Matches are coming thick and fast for teams in England, with the first round of the EFL Cup kicking off on Tuesday shortly after teams in the country’s second, third and fourth divisions opened their seasons with league play over the weekend.
One of the more notable matchups of the first round will see League One side Wrexham travel to Championship outfit Sheffield United on Tuesday, one of a handful of potential mismatches on the schedule this week. The teams are closer to each other in the English soccer pyramid than they were last season, when Sheffield were the worst team in the Premier League and Wrexham were second-best in League Two. Tuesday’s matchup, though, offers a chance for an ambitious Wrexham team to demonstrate how high they can currently go as they aim to continue a very public-facing upward trajectory.
Here’s what you need to know before tuning in.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Tuesday, Aug. 12 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Bramall Lane — Sheffield, England
- Live stream: Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
- Odds: Sheffield United -140; Draw +330; Wrexham +330
Storylines
Sheffield United: The Blades returned to the Championship on a high on Friday with a 2-0 win over Preston North End. Though the most memorable development from that match might be Ryan Lowe leaving his post as Preston manager after just one game, Sheffield did well to take advantage of their chances in a fairly even game. Sheffield had 55% of the ball and took 11 shots, one fewer than Preston, though they may want to improve upon the three shots on target they posted in their first game. Gustavo Hamer, who scored five goals last season in the Premier League, was on the scoresheet against Preston and seems destined to play a big part this season, and may also do so in Tuesday’s EFL Cup game.
Wrexham: After back-to-back promotions, Wrexham kicked off their season in League One with a dramatic 3-2 win over Wycombe at home. Despite posting a slight disadvantage in possession and being outshot 13 to 19, the Red Dragons were a bit more clinical in front of goal by putting six shots on goal while Wycombe put just four on frame, as well as ultimately outsourcing the opposition. Premier League veteran Steven Fletcher was amongst the goalscorers over the weekend, delivering an important follow-up act to his eight goal performance last season. Whether or not they are able to deliver another high-scoring showing against a team a full division above them is the big question, while their less-than-ideal defensive performance against Wycombe might spell trouble against Sheffield.
Prediction
As a team that with a sense of playing in the Premier League and the aspirations to be back there in a year’s time, Sheffield have the advantage over a Wrexham team that’s equally ambitious but undoubtedly at an earlier stage of the process. Expect Sheffield to act accordingly and return to the second round in a fairly straightforward game. Pick: Sheffield United 2, Wrexham 0
KVSP