Crystal Palace can continue winning trophies with success in the Carabao Cup

Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi lifts the FA Cup (Picture: CameraSport via Getty Images)

Crystal Palace winning trophies is rather like catching the 468 bus from the Whitgift Centre in Croydon to Selhurst Park – you hang around for ages then several turn up at once.

The Eagles had never won significant silverware until they defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May but swiftly followed that up last month when they lifted the Community Shield by beating Liverpool in a penalty shootout.

Given the way they have started the new season, it would not be the greatest shock if Oliver Glasner’s side add the Carabao Cup to their collection by emerging triumphant in the final on Sunday, March 16

Premier League teams playing in Europe this season, including Europa Conference League participants Palace, enter the competition in the third round which kicks-off this week and now the Eagles have a taste of success on the big stage there’s no reason why they should not make it three trophy in ten months.

They may have sold Eberechi Eze to Arsenal in the final week of the transfer window, but Palace remain a solid, disciplined outfit unbeaten in six matches, including the shootout success against Liverpool and the two-legged Europa Conference League qualifier with Fredrikstad.

Their league campaign started with a 0-0 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge when they were denied victory after Eze’s free-kick was wiped off by a rule about the number of attacking players in the proximity of the defensive wall only previously known by anoraks, then they drew 1-1 at home to Nottingham Forest before winning 3-0 at Aston Villa.

Their latest outing on Saturday finished with a share of the spoils in a goalless draw against visiting Sunderland, who may be more resilient than most of us expected after gaining promotion from the Championship through the play-offs.

Oliver Glasner is working wonders as the Eagles boss (Picture: Getty Images)

Since the 2-2 thriller and subsequent spot-kick hi-jinks with the Premier League champions at Wembley, Palace have conceded just once in their last five matches and can continue that trend in the Tuesday night cup derby with Millwall, whose fans can interestingly catch the 468 to the tie from outside the Elephant and Castle underground station which is in their manor.

The South London rivals met in the FA Cup fifth-round in March with the Eagles winning 3-1 after Lions goalkeeper Liam Roberts, now with Mansfield, was sent off in the eighth-minute for a nasty challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta outside his penalty area.

Palace are 13/10 with StarSports and Bresbet to win without conceding and they are definitely worth an each-way interest to win the final at 25/1 with Ladbrokes, Coral, Betfred and BetVictor.

NFL odds: Raiders v Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns as his side beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-21 in Brazil in their opening game of the new NFL season and he can roll the dice again to send them to victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in their Monday Night Football date in Las Vegas.

The hosts’ offensive, which was efficient in a 20-13 victory over the Patriots in New England, could be without highly rated tight end Brock Bowers. Take the Chargers +2.5 points at 22/31 with 888Sports and their wide receiver Keenan Allen to score the first touchdown at 12/1 with Betfred and any time at 5/2 with the same firm.

Boxing odds 

Terence Crawford landed our 9/4 gamble by becoming undisputed world super-middleweight champion with his points victory against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in Las Vegas.

Sadly the winnings count for little following the sad new that Ricky Hatton has been found dead at his home in Greater Manchester aged just 46. RIP to a true gentleman and boxing legend.

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