Shrewsbury vs. Carlisle (Tuesday, 7.30pm)
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Contesting a place in the second round of the EFL Cup, Shrewsbury Town and Carlisle United clash at the New Meadow on Tuesday.
While the hosts have taken only a point from their first two matches this season, and are yet to score a goal, their Cumbrian visitors have made an unbeaten start in League Two.
We say: Shrewsbury Town 1-0 Carlisle United
With just two goals between them so far, these sides are clearly not in full flow yet inside the final third. In a tightly-contested tie, then, Shrewsbury can make use of home advantage to advance from the first round.
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Harrogate vs. Stockport (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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League Two rivals Harrogate Town and Stockport County clash in the EFL Cup on Tuesday night, as they contest a place in the second round at Wetherby Road.
While the hosts have both won and lost by three goals in the league so far, their visitors from Lancashire are still to earn their first point of the 2022-23 season.
We say: Harrogate Town 1-2 Stockport County
Though things have yet to fall into place for Stockport this season, their investment in signing some top talents at league level means they should prove more than a match for Harrogate in the cup, and the visitors will edge through to the second round if they can click up front.
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Bolton vs. Salford City (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Bolton Wanderers and Salford City face off in the opening round of the 2022-23 EFL Cup at the University of Bolton Stadium on Tuesday.
The teams have both made decent starts to their respective league campaigns and will be looking to keep up their good form in this one.
We say: Bolton Wanderers 1-0 Salford City
Bolton have been a real force to reckon with on their own patch and boast a more experienced squad at this level. We fancy them to just about get the job done and progress into the next round of the EFL Cup.
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Morecambe vs. Stoke (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Morecambe and Stoke City will battle it out for a place in the next round of the EFL Cup when they face off at the Mazuma Stadium on Tuesday.
Both teams made it past the first round of the competition during the last edition, but only of them will get to go through this time around.
We say: Morecambe 0-1 Stoke City
Buoyed by their victory last time out, Stoke City will head into this one with the wind in their sails and should back themselves to see of the threat of a struggling Morecambe outfit. We are tipping the visitors to carry the day at the end of the 90 minutes.
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Blackpool vs. Barrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Blackpool play host to Barrow in the EFL Cup first round on Tuesday evening having endured a mixed start to the new Championship campaign.
Meanwhile, Barrow are the current surprise packages in League Two having defeated two of the division's title favourites.
We say: Blackpool 2-1 Barrow
With Blackpool expected to name a heavily-changed side, Barrow will feel like they are capable of causing an upset. However, the Tangerines should still have enough quality in their ranks to come through with the win, potentially by the odd goal in three.
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Grimsby Town vs. Crewe (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Two League Two teams will lock horns in the first round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday evening, as Grimsby Town welcome Crewe Alexandra to Blundell Park.
Grimsby have picked up one point from their first two league games of the season to sit in 18th position, while Crewe have collected six points from their opening two matches to occupy second behind Walsall.
We say: Grimsby Town 0-1 Crewe Alexandra
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Mansfield vs. Derby (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Mansfield Town will aim to pull off an early EFL Cup surprise when they welcome Derby County to the One Call Stadium for Tuesday's first-round encounter.
The hosts edged past Tranmere Rovers 1-0 at the weekend, while the Rams went down 1-0 to Charlton Athletic.
We say: Mansfield Town 1-3 Derby County
Derby showed plenty of encouraging signs in their defeat to Charlton, and the introductions of young players in Sibley and Lewis Dobbin would only be a good thing for Rosenior.
Mansfield could very well have been competing with the Rams in league action this term, but the gulf in quality should become evident here as Derby pick up a confidence-boosting success.
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Accrington vs. Tranmere (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Accrington Stanley get their 2022-23 EFL Cup campaign underway when they go head to head with Tranmere Rovers at the Wham Stadium on Tuesday.
The Super White Army head into the game off the back of two successive defeats in their opening two games in the League Two and will be desperate to arrest this slump in form.
We say: Accrington Stanley 2-1 Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers will head into Tuesday needing a pick-me-up after losing their opening two games of the season. Accrington Stanley, meanwhile, have hit their stride and will be looking to build on Saturday's win over Shrewsbury Town. Looking at the gulf in class between the two sides and their contrasting form, we predict the hosts will claim the win in this one.
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Bradford vs. Hull City (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Championship outfit Hull City will be looking to progress to the second round of the EFL Cup when they make the trip to League Two team Bradford City on Tuesday night.
Hull have made a strong start to their 2022-23 domestic campaign, picking up four points to sit fifth in the Championship table, while Bradford are down in 15th in League Two, with just a point from their first two games.
We say: Bradford City 1-2 Hull City
Neither side will be at full strength on Tuesday night, but Hull will still be able to call upon a lot of quality, and we are expecting the Championship side to triumph, booking their spot in the second round of the competition in the process.
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Rochdale vs. Burton Albion (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Rochdale and Burton Albion will aim to recover from dismal defeats to the start of the 2022-23 season in Tuesday's EFL Cup first-round clash at the Crown Oil Arena.
Both sides have no points on the board from two games in their respective league season, but one manager will have a first win on the board by the close of play in midweek.
We say: Rochdale 1-2 Burton Albion
Both managers will be demanding an immediate response from their teams here, and Stockdale does have some youthful attacking options ready to freshen up his XI.
The youngsters can seek to take advantage of Burton Albion's depleted backline, but assuming the visitors can keep all 11 men on the pitch, Hasselbaink's men should have what it takes to make it through.
