Preview: Peterborough United vs Barnsley - prediction, team news, lineups

Peterborough United will welcome fellow League One side Barnsley to the Weston Homes Stadium on Tuesday for an EFL Cup clash with a fourth-round place on the line.

The two sides have both hit tough spells in England's third tier with the hosts winless since their second-round win and their visitors having suffered consecutive defeats.

Match preview

Peterborough United return to the Weston Homes Stadium on Tuesday aiming to end a winless streak and continue their EFL Cup run to the fourth round, having last gone past this stage in 2009-10.

The Posh began the competition in their season-opener against Bristol Rovers in early August and won 1-0 through Harry Leonard, before facing a tough trip to second-tier Watford and progressing in style, dishing out a 5-1 beating at Vicarage Road with Leonard scoring another brace alongside an own goal and goals from Bolu Shofowoke and Harrison Jones.

That is still their last victory, though, having failed to add a second notch to their league wins column in four attempts since, leaving them in the League One relegation zone on just five points from six matches, conceding 10 goals in that time.

After defeats to Blackpool and Sheffield Wednesday either side of a stalemate against Stevenage, Luke Williams's side most recently visited MK Dons at the weekend and were at least able to come from behind to share the points, having trailed until the final five minutes to an Aaron Collins goal before Chris Conn-Clarke levelled.

Peterborough will now bid to take the positives from that away draw and bounce back to winning ways to advance in the EFL Cup.

The visitors, meanwhile, are also seeking a cup win to progress after recent setbacks in their League One campaign.

Promotion-winning manager Daniel Stendel returned to Oakwell for a second spell as Barnsley manager over the summer, and the first game of his tenure came against Wigan Athletic in the EFL Cup, in which they drew 1-1 and progressed through a penalty shootout, before hosting fourth-tier Crewe Alexandra in the second round and winning 3-2 with Reyes Cleary, Tyrese Noslin and Corey O'Keeffe scoring.

That opening cup run has come alongside a mixed start to the League One season for the Reds, who sit on seven points from six matches having already conceded 11 goals and only scored six, with their two victories coming consecutively after the cup win over Crewe.

Stendel's men have since suffered consecutive heavy defeats, firstly being beaten 5-1 at home to Stevenage before a long trip south to Plymouth Argyle ended in a 3-0 loss on Saturday, having fallen behind inside the first minute.

Wounded by those two beatings to dampen the positive start to life back under Stendel, Barnsley will ow bid to bounce back in Tuesday's away trip and book their place in the fourth round.

Peterborough United EFL Cup form:

Peterborough United form (all competitions):

Barnsley EFL Cup form:

Barnsley form (all competitions):

Team News

Peterborough United remain badly hit by injuries, particularly in defence, with centre-back Tom O'Connor having joined Rio Adebisi, Sam Hughes and Carl Johnston in the treatment room alongside Matthew Garbett and Declan Frith.

Those absences leave David Okagbue and Josh Feeney as the only fit senior centre-backs and they will partner up again, while Harley Mills may get a start on the left-hand side of the defence.

Harry Leonard will continue to lead the attack, having started in the previous round and scored twice at Watford after netting 16 league goals last term, while 17-year-old Bolu Shofowoke, who also scored at Vicarage Road, should also keep his place at the top end of the pitch.

Barnsley remain without first-choice goalkeeper Cieran Slicker through injury, meaning Rogan Ravenhill will continue to deputise after allowing eight goals in the last two matches.

Stendel fielded a strong starting XI in the prior round and should do so again, particularly with the need to bounce back from a pair of poor league results, however some rotations may be made after Saturday's 3-0 loss.

Ben Hamed Toure should be handed a first start, having come off the bench at the weekend, while Clayton Taylor and Amani Richards will also hope for places in attack while Luca Connell may come into the midfield alongside Cameron McGeehan, who has scored four goals on his return to the club this season.

Peterborough United possible starting lineup:

Bass; Dornelly, Feeney, Okagbue, Weir; Jones, Kelly, Khela; Shofowoke, Leonard, Edwards

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Ravenhill; Noslin; O'Riordan, Gale, Kay; McGeehan, Connell; Richards, Kelly, Cleary; Toure

We say: Peterborough United 3-2 Barnsley

Both teams are certainly far from their best in League One in the early stages of 2026-27 but will be desperate to refind form to advance to the fourth round of the EFL Cup.

Despite their injury issues, particularly in defence, we give a slight edge to Peterborough United, who managed a creditable away draw at the weekend, to prevail at home to a Barnsley team on the back of consecutive heavy losses.

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