LIVERPOOL'S flaky form has busted plenty of coupons this season but it will be a massive surprise if the Anfield giants slip up when Derby County come calling in the Carabao Cup.
After crashing to shock Premier League defeats against Nottingham Forest and Leeds, Jurgen Klopp's men got back on track with a battling 2-1 victory at Tottenham on Sunday.
That was a vital result in the chase for a Champions League place as it cut the gap on fourth-placed Spurs to seven points, with the Reds having a game in hand.
Now attention turns to Liverpool's League Cup defence and I'd expect Klopp to give some of his stars a breather ahead of the weekend league clash with struggling Southampton.
I'd also be surprised if Derby field their strongest team as their focus will be on climbing the League One table amid a demanding run of fixtures.
The Rams conceded a last gasp equaliser to National League Torquay in the FA Cup at the weekend and that added yet another game to their schedule with a replay set for next midweek.
Paul Warne's men have also been forced to fit in EFL Trophy matches and it's no surprise to see their form suffer, with just one victory in their last six matches.
So a trip to Anfield against a team that presses so relentlessly as Klopp's Liverpool could be the last thing these tired Derby players need.
How the bookies view it
Derby County have been written off and the League One side are as big as 17/1 with BetVictor. Liverpool's best price is a tiny 1/6 with Betfred while the draw at 90 minutes pays 8/1 at Bet365.
Recent head to head
These sides last faced off in the EFL Cup six years ago at Pride Park and it was a stroll for Liverpool as they eased to a 3-0 win. You have to go back to 1999 for Derby County's last victory in this fixture, with Liverpool winning eight of the last 10 meetings.
Players to watch
I flagged up Mo Salah for another goal at the weekend and the Egyptian scored twice to sink Spurs. But I'd be surprised if he started here so I'm backing Fabio Carvalho for a goal. The former Fulham kid is 13/8 with Bet365 for anytime scorer and that looks great value if he starts.
William Osula will head to Anfield with his confidence soaring after netting a double against Torquay. The 19-year-old, on loan from Sheffield United, is 11/2 with William Hill for another goal here.
Anything else catch the eye?
Even with a second-string side, Liverpool should be too strong for Derby and I like the 11/10 on offer at BoyleSports for Klopp's men to win both halves. The handicaps are another good option with Liverpool -2 paying 13/10 at Paddy Power.
Liverpool are usually speedy starters and that lends appeal to the 21/20 on offer at Ladbrokes for over 1.5 first-half goals.
This EFL Cup match between Liverpool and Derby County will be played on Nov 9, 2022 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Liverpool vs Derby County prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.