Arsenal Carling Cup favourites after quarter final draw

Arsenal have become the new favourites to win the Carling Cup after receiving a kind draw in the quarter finals of the competition.

After progressing through tricky away ties against Tottenham and Newcastle, Arsene Wenger’s team have finally been drawn at the Emirates and will host Wigan.

Arsenal have beaten Wigan at home in the Premier League for the past three seasons without conceding a goal and also eliminated them in the fourth round of the Carling Cup in 2008 despite choosing largely a reserve side.

This draw has left Arsenal 7/4 to win the Carling Cup, with Manchester United drifting slightly to 2/1.

Part of the reason is because the reigning holders face a harder task to reach the semi-finals against West Ham, with Upton Park a ground that has not always been the best to the Red Devils in the past.

The duo will be meeting in the Carling Cup for the first time in 25 years, with the draw seeing West Ham climb to 16/1 to win the tournament.

Perhaps the biggest game of the quarter finals will be at St Andrews as Birmingham host local rivals Aston Villa.

Villa are 6/1 to win the Carling Cup and will be confident having beaten Birmingham in all of their last six Premier League meetings ahead of their top-flight showdown this weekend.

Meanwhile, Birmingham tend to be difficult to stop at home and could be a good price in the Carling Cup betting odds at 8/1 to lift the trophy for the second time after their 1963 success.

The other clash sees the only non Premier League club left in the competition Ipswich entertain in-form West Brom.

Wigan are now the outsiders to win the Carling Cup at 28/1, with Ipswich 25/1. See the full Carling Cup winners betting odds market.