Preview: Cambridge United vs Charlton Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

Championship outfit Charlton Athletic will be bidding to book their spot in the third round of the EFL Cup when they tackle League Two outfit Cambridge United on Tuesday night.

The Addicks beat Stevenage in the first round of the competition, while their opponents overcame Bristol Rovers, and the home side will now be eyeing a Championship scalp in the tournament.

Match preview

Cambridge United are already five games into their 2025-26 League Two campaign, picking up seven points from five matches, which has left them in 13th spot in the table.

The U's were relegated from League One last season, so they are expected to be among the challengers for promotion this term, but it has been a fairly low-key start to the campaign for the club.

Neil Harris's side will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Bristol Rovers, but they are unbeaten in their two games on home soil in the early stages of the campaign.

Cambridge United beat Bristol Rovers 2-0 in the first round of the EFL Cup earlier this month, but this will be a huge step-up in class, with the team preparing to tackle a Championship outfit.

The U's have lost their last three matches against Charlton in all competitions, including a 1-0 reverse when the two teams last locked horns in League One in April of this year.

Charlton are actually unbeaten against Cambridge United since a Division Two clash in 1992, winning seven and drawing four of their 11 games across all competitions with the U's.

The two teams locked horns in League One last season, but they are now two divisions apart, with Charlton earning promotion to the Championship and Cambridge United dropping into League Two.

Charlton beat Stevenage 3-1 at home in order to advance to the second round of the EFL Cup, while they have taken to the field on three occasions in the Championship this season.

The Addicks opened their season with a 1-0 success over Watford, while they have drawn with Bristol City and lost to Leicester City in their last two, with four points leaving them 14th in the Championship table.

Charlton have never won the League Cup, but they famously lifted the FA Cup in 1947, beating Burnley in the final of the competition, having lost in the final of the previous year to Derby County.

Cambridge United EFL Cup form:

Cambridge United form (all competitions):

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Charlton Athletic EFL Cup form:

Charlton Athletic form (all competitions):

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Team News

Cambridge United head coach Harris selected a strong starting side in the previous round of the competition, and he is again expected to name a recognisable XI here.

That said, the home side will be unable to call upon central defender Mamadou Jobe following his red card on Saturday, so Zeno Ibsen Rossi is in line to feature from the first whistle.

There could also be introductions into the team for both Ben Knight and Ryan Loft.

As for Charlton, head coach Nathan Jones will make changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Leicester in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

Tanto Olaofe is set to be introduced in the final third of the field, while there are also likely to be starts for Harvey Knibbs and Joe Rankin-Costello, as the visitors prepare to shuffle their pack.

There will also be a change between the sticks for the EFL Cup second-round fixture, with Ashley Maynard-Brewer in line to replace Thomas Kaminski.

Cambridge United possible starting lineup:

Eastwood; Gibbons, Rossi, Watts, Bradshaw; McLoughlin, Mpanzu; Knight, Kachunga, Kaikai; Loft

Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:

Maynard-Brewer; A Mitchell, Gillesphey, Z Mitchell; Rylah, Anderson, Knibbs, Rankin-Costello, Fullah; Olaofe, Leaburn

We say: Cambridge United 0-2 Charlton Athletic

Both managers will make changes to their strongest sides, but we are finding it difficult to back against Charlton, who will be able to call upon the superior quality all across the pitch.

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