Preview: Wycombe Wanderers vs Colchester United - prediction, team news, lineups

Wycombe Wanderers will be aiming to make a winning start to their 2025-26 EFL Trophy campaign when they welcome Colchester United on Tuesday night.

The hosts will enter the match off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Stevenage in League One, while their visitors continued their League Two campaign with a 1-1 draw against Barnet last time out.

Match preview

Wycombe have never won the EFL Trophy, but they were runners-up in 2023-24, losing to Peterborough United in the final, and they will be expecting to advance from a group which also includes Gillingham and Fulham Under-21s.

The Blues finished fifth in League One last season, but they were beaten by Charlton Athletic in the semi-finals of the playoffs, with the team therefore remaining in the third tier of English football.

Mike Dodds's side have struggled to get going in the early stages of this season, only picking up two points from their six league matches, which has left them down in 22nd spot in the League One table.

Wycombe are yet to win in England's third tier this season, but they do have two cup victories to their name, having overcome Leyton Orient and Bromley to progress to the third round of the EFL Cup.

The Blues have not locked horns with Colchester since a League Two clash in January 2018, and it was the former that ran out 3-1 winners in that affair.

Colchester, meanwhile, last overcame Wycombe in February 2017, and both have recorded two wins in the last four meetings between the two teams, all of which have taken place in League Two.

Danny Cowley's side have also had a slow start to their 2025-26 campaign, picking up just six points from six league matches, which has left them down in 17th spot in the League Two table.

The Essex outfit recorded their first victory of the season away to Shrewsbury Town on August 16, but they have since lost to Cambridge United and Barrow, before drawing 1-1 with Barnet on Saturday afternoon.

Colchester will return to League Two action at home to Crewe Alexandra on Saturday, so there is no question that head coach Cowley will make a number of changes for this EFL Cup trophy fixture, with the competition not being viewed as a priority for the club this term.

Wycombe Wanderers form (all competitions):

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Colchester United form (all competitions):

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Team News

Wycombe's side will be much-changed from the one that took to the field for the first whistle against Stevenage.

Will Norris is in line for a spot between the sticks for the hosts, while George Abbott, Fred Onyedinma, Alex Lowry, Ewan Henderson, James Tilley and Caolan Boyd-Munce could all be introduced into the side.

Head coach Dodds made five changes during the course of the Stevenage match, but no injuries have been reported.

As for Colchester, it will be a similar story for the League Two side, with squad players and youngsters set to be given opportunities to make their mark for the first team.

Tom Smith is set to be introduced in goal for the visitors, while Jack Baldwin and Kane Vincent-Young are both expected to feature in defensive positions on Tuesday night.

There will also be alterations in the final third of the field, with Adrian Akande, Kyreece Lisbie and Jaden Williams all set to be brought into the starting XI after appearances off the bench against Barnet.

Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:

Norris; Grimmer, Taylor, Hagelskjaer; Onyedinma, Abbott, Boyd-Munce, Harvie; Lowry, Tilley, Henderson

Colchester United possible starting lineup:

Smith; Vincent-Young, Baldwin, Tucker, Powell; Gape, Bishop; Anderson, Lisbie, Akande; Williams

We say: Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 Colchester United

Both managers will make changes to their usual sides for this match, but Wycombe have home advantage and also boast a stronger squad, so we are expecting the League One side to triumph.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.