Even second-string Liverpool enough to see off Burton away

Liverpool may not relish travelling east to a side whose name begins with the letters BUR for the second time in four days, but gaffer Jurgen Klopp will fancy his chances of some midweek Capital One Cup respite.

The Reds are 2/5 to see off newly-promoted Championship outfit Burton, bossed by former Anfield regular Nigel Clough, and despite the likelihood of Klopp ringing the changes ahead of the club’s first visit to the Pirelli Stadium, that looks a safe bet.

First off, Liverpool can afford to take this competition seriously, with nothing else but Premier League football on the menu between now and January’s FA Cup third round, following their failure to qualify for Europe during the German’s fragmented first campaign on Merseyside.

Secondly, the changes Klopp is rumoured to be on the verge of making might lead to an improvement on the side that lost 2-0 at Burnley.

As mentioned elsewhere on this website, centre-half Joel Matip’s absence since his signing from Schalke may be cause for concern considering Liverpool are far from impenetrable in the 25-year-old’s position.

That being said, a Champions League semi-final veteran with 27 caps for adopted country Cameroon should be backed to handle strikers who spent last season taking on the likes of Fleetwood and Port Vale.

Belgium international number nine Divock Origi is also tipped to make his first start of the campaign, having failed to fire against the deep-defending Clarets at Turf Moor after replacing Daniel Sturridge just after the hour mark.

Origi bagged five goals in his last five appearances for Liverpool last term and will hope to make the first XI on a regular basis as this season unfolds, as will midfielder Emre Can, another expected to feature against Burton following recovery from a back problem.

Add in box-to-box midfielder Marko Grujic, the 20-year-old who enjoyed a superb pre-season for the Reds by all accounts, and Klopp’s second string look far from a weakened side.

They can’t be relied on to keep a clean sheet though, having shipped the joint-most amount of goals during Premier League gameweeks one and two combined, so a Liverpool win with both teams making the scoresheet at 15/8 looks a fine way to boost profits.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.