Preview: Fleetwood Town vs Sheffield United - prediction, team news, lineups

Fourth-tier Fleetwood Town will welcome second-tier Sheffield United to Highbury Stadium on Wednesday for an EFL Cup tie with a fourth-round place on the line.

The hosts are unbeaten in all competitions this season, while their visitors suffered their second defeat of the campaign on Sunday, with both having won two matches to reach this stage.

Match preview

Fleetwood Town return to EFL Cup action on Wednesday aiming to continue an unbeaten start to their 2026-27 season and progress to the fourth round for the first time in their history.

The Cod Army are already the last League Two team standing in the third round this term, having started their bid with home wins in the first and second rounds, firstly beating Chesterfield 1-0 in their season-opener.

Shrewsbury Town then visited Highbury Stadium, and Matt Lawlor's side progressed in style, dishing out a 4-0 beating with Ched Evans scoring a brace after Will Boyle's early own goal and Will Davies adding a fourth in the dying minutes.

Those victories have come alongside an unbeaten start to their second season back in League Two, with the Cod Army sat seventh on 10 points from six games, albeit having drawn four of their last matches, most recently beating Shrewsbury at home again and playing out a 1-1 draw away at Newport County at the weekend thanks to Aaron Loupalo-Bi's equaliser.

Fleetwood Town now head into their toughest test of the season so far aiming for another impressive result with the chance to progress to the round of 16 if they are able to take a major scalp at Highbury.

Their visitors, meanwhile, make the trip to the east coast aiming to bounce back from a midweek league setback.

Sheffield United also kicked off their 2026-27 season in the EFL Cup first round and prevailed away at third-tier Mansfield Town, before visiting Blackburn Rovers in the previous round and winning 2-1 thanks to Tom Cannon's opener and Romelle Donovan's decisive goal nine minutes from time.

In an inconsistent to their third straight Championship season, the Blades headed to Ewood Park to take on Blackburn again last week and managed a second league victory of the season, coming from behind to win 2-1 with Cannon again on the scoresheet alongside Sydie Peck.

Chris Wilder's side failed to build on that result on Sunday, though, hosting Wolves and falling to a second defeat of the league campaign, having looked set to share the points in a stalemate, as Raul Jimenez broke the deadlock and snatched the victory for their visitors in the 90th minute, leaving the Blades 14th on nine points from seven outings.

They now turn their focus back to the EFL Cup with the hope of returning to winning ways and making their quality count to book a place in the competition's last 16.

Fleetwood Town EFL Cup form:

Fleetwood Town form (all competitions):

Sheffield United EFL Cup form:

Sheffield United form (all competitions):

Team News

Fleetwood Town will likely remain without Kane Thompson-Sommers and Andy Cannon, both of whom have been sidelined with injuries in recent weeks.

Former Sheffield United man Ched Evans may again start alongside Ronan Coughlan up front, having netted four goals so far this season including three in two EFL Cup matches.

Harrison Neal has been a mainstay at the base of the midfield in the early stages of 2026-27 and should continue in front of the back three of Shaun Rooney, Rhys Bennett and Finley Potter.

Sheffield United are unable to call on Harrison Burrows, Femi Seriki, Tahith Chong and Ryan One due to ongoing injuries.

Wilder may make some rotations to his side in the midst of a busy Championship schedule between Sunday's Wolves game and an upcoming trip to Stoke City on Saturday, and Matt Dogerty and Rhys Norrington-Davies are among those likely to come in and allow rests in the full-back areas for Hamza Choudhury and Sam McCallum.

Jairo Riedewald and Joe Rothwell may be in line to start in midfield, after Sydie Peck, Kalvin Phillips and Oliver Arblaster featured on Sunday, while Tom Cannon and Romelle Donovan are both likely to return to the attack.

Fleetwood Town possible starting lineup:

Lynch; Rooney, Bennett, Potter; Cirino, Neal, Murphy, Andrew; Helm; Coughlan, Evans

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Doherty, McGuinness, Kitching, Norrington-Davies; Arblaster, Riedewald, Rothwell; Donovan, Bamford, Cannon

We say: Fleetwood Town 1-2 Sheffield United

Given their unbeaten start and the visitors' struggles for consistency and demanding Championship schedule, Fleetwood Town certainly have the chance to cause Sheffield United problems at Highbury Stadium and we anticipate a tough test for the Blades but ultimately see them getting over the line and into the round of 16.

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