Toast the Clarets at 15-8

Burnley have carried all before them in the Carling Cup this season and look a value bet to keep up the good work in the first leg of their semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Tuesday night.

Most bookmakers make the Clarets 7-1 to gain a surprise success and, while that price is worth a second look, the 15-8 that Skybet offer against them with goal start is more attractive.

Burnley have already dumped Chelsea, Arsenal and Fulham out of the competition and their success in the fourth round at Stamford Bridge - in front of a 41,000 crowd - will stand them in good stead for their latest test against Premier League opposition.

Owen Coyle, the Burnley manager,  was part of the Bolton squad that reached the League Cup final in 1995 and has shown what a shrewd tactician he is by getting the better of  Luiz Felipe Scolari, Arsene Wenger and Roy Hodgson this term. His team suffered a bit of a blip in the league over Christmas, but they remain firmly in the promotion picture and a goalless draw away to Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup over the weekend means that they have conceded only one goal (to Didier Drogba) in six cup matches this campaign.

Apart from having a well-drilled defence, Burnley also boast a dangerous striker in Martin Paterson. The 21-year-old Northern Ireland forward has 14 goals to his credit this term and the bulk of them have been achieved on away soil. He is a tempting 7-2 with Paddy Power to enhance that record by scoring at any time. Ladbrokes are far more wary, going 9-4.

Spurs are a best-priced 1-2 with Boylesports and have improved since Harry Redknapp took over as manager at the end of October. However, the London club are still far from being the finished article and had not won for five  matches until gaining a workmanlike FA Cup success over a depleted Wigan Athletic side last Friday. Before that, Redknapp had been fuming after a 2-0 loss away to struggling West Bromwich Albion.

The draw is 7-2 with Bet365, while those who want to take a longer view can get 15-8 about Spurs lifting the cup (with Coral) and 16-1 about Burnley doing likewise (Skybet and Bet365). Manchester United are generally 8-13 favourites, with Derby 25-1.

Comments

[Grace]

with tipsters like this I think I stick with my hatpin