Less than two weeks into the year, Football is fully back with at least two rounds of fixtures already played. Ahead of the midweek cup games, we provide the betting tips you’ve come to enjoy so much. Enjoy! **Liverpool vs. Fulham** Liverpool kicked off their one-month stretch without Mo Salah impressively, securing a 2-0 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates. Despite the Gunners first half domination, the Reds capitalized on Arsenal’s missed opportunities and scored twice in the second half. Jurgen Klopp was without key players, such as Wataru Endō, Virgil van Dijk, and Dominik Szoboszlai. However, the German tactician showcased his managerial superiority by outclassing Mikel Arteta through strategic adjustments. A notable change involved shifting Harvey Elliott from midfield to a false 9 role, with Darwin Núñez moving to the left wing and Luis Diaz to the right. The deliberate focus on attacking Arsenal’s flanks paid off, resulting in a foul down the left wing that led to Jakub Kiwior’s own goal in the 80th minute before Luis Diaz sealed the victory after another successful attack down Liverpool’s left wing. Jurgen Klopp provided opportunities to several young players, including Conor Bradley, the 20-year-old right-back from Northern Ireland, who entered the game as a substitute. Bradley had a remarkable loan spell at Bolton last year, earning accolades such as Bolton Wanderers’ Player of the Year for the 2022–23 season, the Players’ Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards (which he shared with James Trafford). Following his outstanding cameo against a strong Arsenal team, Bradley might start in the upcoming match against Fulham. Fulham had to settle for a slim 1-0 win over bottom of the Championship team, Rotherham but not for a lack of trying. The Londoners had 21 total shots and 66% of the possession, but Rotherham’s low block proved too difficult to break down. When Fulham visited Liverpool in early December, they came close to leaving with an unlikely win, as they held a 3-2 lead with 3 minutes left on the clock. However, two quick goals from Wataru Endō and Trent Alexander-Arnold flipped the game on its head and Liverpool claimed all three points. Another 7-goal thriller may not be on the cards, but what we should expect is a Liverpool win. The Reds have only suffered one domestic defeat this season - a controversial loss to Tottenham - and have remained undefeated at Anfield since the 2-5 loss to Real Madrid in late February. The expectation is not just a Liverpool victory but also a potential triumph in the tournament, considering they are the strongest team remaining. BetKing offers best odds on these for our online sports betting community compared to other betting sites. **Betting Tips:**
**Middlesbrough vs. Chelsea** This matchup offers the potential for a significant upset if things fall in Boro’s favor, and securing a victory in this first leg at the Riverside Stadium would be pivotal. Michael Carrick and his team are coming off a heart-breaking FA Cup exit to Aston Villa, where the game was deadlocked until the 87th minute when a deflected shot from Matty Cash handed Aston Villa the lead and the win. Having to swiftly regroup after this setback, they now face the challenge of preparing for the upcoming clash against the Blues. Middlesbrough had a sluggish start to the season but has shown signs of recovery in recent weeks, and are now up to 12th in the Championship. Last season, they finished 4th in the table, narrowly missing out on the playoffs. Their impressive goal tally of 84 in the league, second only to 1st place Burnley, was the main driving force behind their performances. However, the loss of their top scorer, Chuba Akpom, who moved to Ajax, played a significant role in their slow start but overcoming this setback has contributed to their recent resurgence. Chelsea secured a 4-0 victory over Preston North End in the FA Cup. Despite the convincing scoreline, the first-half performance by the Blues was subpar, with Preston North End matching them in both intensity and quality. The turning point came with Armando Broja’s opening goal in the 58th minute, extinguishing any hope the Championship side harboured. Chelsea then went on a scoring spree, netting three goals in an 11-minute span, before Enzo Fernandez added the fourth in the 85th minute. Chelsea enters this game arguably enjoying their best form in over 12 months, securing three consecutive victories and winning five out of their last six matches. This impressive streak is their most successful since Graham Potter’s early days in October 2022. Notably, Chelsea’s goal-scoring fortunes have seen a positive shift, finding the back of the net in 12 of their last 13 games, including an impressive nine goals in their last three matches. Meanwhile, Boro has also showed a penchant for high-scoring performances, particularly in this tournament. They’ve advanced to the final four by eliminating Huddersfield Town, Exeter City, Bolton Wanderers, Bradford City, and most recently, Port Vale. Remarkably, they’ve scored at least two goals in each of these victories, showcasing their attacking prowess on the road to the semifinals. **Betting Tips:**
**Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid** Real Madrid are sitting on top of LaLiga, thanks to a 1-0 win over Mallorca on the 3rd of January. They followed that with a 3-1 win over Arandina in the Copa del Rey Round of 32, and now have their sights set on getting to the final of the Supercopa de España. Meanwhile, neighbors, Atletico Madrid, suffered a brutal 4-3 defeat to Girona in LaLiga and have slid out of the top 4. Despite finding themselves behind on three occasions, Alvaro Morata’s hat-trick allowed them to level the score each time. Unfortunately, they conceded for