EFL Cup: Liverpool and Newcastle favourites to reach final after first legs

• Reds still favourites even after loss to Spurs

• Ange's men will take one goal advantge to Anfield

• Newcastle second in outright market at 13/8

Both EFL Cup semi-final first legs produced upsets as Newcastle beat Arsenal at the Emirates and Tottenham earned a narrow advantage over Liverpool. But Arne Slot's team are still the favourites to win the tournament.

Liverpool are 5/4 in the outright winner market on the Betfair Sportsbook after they were beaten 1-0 by a gutsy Spurs in north London on Wednesday evening.

Liverpool 4/7 to qualify for EFL Cup final

Lucas Bergvall got the game's only goal with four minutes to go, just after he was lucky not to receive a second yellow card for bringing down Kostas Tsimikas.

Slot was furious, so can the Reds use the perceived injustice as fuel when the teams meet in the second leg on 6 February?

The market indicates that they can, making Liverpool 2/5 to win the match and 4/7 to qualify. The Premier League leaders hope the EFL Cup can be the first part of a quadruple in 2024/25.

Spurs' win keeps Ange's trophy dream on course

Spurs, who were more disciplined than they were in their performances under Ange Postecoglou in the run up to the first leg, are 11/8 to go through to the final.

Postecoglou has been criticised for his tactics this season but has pointed out to critics that he often wins a trophy in his second season at a club.

This is his second campaign as Spurs boss and, even though his team are likely to face a much stronger Liverpool in the second leg, this competition is the Aussie's best chance of delivering silverware to Tottenham this season.

They are 5/1 to win the EFL Cup and end their 17 year wait for a trophy.

Win leaves Newcastle 1/7 to reach EFL Cup final

Newcastle are another English club that are desperate to give their fans a trophy to celebrate. They haven't won a major English competition since 1955 but, after beating Arsenal 2-0 in their semi-final first leg, the Magpies are 1/7 to reach the final.

A Newcastle v Tottenham final, with both clubs vying to win their first trophy for many years, would be an exciting prospect.

In their current form, which has seen Eddie Howe's men win seven matches on the trot in all competitions, they will be tough opponents for anyone. That's why they have shortened to 13/8 second favourites in the outright betting.

Arsenal have it all to do in the second leg on 5 February after going down 2-0 in front of their own fans. Mikel Arteta's team are 9/2 to qualify.

The Gunners are 13/2 to win the EFL Cup - the longest price of any of the four teams left in the competition.

Now attention turns to the FA Cup third round, so get our experts' tips and see if they are backing any upsets this weekend on the long road to Wembley.

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