The Carling Cup gets serious this week as the Premier League's big guns join the party but two of them will face each other in the pick of the third-round games on Tuesday night.

Tottenham host north London rivals Arsenal at White Hart Lane in buoyant mood following their late revival against Wolves at the weekend although few will be expecting a repeat of the 5-1 hammering they handed out to the Gunners last time the two teams met in the competition back in 2008.

That year of course Spurs went on to lift the trophy with an extra-time victory over Chelsea and they do have a superb recent Carling Cup record.

They've reached two finals, one semi-final and the quarter-finals twice since 2004 and will probably take Tuesday night's fixture more seriously than Arsenal in regards to the starting line-ups.

Sure, Arsene Wenger is under growing pressure to steer the club to their first piece of silverware since their FA Cup triumph in 2005 but the Carling Cup will seemingly always be the competition for his youngsters to gain experience.

Theo Walcott, Robin van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner and Aaron Ramsey are all injured anyway, although Jack Wilshere, who has been blooded in Arsenal's first team in the Premier League this season, could get the nod to pull the strings in midfield.

Last season Wenger's policy failed to deliver the goods as the youngsters were brushed aside 3-0 by Manchester City in the quarter-finals and it could well be a similar result when they come up against high-calibre opposition this time around.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp could also make a number of changes, with Brazilian midfielder Sandro tipped to make his debut. He will be without Younes Kaboul, Vedran Corluka, Rafael van der Vaart, William Gallas and Gareth Bale.

Nevertheless we feel the 2.30 with Bet365 about the more 'senior' hosts winning inside 90 minutes against the young Gunners is worth backing with confidence.

Elsewhere on Tuesday night, Owen Coyle must brace himself for a hostile reception at Turf Moor as he takes his Bolton side to former club Burnley and this clash will no doubt be viewed as a potential upset.

The Clarets, relegated from the Premier League last season following a dismal run which pretty much dates back to Coyle's departure to the Reebok, have won all three home matches in the Championship this season as they look to bounce back to the top flight at the first attempt.

However, Brian Laws' men are far from flying high having taken just two points on the road and currently sit outside the play-off places after the opening seven games of the season.

On Tuesday night they face a Trotters side that has grown in belief and confidence since the inspirational Coyle took charge and there's no doubt the Scotsman will motivate and prepare his men for the atmosphere that awaits at Turf Moor.

Rodrigo Moreno is set to make his debut while Coyle has confirmed that former Burnley favourite Robbie Blake will also start.

Blake, who netted 72 goals over two spells with the Clarets, has predictably restricted to a role as a substitute at Bolton so far this season but showed his class with a brilliant free kick against Birmingham last month.

He won't want to celebrate any goal he might score on Tuesday night but we feel he's certainly worth backing at 4.00 with Bet365 to find the net anytime at a venue he knows only too well.

The other game on Tuesday night which interests us comes at the Stadium of Light where Sunderland host West Ham.

The Black Cats have made a steady start to the season but will be hoping Darren Bent's dramatic last-gasp equaliser against Arsenal on Saturday gives them the lift they need to move onto the next level - and a Carling Cup run will be high on Steve Bruce's agenda.

By contrast West Ham must really concentrate on avoiding a potential relegation dogfight in the league following a dreadful start to the campaign which has seen them take just one point from their opening five games.

The Hammers must be wary of Sunderland's record signing Asamoah Gyan, who will make his first start for the club, and we're tipping him at 6.00 with Bet365 to net the game's first goal.

The Ghana international, a £13million-plus summer signing from Rennes, announced his arrival in English football with a cracking goal on his debut as a substitute in the 1-1 draw at Wigan last weekend and came close to another against the Gunners on Saturday.

Looking ahead to Wednesday's action and outright favourites Chelsea and Manchester United should be expected to progress with relative ease.

Since losing the Community Shield, the Blues have won their last six games in all competitions with ease, scoring 25 goals in the process, and it's hard to see how Newcastle will trouble them at Stamford Bridge.

Carlo Ancelotti will utilise the depth of his Chelsea squad against the Magpies but at a general price of 1/4 to win inside 90 minutes.

Manchester United are no bigger than 1.36 to see off Scunthorpe away from home and you'd think Sir Alex Ferguson's second string should have enough quality to come out on top.

The Iron aren't exactly formidable at Glanford Park this season having lost two out of three there so we don't envisage a shock in this one.

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson will take the Carling Cup seriously as he bids to bring some glory back to Anfield, although they won't need their major players to see off League Two outfit Northampton at home.

The Reds are as short as 1.20 in places to win inside 90 minutes while unsurprisingly they're also odds-on to claim victory to nil.

But we do forsee a potential upset at the DW Stadium, where Wigan host Championship strugglers Preston.

Darren Ferguson's men have now lost four matches on the trot following Saturday's 1-0 defeat at home to Norwich and only Portsmouth sit below them in the table.

The manner in which they went down 4-3 at Burnley two weeks ago - having led 3-1 with six minutes to play - clearly kicked the stuffing out of them but it was their performance against the Canaries which Ferguson branded the worst of the season.

So why on earth are we siding with them at 3.55 with Bwin to knockout a Premier League outfit and progress into the fourth round?

Well, Wigan have their own problems and currently languish in the drop zone after five games with just one win to their name.

Roberto Martinez's men were soundly beaten 2-0 at home by Manchester City at the weekend following a couple of defensive blunders while both Blackpool and Chelsea have also hammered them - 4-0 and 6-0 respectively - at the DW Stadium this season.

The Latics crashed out of the Carling Cup with another heavy defeat against the Seasiders - then a Championship club - last season and you wonder how bothered Martinez will be about this competition given their situation in the league.

Preston will be roared on by a large number of travelling supporters, who could make most of the noise inside a usually sparse DW Stadium, and we reckon the visitors might be worthtaking a chance on.

Another shock can occur at The Hawthorns where West Brom are priced at 3.20 with Bwin to qualify for the next round by putting out Manchester City.

Roberto Mancini is obviously desperate and under pressure to ensure his big spending can bring some success to Eastlands this season and the Carling Cup is an extremely possible option.

They are 6.50 third favourites to go on and lift the trophy but they can't afford to be complacent heading into this tricky away fixture.

The newly-promoted Baggies are still unbeaten at home this season following two wins and a draw and look much better equiped under Roberto Di Matteo than in previous years to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

Having previously beaten Sunderland and drawn with Tottenham on home soil, West Brom found themselves 1-0 down at half time against local rivals Birmingham on Saturday.

However, they showed superb character and battling spirit to turn it around as they claimed a thrilling 3-1 victory to lift them into the comforts of mid-table.

Star midfielder Graham Dorrans has yet to reproduce his top form from last year but he showed encouraging signs as a second-half substitute on Saturday and this forthcoming clash with Man City could be the ideal opportunity to prove just why he was a wanted man in the summer.

Man City's comfortably beat Wigan on Sunday but apart from that they haven't been too convincing this season having been held by Blackburn at home and losing at Sunderland while they were fortunate to get a 0-0 at Tottenham on the opening day of the season.

They will be focused on this competition but we just think the Baggies can spring a surprise.

PICKS:
Tottenham to beat Arsenal at 2.30 (Bet365).
Bolton's Robbie Blake to score anytime v Burnley at 4.00 (Bet365).
Sunderland's Asamoah Gyan to score first v West Ham at 6.00 (Bet365).
Preston to qualify against Wigan at 3.55 (Bwin).
West Brom to qualify against Man City at 3.20 (Bwin).