The Football League Cup is in full force tonight as the clubs from across England go head-to-head to place a spot in the final of the tournament.
Soul Mmethi, ex-Bloemfontein midfielder gets in on the action and gives his predictions for the matches!
Nottingham Forest v Stoke City (Football League Cup)
Match 4 Soccer 6 Pool 25 Sept S6 V1 P2
League Rankings: Nottingham Forest 9th Stoke City 18th (Championship)
Useful facts: Both teams know each other all too well as they campaign in the same league, notwithstanding the fact that they sit on opposite ends of the table. Nottingham Forest have had the luck of the draw so far in the competition, as they played the first and second round fixtures at home, and will again look to capitalise on that home ground advantage in this tie. Stoke City, meanwhile, will be buoyed by their result in the second round, which saw them overcome Premier League side Huddersfield 2-0. It really is delicately poised in this one, and there will certainly be no shortage of the sweat and blood that's come to characterise Championship football.
Soul Mmethi: Nottingham Forest win
West Ham v Macclesfield (Football League Cup)
Match 5 Soccer 6 Pool 25 Sept S6 V1 P2
League Rankings: West Ham 17th (English Premier League) Macclesfield 24th (League Two)
Useful facts: Rather bizarrely, Macclesfield are sitting at the basement of the league table in League Two, with perhaps the Football League Cup proving to be a distraction. One wonders what state of mind they will be in coming into this game, as the livelihood of any club is dependent on league results, although it may be pointed out that it's still early in the season to press panic buttons. West Ham will probably rest some of their key players, with one eye on the big league encounter against inconsistent Manchester United this coming Saturday. Macclesfield won their first and second round fixtures on penalties, and the general feeling is that this could be the end of the road for the fourth-tier side.
Soul Mmethi: West Ham win
Tottenham Hotspur v Watford (Football League Cup)
Match 6 Soccer 6 Pool 25 Sept S6 V1 P2
League Rankings: Tottenham Hotspur 5th Watford 4th (English Premier League)
Useful facts: Payback time will surely dominate the mindset of the Tottenham Hotspur camp as they prepare to go to war against a Watford side that handed them a 2-1 Premier League defeat at the beginning of September, which was their first loss this season. That the two teams sit just above each other on the log standings, with only one point separating them, speaks to the competitive edge that will be on offer in this knockout encounter. It's a big week for Watford, who have a visit to Emirates Stadium on Saturday to face Arsenal in the league, and claiming Tottenham's scalp will be a welcome morale booster going into that encounter.
Soul Mmethi: Tottenham Hotspur win
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