talkSPORT betting tips – Best football bets and expert advice for Wednesday 8 January

Premier League leaders Liverpool will be looking to grab a first-leg advantage at Tottenham as the second EFL Cup semi-final takes centre stage on Wednesday, while there is also action in Scotland and Europe and Barcelona face Athletic Bilbao in the first semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.

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Bet of the day

Athletic Bilbao or draw double chance vs Barcelona - 10/11

Barcelona head to Saudi Arabia for their Spanish Super Cup semi-final with Athletic Bilbao having staggered into Christmas with just one win from their six most recent league games.

A 4-0 win in the Copa del Rey against fourth-tier strugglers Barbasto was routine enough - Robert Lewandowski scored twice - but they still have plenty to prove and there is little guarantee that they will improve greatly following their first action of 2025.

Athletic are just two points behind the Catalan giants and they have been beaten in the league just once since the end of August, and that defeat was courtesy of a 99th-minute penalty at Girona.

This match could easily turn into a grind in the desert and the value looks to be in the Basques at least finishing the 90 minutes level.

Special of the day 

Liverpool, Forest Green Rovers and Benfica all to win - 5/2

There are not a huge number of games on Wednesday, but there are still enough to generate a tasty treble.

Liverpool were pegged back to draw 2-2 with Manchester United on Sunday and could have lost to their arch-rivals right at the death, but they should bounce back at Tottenham in the EFL Cup, where they scored six goals against a battered Spurs defence last month.

Forest Green can go to the top of the National League with a home win over Dagenham & Redbridge and they should get it after winning nine and drawing three of their last 12 league games at The New Lawn.

The Daggers have taken just four points from their last seven away games, which included a 2-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Ebbsfleet.

The treble can be completed by backing Benfica to gain revenge for a weekend home defeat to Sporting Braga when the pair meet again at the Stadium of Light in the Portuguese League Cup.

Braga came out on top 2-1, but the Eagles won the shot count 15-6 and should come out on top.

Long shot of the day 

Motherwell to win at Kilmarnock 27/10

Kilmarnock won three straight home Scottish Premiership games before going down 1-0 against Ross County on Sunday, but they are difficult to rely upon as they still dwell in tenth place in the standings.

Motherwell are fifth after getting back to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Aberdeen which followed a run of four games without success for the Fir Park outfit.

They have lost four of their last five away games, but they would have taken plenty from a draw against Rangers recently when they were unable to hold on to a two-goal lead.

It is worth chancing that they can earn their fifth league road success of the season.

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Odds correct at time of publish and subject to change*

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