EFL Cup & Championship Betting Tips: 3-4 February 2026

TL;DR – Key takeaways

• Arsenal protect a slender aggregate lead against Chelsea after a 3‑2 first‑leg win.
• Manchester City host holders Newcastle with a 2‑0 cushion.
• Blackburn and Sheffield Wednesday both struggle for wins; goals could be scarce.
• Hull arrive on a four‑game winning streak while Watford are winless in four.
• Portsmouth’s home form is strong, but Ipswich boast the division’s second‑best attack.
• Sheffield United are unbeaten in seven home games and face an Oxford side sliding towards relegation.

London derby: Arsenal v Chelsea – can the Gunners hold on?

Arsenal’s 3–2 away victory in the first leg gives them a narrow cushion. They raced into early leads before Alejandro Garnacho’s brace pegged them back. Since then, Mikel Arteta’s men thrashed Leeds 4‑0 to ease nerves and retain a firm grip atop the Premier League. Chelsea arrive with five consecutive wins across all competitions and the belief that new boss Liam Rosenior has them heading in the right direction. Injuries could influence selection: Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino is sidelined, and Bukayo Saka remains a doubt, while Chelsea will be without Jamie Gittens and may rotate João Pedro and Reece James back into the XI.

• Tip: Back Both Teams To Score (BTTS) – Arsenal rarely keep clean sheets at home and Chelsea’s recent scoring streak suggests they’ll find the net despite needing to overturn the deficit.

Etihad encounter: Man City v Newcastle – champions seek reaction

Manchester City cruised to a 2‑0 win at St James’ Park in the first leg thanks to Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki. Pep Guardiola’s side, however, were stung by a late Tottenham comeback in the league and will want a statement performance. Defensively they’re threadbare: Josko Gvardiol and John Stones are out, Ruben Dias has just returned to training and winger Jeremy Doku also misses out. Newcastle, still Carabao Cup holders, suffered a 4‑1 hammering at Liverpool at the weekend and have multiple absentees of their own: captain Bruno Guimarães and right‑back Tino Livramento remain sidelined, Joelinton is nursing a groin problem and several youngsters picked up knocks. The Magpies must score at least twice, so they are likely to attack from the outset.

• Tip: Over 2.5 goals – City’s defensive injuries and Newcastle’s need to chase the game point towards an open contest with chances at both ends.

Relegation scrap: Blackburn Rovers v Sheffield Wednesday – who will end their slump?

This Ewood Park meeting pits two of the Championship’s strugglers against each other. Blackburn sit 22nd on 29 points after 29 games and are winless in nine matches. They dominated possession against Hull last weekend but fell to a 1‑0 defeat, highlighting their toothless attack. Sheffield Wednesday remain in administration, propping up the table on –7 points after multiple deductions. They have failed to score in eight straight games and carry the worst offensive and defensive records in the division. Head‑to‑head meetings are historically balanced, but current form favours the hosts.

• Tip: Under 2.5 goals – with both sides misfiring in front of goal and Wednesday particularly blunt, a low‑scoring affair looks most likely.

Tigers on the prowl: Hull City v Watford – promotion hopefuls collide

Hull City have surged into third place after four consecutive Championship victories. Their dynamic, attacking style has yielded 48 goals in 29 games while conceding 40, making them one of the division’s most entertaining sides. A late Lewis Koumas strike earned them a 1‑0 win at Blackburn last weekend. Watford, by contrast, arrive in turmoil; they’re winless in four and manager Javi Gracia resigned on Sunday. The Hornets lost 2‑0 to Swansea, ending with ten men after Nestory Irankunda’s red card. Several players (Rocco Vata, Mattie Pollock) are injured or suspended, and the side currently sits tenth, four points off the play‑offs.

• Tip: Back Hull to win – the hosts are flying, while Watford’s managerial upheaval and absences suggest their winless run may continue.

South‑coast showdown: Portsmouth v Ipswich Town – survival meets promotion push

Portsmouth have climbed to 20th and four points clear of the drop zone thanks to a run of just one defeat in nine league games. Their recent 3‑0 win over West Brom extended an unbeaten home streak to five matches and featured goals from Conor Chaplin, Millenic Alli and Ebou Adams. Ipswich Town, fourth in the table, boast the Championship’s second‑highest goal tally (49) but have faltered recently with only one point from their last two outings. The Tractor Boys won 2‑1 in September’s reverse fixture and aim to complete a league double. Portsmouth must cope with a lengthy injury list and will be without top scorer Colby Bishop and loanee Chaplin (ineligible), while Ipswich are missing Conor Townsend and Ashley Young, though Jaden Philogene or Marcelino Nunez may return.

• Tip: Both teams to score – Portsmouth’s confident home form and Ipswich’s prolific attack point to goals at either end.

Rising Blades: Sheffield United v Oxford United – form versus survival

After languishing near the relegation places early in the season, Sheffield United have climbed to 17th with 36 points thanks to eight wins in their last 14 games. They are unbeaten in seven home league matches and recently dispatched promotion‑chasing Ipswich 3‑1 before drawing 1‑1 at Millwall. Oxford United sit 23rd and five points from safety. New coach Matt Bloomfield oversaw a 2‑1 win at Leicester and goalless draws against Bristol City and QPR but saw his side fall 2‑0 to Birmingham last weekend. Injuries leave both squads thin: the Blades are missing Jairo Riedewald, Jamie Shackleton, Sam McCallum and Tom Davies, while Oxford are without Hidde ter Avest and several attacking options. Sheffield United have regained striker Patrick Bamford and defender Japhet Tanganga from suspension, bolstering their lineup.

• Tip: Sheffield United to win – the Blades’ strong home run and Oxford’s struggles away from home suggest a comfortable victory.

What are football betting tips?

Football betting tips are concise, researched suggestions aimed at helping punters make more informed wagers on upcoming matches. They combine form analysis, team news and historical trends to highlight likely outcomes without guaranteeing a result.

How to use these mid‑week tips (step‑by‑step)

FAQs