EFL Trophy - Tuesday
With the International break coming up, we turn our eye to the EFL Trophy - the competition for League One, League Two and Football Academies. We've already done a pretty deep dive into some of the patterns we saw last year, but in summary, Football League sides are more competitive than the youngsters getting their real taste of proper football, while there is also a decent differential in terms of the quality of those Academy outfits - teams playing in the top flight academy league are a much higher calibre.
Our first target this week will therefore to oppose a couple of second tier academy sides playing away from home. League One sides were 8-1-2 against academy B League sides last season, so MK Dons have to appeal at odds-against when they face the Brighton kids. Sky Bet offer 21/20 about the League One side, which is big enough to warrant an interest.
Crewe are another side who have started the season well, and they will fancy their chances of getting the better of the Newcastle young guns. League Two sides won more than the didn't against academy B sides last campaign, so we'll chuck a point at them winning this one at 11/8 with a few firms.
League One sides won nine of their 20 away trips to League Two sides last season, so Shrewsbury, who have started 2017/18 really nicely, will fancy their chances at a Coventry side who are set to rest a number of players. They are 9/5 with William Hill which looks too long to ignore.
Mansfield will rest players for their match with Lincoln, but Steve Evans has built a squad with more depth than most Leauge Two sides could dream of. They wouldn't be anywhere near 5/4 in a league match with Lincoln, so should be a lot shorter in this one. They are probably the best bet on the night with Bet Victor.
Finally, Morecambe have always been an excellent August side, and regularly hit the ground running under their long-serving manager Jim Bentley. They have to have a chance therefore against Carlisle. At 2/1 at home they are too long in this one.
1pt MK Dons to beat Brighton U21 at 21/20
1pt Crewe to beat Newcastle U21 at 11/8
1pt Shrewsbury to beat Coventry at 9/5
2pts Mansfield to beat Lincoln at 5/4
1pt Morecambe to beat Carlisle at 21/10