It is an all-Championship clash in the first of this week's Carling Cup semi-finals as Crystal Palace host Cardiff on Tuesday night. The pair meet at Selhurst Park in the first leg of the tie and Cardiff start as marginal favourites at 6/4 in the match odds, while Palace are priced 7/4, with the draw looking tempting at 11/5 with Stan James.
They are both bidding to become the first side from outside of the top flight to win the League Cup since Sheffield Wednesday in 1991 and both have already upset the odds in the tournament so far. Palace stunned Manchester United in their quarter-final, while Cardiff also knocked out Premier League opposition in the form of Blackburn.
Palace are currently eleventh in the Championship and Dougie Freedman's biggest concern will be where goals are going to come from. His team have scored just eleven league goals at home this season and have scored just two in their last five League Cup matches. Three quarters of their home games have involved under 2.5 goals, including eight of the last nine, and under 2.5 goals is 4/6 odds on this week.
There has been an opening goal in the opening 25 minutes of Palace's last three matches though and StanJames.com go evens that the first goal of Tuesday night's match is scored in the 27th minute or before.
Darren Ambrose is 9/1 to score first, although he could offer better value to score anytime at 3/1, particularly as he has scored three in three in the League Cup this term. However, Cardiff have scored first in 72% of league games this season and they are 20/21 to score the first goal of Tuesday's match.
You could do worse than to take a look at Kenny Miller to be first goalscorer and he is the 11/2 favourite with Stan James. Miller has scored two in his last two matches and he opened the scoring in Cardiff's 2-0 win over Palace in November, which was the fifth time there had been under 2.5 goals in six meetings between the two sides.
Cardiff made ten changes to their side for the 4-2 loss to West Brom in the FA Cup at the weekend, while Palace made seven changes for the 1-0 defeat to Derby. Both teams are clearly putting a lot of emphasis on the Carling Cup and we fancy the odds point to the draw.
Palace have only lost two of 30 League Cup matches at home, although they have made a habit of drawing games this season, with six of their twelve Championship matches at home ending in draws so far. Cardiff have drawn seven of their twelve away and the correct score of 1-1 at 9/2 could be worth backing, which would leave all to play for in the second leg.
Crystal Palace v Cardiff Form
Check the season's statistics for both Crystal Palace and Cardiff, plus the odds ahead of Tuesday's match.
Crystal Palace Stats | Cardiff Stats
Crystal Palace v Cardiff Tips
Tip #1: Match to finish as a draw @ 11/5 with StanJames.com
Tip #2: Kenny Miller to score first @ 11/2 with StanJames.com
Tip #3: Under 2.5 goals @ 4/6 with StanJames.com
Match Odds
7/4 Crystal Palace
11/5 Draw
6/4 Cardiff
Correct Score Odds
7/1 Crystal Palace 1-0
12/1 Crystal Palace 2-0
17/2 Crystal Palace 2-1
17/2 Draw 0-0
9/2 Draw 1-1
11/1 Draw 2-2
13/2 Cardiff 1-0
11/1 Cardiff 2-0
17/2 Cardiff 2-1
First Goalscorer Odds
11/2 Kenny Miller
6/1 Glenn Murray
6/1 Joe Mason
6/1 Wilfred Zaha
13/2 Robert Earnshaw
13/2 Jermaine Easter
7/1 Chris Martin
7/1 Steffen Iversen
15/2 Antonio Pedroza
8/1 Sean Scannell
8/1 Peter Whittingham
Odds supplied by StanJames.com, who provide a variety of betting markets, including live in-running betting, for all the week's Carling Cup matches.
Posted: Monday, 9th January 2012
Author: Chris James
Tags: carling cup, crystal palace, cardiff, kenny miller, stan james,
 | Mark Hughes Long Odds On Favourite To Be Next QPR Manager Gianfranco Zola and Rafa Benitez also in the running | 9th Jan |
 | Chelsea Head The FA Cup Betting Following Fourth Round Draw Liverpool set to host Man United in the fourth round | 9th Jan |
 | Arsenal V Leeds Odds Leeds A Good Bet To Upset The Thierry Henry Show Frenchman short odds to get on the scoresheet | 8th Jan |
 | Man City V Man Utd Betting Blues Favourites For Third Round Tie Odds predict a close match at the Etihad Stadium | 6th Jan |
 | Swindon V Wigan Odds Back A Draw In The Third Round Betting Betting is tight for clash at the County Ground | 6th Jan |
Headline News
 | Benitez And Martinez Battle For Favouritism In The Next Liverpool Manager Betting Jose Mourinho An Interesting Outside Punt For Anfield Job |
 | Roy Hodgson Announces His England Squad For Euro 2012 Rio Ferdinand Out But John Terry Included In 23 Man Squad |
 | Dante Stakes Odds Bonfire Set To Light Up York In Derby Trial Mandaean And Ernest Hemingway Also Being Backed |
 | Middleton Stakes Odds Izzi Top Likely Favourite In Close Betting Race At York I |
 | Eurovision Song Contest Odds Predict Middle Of The Road Position UKs Middle Of The Road Entry Russian Grannies Still On Top |
BRAND NEW £250 free bets offer.
Open Account - Free £250 Bets With Paddypower
£25 free bet with William Hill.
Open Account - Claim £25 Free With William Hill
Claim a massive £50 free bet with teh leading bookmaker Ladbrokes
Open Account - Free £50 Bet at Ladbrokes
The UK based bookmaker Betfred is now offering a £50 free bet for new clients.
Open Account - Free £50 Bet With Betfred
New £50 free bet offer.
Open Account - Free £50 Bet With Coral
BetVictor is offering £100 in free bets to all new clients.
Open Account - Open Account - Free £100 Bets With BetVictor
Up to £200 worth of free bets with Bet365.
Open Account - Claim £200 Free With Bet365
Those looking for some online casino entertainment ought to check out all the latest UK Casino Sign Up offers from the top operators including 32Red and many of the sports betting casinos.
There is excellent information, should you be interested in playing online blackjack, roulette, the best progressives or slots - Online Casino Betting with the best introductory offers
Bookmark This Page