Carling Cup
Tuesday's Carling Cup semi-final first leg
Carling Cup - Blue Square PR Manager Alan Alger looks at Tuesday night's Manchester 'derby' and Blackburn's attempt to overhaul a one goal deficit at Villa Park:
All eyes will be on Argentine forward Carlos Tevez as Manchester City host rivals Manchester United in Tuesday's Carling Cup semi-final first leg. 
Blue Square have a number of special bets focused on City's in-form striker. He is 11/8 to score at anytime in this match and 100/30 to score in any City victory - which has been the outcome in 50% of City's last ten games. Tevez is 8/1 to score a goal from outside the box and 10/1 to hit the woodwork. We also have a special 'Goalscorer Matchbet' which pits him against former teammate Wayne Rooney. Both players are 3/1 in this particular contest with a tie at 8/13. Tevez has eleven goals from his last ten appearances in all competitions for his new club, whilst former club United have certainly looked to have been missing his cutting edge on occasions this season. It's City's first game in the competition since Roberto Mancini took over and Mark Hughes' parting gift was a win over Arsenal and a much-reported spat with Arsene Wenger. It remains to be seen if United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will continue to use a mixture of his squad to fulfil fixtures in this competition. Considering that two games against their local rivals are on the agenda then he'd be forgiven for taking it a touch more seriously. Rooney may well make his seasonal debut in the competition, taking over from the likes of Michael Owen and Federico Macheda. Dimitar Berbatov broke the deadlock on Saturday when Burnley held United to a goalless hour in the league, before eventually succumbing to a 3-0 defeat. The third scorer Mame Diouf replaced Berbatov from the bench and could be used again. Diouf is 8/1 to net first on what would be his third appearance for the club. Observers at Old Trafford on Saturday suggested that the scoreline flattered United, but in terms of recent form, City's defeat at Everton gave more cause for concern. Robinho was a subbed-sub on Saturday evening and if Mancini has any remaining faith in the Brazilian maybe a Carling Cup appearance could be a sufficient wake-up call. Robinho is also 8/1 to score first. City have sufficiently played down seasonal expectations after Mark Hughes' dismissal with some remarking that Hughes was still on course to deliver what was laid out before his Italian replacement. We now get to see how Mancini copes with a defeat and City are 6/4 favourites for this first leg. United are one of the biggest prices they have been for an away game at City in decades, as 7/4 outsiders! I'd expect the prices to fluctuate as soon as the teams are announced and intentions are made clear by the opposing managers. Talking of bosses, Fergie will greet an incredible 16th incumbent in the City hotseat since he took over the reigns at Old Trafford, when he shakes Mancini's hand before and hopefully after the game - Arsene Wenger take note.
Aston Villa put one foot in the final with a 1-0 win at Blackburn last week in a match that failed to sparkle. Both clubs turned out in the league on Sunday with Blackburn registering an impressive home win over Fulham. Villa were held at home by an injury-hit West Ham squad and the 0-0 scoreline was greeted by a chorus of boos from the Villa Park faithful. Martin O'Neill's side will need to snap out of that as I'd expect Blackburn to come with a gameplan to get in their faces. Sam Allardyce looked to be boiling over on the touchline at times in the first leg and that anger inspired his team to that weekend victory. Villa are 4/7 to take both legs but, for a team that have failed to score in three of their last five matches that looks too short. I expect Blackburn to go for all-out attack and possibly take the game into extra-time. A 2-1 away win would set up an additional thirty minutes and that outcome is 20/1 on our correct-score market.
With their first leg lead Villa are the slight tournament favourites at 13/8. Manchester United are 7/4 to lift the cup with neighbours City at 9/4. Blackburn are a huge 14/1 with a second leg in front of them, a goal down and a potential final against a Manchester giant if they do pull it off.
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