Carabao EFL Cup Betting: Bristol could make more shocks but there's a price to pay

Ralph Ellis looks at Bristol City's dramatic victory over holders Manchester United and what it means for their promotion ambitions...

It was, for Bristol City, a great night. Long after the fans who had poured onto the pitch at the final whistle had been cleared away, the celebrations were going long into the early hours.

I live in and work from Bristol, and this morning my Facebook friends and my Twitter timeline are full of posts about how this was the best thing ever. "What a time to be alive" wrote one of my son's friends on his Facebook status.

You can't begrudge them their joy. When you've been through the trials and tribulations of supporting a club outside the Premier League elite you relish the good days because you know they don't come too often.

But I can't help worrying on their behalf that there will be a price to pay later in the season for this big night, and it will be the loss of the real dream - a place in the top flight and the chance to play the likes of Manchester United and City every season.

With a semi-final against Pep Guardiola's all-conquering side to come, Bristol City are not surprisingly the 38.00 outsiders Cup to win the trophy of the four clubs left in the EFL Cup.

But their heroics have seen their price for promotion shorten to 3.05, and that's the bet I'd steer well clear of now (even though I'd love it if City did go up).

Personally I think Derby 3.10 are the team to watch in the Championship promotion race. I'm not sure Cardiff 1.69 have a deep enough squad to stay in second place, which is now the holy grail because Wolves 1.07 seem certain to go up as champions.

Lee Johnson is a promising young manager and he will say, and mean, all the right things. He will try to park thoughts of a Carabao Cup semi-final to one side to concentrate on the Christmas Championship programme. He will demand total focus from his players.

But real life says that won't be easy to achieve. They will all want to play in the glamour games in the New Year and worry about missing out through injury or suspension, will all be inundated with friends and family wanting tickets. The distractions simply can't be avoided.

The danger is a blip in League results at just the wrong time, and in a League like the Championship that can derail you permanently. Even a top six finish, currently rated a 1.21certainty, could be in doubt.

I wouldn't rule out more Cup heroics first though. Having been at the games when City disposed of Stoke then Crystal Palace before last night's epic victory, they aren't afraid to have a go at the bigger sides, just as they did against Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and company.

Manchester City are going to be big odds on to win the first leg but with Guardiola inevitably likely to rotate his team you could see Bristol escaping with a draw to set up another night of drama at Ashton Gate.

The other Carabao Cup semi-final sees Chelsea at home first to Arsenal. Antonio Conte's side, 4.40 to win the trophy will be slight favourites but much will depend on the injury lists when the Christmas and New Year programme is over.