pt at 2/1 (⭐️ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
📊 BUILD-A-BET: Fulham to win, over 2.5 goals, over 2.5 cards and Rodrigo Muniz to score at any time 0.5pts at 4/1 with starsports.bet
🚀 ALEX ACCA: Bradford, Fulham, Liverpool, Brighton 0.5pts at 16/1 (⭐️ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

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ALEX’S PROFIT/LOSS (OCT 2026): -6.08 points

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