Capital One Cup Tips: Southampton to ambush Arsenal

Ronald Koeman's Southampton have won four straight matches

Michael Lintorn fancies Southampton at Arsenal as he assesses Tuesday's three all-Premier League Capital One Cup ties...

(All games start at 19:45 on Tuesday)

Arsenal v Southampton
Match Odds: Arsenal 1.981/1, Southampton 4.3100/30, The Draw 3.7511/4

After all the negativity that Southampton were forced to deal with this summer, they sit second in the Premier League after five games. That's four points clear of Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert's Liverpool in 11th and with reason to consider Toby Alderweireld, Dusan Tadic and Graziano Pelle upgrades on those high-profile deserters.

Four successive victories - three of them away to the accomplished trio of Millwall, West Ham and Swansea - have left confidence sky high and there are plenty of new signings and academy products who haven't featured much yet itching for an opportunity. Ronald Koeman has lost once in six career managerial meetings with Arsenal, helping to engineer two Gunners' Champions League exits.

Recommended Bet: Lay Arsenal to win @ 1.991/1

Sunderland v Stoke
Match Odds: Sunderland 2.588/5, Stoke 3.02/1, The Draw 3.412/5

Sunderland's respect for the point has led to four Premier League draws in five this season, but they allow themselves a break in the cups. They opened this Capital One Cup campaign with a 3-0 success at Birmingham, while just one of their 11 cup clashes last term failed to produce a 90-minute winner.

The 2013/14 finalists are unbeaten in a dozen home games against Stoke, winning seven of those to nil, including four of their six together in the Premier League. The Potters have won only two of their previous nine League Cup away days in 90 minutes, with their mere three triumphs in nine at any venue in the competition arriving against lowly Walsall, Tranmere and Portsmouth.

Recommended Bet: Back Sunderland to win @ 2.588/5

Swansea v Everton
Match Odds: Swansea 2.35/4, Everton 3.3512/5, The Draw 3.613/5

Over 2.5 goals is the standout bet for Roberto Martinez's latest return to the club where he is known as El Judas, given the sudden defensive struggles that have blighted Everton's start to the season. They have managed one clean sheet in six attempts, conceding 14 times in total as five of their contests have gone not just over 2.5 but over 3.5 goals.

Swansea haven't been as wild, though three of their five collisions with Premier League colleagues have delivered three goals or more, including the two against "Big Seven" sides Man United and Chelsea, in which both they and their opponents scored. All three Swans-versus-Toffees encounters in 2013/14 yielded over 2.5 goals.

Recommended Bet: Back over 2.5 goals @ 1.865/6