the fourth time in the 91st minute. Although they rebounded with a 3-1 victory over Lugo in the Copa del Rey, that late loss to Girona left an unpleasant taste in their mouths - a taste only a derby victory might get rid of. Los Blancos have suffered just one loss this season, and it came in the Madrid Derby in late September. Alvaro Morata once again stood out with a brace, while Antoine Griezmann added another goal to secure a 3-1 victory for Atlético Madrid. Despite Real Madrid having double the shots, possession, and passes, Atlético’s formidable defensive unit featuring Molina, Savic, Gimenez, Hermoso, and Lino, along with their midfield trio of Llorente, Koke, and Saul, nullified Madrid on that occasion. Ahead of this game, we expect that Diego Simeone will revert to the 3-5-2 game-plan that has proven successful for Atlético. In their recent match against Girona, Simeone experimented with a more open 3-1-4-2 system, which was exploited by Girona coach, Michel. Therefore, a return to the proven 3-5-2 formation is likely for Atlético Madrid in this crucial encounter. One player that will be key in this game is Alvaro Morata. The Spanish striker has been in excellent form this season and has put up 17 goals and 3 assists in 25 games. Our bet of the day is for him to get on the scoresheet in this fixture and we have high odds for that. **Betting Tips:**
**Barcelona vs. Osasuna** Osasuna has clinched four Segunda Division titles in their history, with the most recent triumph occurring in 2019. However, in the top division, they have yet to secure a title in the club’s history. Their opportunity to break this streak came in the Copa del Rey final in May when they faced Real Madrid, but were defeated 2-1, with Rodrygo’s brace dashing their hopes. Now in the semis of the Supercopa de España, they have another chance to claim a trophy. The challenge, however, lies in overcoming a Barcelona side whom they have defeated only once in the last decade. Osasuna’s 2-1 triumph over Barcelona in 2020 stands as their sole victory against the Catalans since 2013. Despite Lionel Messi’s outstanding Man of the Match performance on the day, a Robert Torres goal in the 94th minute secured all three points for the visitors. This memorable win at the Nou Camp was a rare occurrence in a decade largely dominated by Barcelona in this fixture, including notable victories such as a 7-0 win in 2014 and a 7-1 win in 2017. The recent encounters between these two teams have been characterized by a red card in each of the last three meetings, including Barcelona’s 2-1 victory in September. While predicting a fourth consecutive game with a red card could be tempting, a safer option may lean towards betting on Over 3.5 cards in the upcoming match. **Betting Tips:**
**Bayern Munich vs. Hoffenheim** Pellegrino Matarazzo’s Hoffenheim start the second half of the season in seventh place, trailing fifth-placed Borussia Dortmund by three points. However, their recent league performance has seen only one victory in the last seven games. Despite this, they stand out as the third-best away team this season, amassing 16 points from eight games on the road. So, Bayern will want to keep that in mind. Key Hoffenheim players to watch include Andrej Kramarić and Maximilian Beier, both leading the club in goals scored with six apiece. During Hoffenheim’s last visit to Bayern, Kramarić scored an outstanding free-kick, as they took points off Bayern for the second time in three meetings. In fact, in Hoffenheim’s last win over Bayern - a 4-1 victory in September 2020 - Kramarić scored a brace. Bayern Munich currently trails 1st place Leverkusen by 4 points, though they’ve played one game less. Leverkusen’s loss of key players to the AFCON, including Victor Boniface, Edmond Tapsoba, and Odilon Kossounou, creates an opportunity for Bayern to capitalize on in the coming months and accumulate crucial points. To spearhead their efforts, they will rely on the exceptional performance of Harry Kane. The English captain has notched an impressive 21 league goals and has performed at “Player of the Year” levels. Kane has scored in all but three of his 15 Bundesliga appearances, putting him on track to potentially surpass Robert Lewandowski’s record of 41 goals in a single campaign. **Betting Tips:**
**Sevilla vs. Deportivo Alaves** When these two sides clash on Friday, it’s a 16th versus 15th encounter, with both teams eager to create some distance from the relegation zone. Alaves and Sevilla secured narrow victories in the Copa del Rey, but Alaves’ win was more impressive as they eliminated Real Betis with a 1-0 result while Sevilla’s victory came against Segunda División’s Racing Ferrol. This match marks Quique Sánchez Flores’ fifth game in charge of Sevilla. In his four previous games at the helm, Sevilla recorded two wins and suffered two losses. Flores will look to build on the positive momentum generated by those two victories as they strive for a better standing in the league. Alaves has showed a knack for causing issues for some of the biggest names in the league, even if they don’t exactly come out with all 3 points. Their losses to Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Real Madrid were all by a single goal margin, and they’ve secured draws against tough opponents like Real Sociedad, Real Betis, and Villarreal in the league. In the first encounter between Alaves and Sevilla on Matchday 2 of the season, Alaves emerged victorious in a thrilling 7-goal contest. Inspired by their recent success over Real Betis, there is an expectation that Alaves will be resilient in this upcoming game and potentially avoid a defeat against Sevilla. **Betting Tips:**
[Register on BetKing](https://m.betking.com/account/registration) to get value for your money by betting on football matches today.