Championship side Derby County take on League Two Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup on Tuesday evening, with Gary Rowett’s men looking to avoid an upset in the opening round of the competition. However, with Russel Slade and his players looking to make a name for themselves at Blundell Park, it could well be a tight affair, especially given the Mariners home advantage.
Football League Cup First round – Blundell Park, Cleethorpes, Tuesday 8 August – 19:45UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 27/10 at Ladbrokes |
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Grimsby Town
Derby CountyDerby County are one of the favourites for promotion to the Premier League this season, having invested heavily in their playing squad, however with Rowett set to use his squad to the full on Tuesday, his back-up players have their work cut out against Grimsby. With the EFL Cup having long been a firm favourite among betting customers within the UK, follow our top betting tip for a chance to win big off the back of this match. However first, let’s take a look at the two teams in greater detail.
Grimsby Town Form
Grimsby Town finished in mid-table in League Two last season, having only been promoted back to the fourth tier of English football in 2016. Having safely maintained their Football League status, Russell Slade has invested in experienced players over the summer, with Nathan Clarke, Paul Dixon and Karleigh Osbourne having all arrived at the club. Grimsby faced a tough away trip to Chesterfield Town on the opening day of the season on Saturday, with Slade perhaps not putting his all into a competition that his side are unlikely to have much chance of progressing in. It remains to be seen as to how many first team regulars line up against their opponents from the Championship.
Derby County Form
Having missed out on the Championship play-offs, Gary Rowett took over at Pride Park at the end of the campaign, following his departure from rivals Birmingham City. Rowett moved quickly in order to bring in Premier League experience in the form of Curtis Davies, Andre Wisdom and former fans favourite, Tom Huddlestone. Having done so, there is plenty of expectation at Derby this season, with the Rams having started with a well-earned point against recent Premier League side, Sunderland. With Derby not having one of the bigger squads in the Championship, it is likely that Rowett will name a strong starting eleven to face Grimsby.
Top Betting Tip
Given the difference in quality between the two teams, it would be easy to predict a comfortable win for Derby County. However, given the stage of the season, along with Grimsby’s home advantage, our top betting tip is to back both teams to score, which can be found at best odds of 4/6 from bookmakers Ladbrokes.