Competition: EFL Cup
Market: Barnsley win
Odds: 8/11 @ 1xBet
Getting their EFL Cup adventure underway on Wednesday night, Barnsley will welcome League Two outfit Fleetwood to Oakwell.
Starting with the hosts, signing off the 2024/25 campaign on May 3rd with an eye-catching 4-2 victory away at Reading, Barnsley appear to have continued on from where they left off prior to the summer break. With their sights firmly set on mounting a play-off charge this year, Conor Hourihane̢۪s side have come flying out of the traps since getting proceedings underway earlier in the month. Laying down a marker on the opening weekend as they stormed their way to a stellar 3-1 romp away at Plymouth, the Yorkshire-based outfit have secured consecutive League One wins and the mood around Oakwell appears to be at a real high. Last seen over the weekend claiming an action-packed 3-2 victory against Burton, the Reds will also be excited by their free-scoring performances in the final third. Landing back-to-back wins for the first time since the start of March, Hourihane̢۪s men will be looking to extend on their recent purple patch here.
As for the visitors, left frustrated last season as they eventually limped their way to a bottom-half finish, Fleetwood have certainly made a string of improvements since returning from the summer interval. Getting the 2025/26 campaign underway with a 2-0 victory away at Barnet on the opening weekend, Pete Wild̢۪s men have also got things underway with consecutive League Two wins. Last seen over the weekend landing a 2-1 win at home against Bristol Rovers, the Cod Army find themselves in a very similar position to Wednesday̢۪s opponents. However, pencilled in as a real underdog contender in midweek, Wild̢۪s side should be concerned by a downbeat record against Barnsley. Hit with a 2-1 defeat when they welcomed the Tykes to Highbury for their most recent meeting back in February 2024, they have failed to win any of their last nine straight meetings Рa run that stems all the way back to 2015.
Bet: Barnsley 8/11 to beat Fleetwood Town in Wednesday’s EFL Cup tie @ 1xBet