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Doncaster vs. Lincoln (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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League Two outfit Doncaster Rovers will host League One side Lincoln City in the first round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday night.
Doncaster will enter the contest off the back of a 2-1 win over Sutton United in the league on Saturday, while Lincoln played out a goalless draw with Portsmouth on the same afternoon.
We say: Doncaster Rovers 2-1 Lincoln City
Doncaster now operate in the league below Lincoln, but it is difficult to ignore their record against Tuesday's opponents when picking a winner here. Neither side will be at full strength, but we are backing Doncaster to emerge victorious by the narrowest of margins.
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Huddersfield vs. Preston (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Huddersfield Town and Preston North End get their EFL Cup campaign underway when they go head to head in the first round at the John Smith's Stadium on Tuesday.
Both sides will be looking to get their season up and running after failing to taste victory in any of their opening two games in the Championship.
We say: Huddersfield Town 2-1 Preston North End
Huddersfield Town have stumbled into the new season, suffering defeats in their opening two games. However, they will fancy their chances on home turf, where they are unbeaten in five of their last seven competitive outings. While we expect the Lilywhites to put up a fight, we predict the hosts will come out with a slender victory.
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Fleetwood vs. Wigan (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Wigan Athletic will travel to Highbury Stadium on Tuesday for an EFL Cup first-round tie against Fleetwood Town.
The hosts enter the contest off the back of their first win of the season, while Wigan have drawn their opening two league games.
We say: Fleetwood Town 1-2 Wigan Athletic
Although we expect Wigan to make a number of changes to their side, we still think they have enough quality to edge out their League One opponents on Tuesday.
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Norwich vs. Birmingham (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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An all-Championship affair in the first round of the EFL Cup takes place at Carrow Road on Tuesday, as Norwich City play host to Birmingham City.
The Canaries could only play out a 1-1 draw with newly-promoted Wigan Athletic at the weekend, while the Blues got the better of Huddersfield Town 2-1.
We say: Norwich City 2-1 Birmingham City
Norwich will undoubtedly be the more fired up of the two sides after the weekend's perceived injustice and spate of injuries, and their recent spate of results against Birmingham makes for positive reading.
The Blues would do well to exploit the wide areas, with Norwich suffering the most in that area, but we have faith in the Canaries to finally kickstart their season and give their fans something to cheer.
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Northampton vs. Wycombe (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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The Sixfields Stadium plays host to Northampton Town and Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday as the teams battle it out for a place in the next round of the EFL Cup.
Both sides were unable to come out on top in their respective last outings and will be looking to return to winning ways in this one.
We say: Northampton Town 1-2 Wycombe Wanderers
The teams have had clean sheets hard to come by of late so we are expecting goals at both ends here. That said, we are also anticipating a narrow victory for the away side at the end of the 90 minutes.
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Cardiff vs. Portsmouth (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Cardiff City will begin their EFL Cup campaign with a home encounter against League One opponents Portsmouth.
The hosts have started the season with a 1-0 win and 2-1 defeat, while Pompey head into the midweek contest off the back of consecutive draws.
We say: Cardiff City 1-0 Portsmouth
We expect Tuesday's contest to be a close-fought encounter, but we think that Cardiff's championship quality will help them claim a narrow victory over Portsmouth.
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Charlton vs. QPR (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Championship side Queens Park Rangers will head to League One outfit Charlton Athletic on Tuesday evening looking to book their spot in the second round of the EFL Cup.
The visitors will enter the contest off the back of a 3-2 win over Middlesbrough in the Championship on Saturday, while Charlton recorded a 1-0 victory over Derby County in League One on the same afternoon.
We say: Charlton Athletic 0-1 Queens Park Rangers
This has all of the makings of an interesting match, especially with both managers set to ring the changes. QPR will be able to call upon the better quality, though, and we are tipping Rangers to book their spot in the second round of the competition with a narrow success.
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Crawley vs. Bristol Rovers (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Bristol Rovers will face League Two opposition when they travel to West Sussex to face Crawley Town in the first-round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
The hosts have begun the season with consecutive defeats, while the Gas responded to an opening day loss with a comprehensive 4-0 win at the weekend.
We say: Crawley Town 1-3 Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers won both of their league meetings with Crawley last season, and we think they have enough quality to record another victory against the Reds on Tuesday.
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Walsall vs. Swindon (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Walsall and Swindon Town meet in the EFL Cup first round on Tuesday evening having endured contrasting starts to the new League Two campaign.
While the home side sit top with back-to-back victories, Swindon are winless and yet to score a goal ahead of their trip to the West Midlands.
We say: Walsall 1-2 Swindon Town
Both managers will likely take the opportunity to make numerous changes to their starting lineups, something which could make their league form irrelevant. With that in mind, we are backing the visitors to come through with a narrow victory.
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Ipswich vs. Colchester (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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After taking four points from their opening two league games, Ipswich Town will look to continue their unbeaten start to the season when they face Colchester United in the first-round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
The U's, meanwhile, are looking for their first win of the campaign after taking only a point from their first two matches.
We say: Ipswich Town 3-1 Colchester United
The last time the two sides met was in November last year in the EFL Trophy and on that occasion, Ipswich won on penalties, but we expect the Tractor Boys to enjoy an easier outing on Tuesday and claim a comfortable victory over Colchester.
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Luton vs. Newport (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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After drawing their opening two games of the season, Luton Town will look to clinch their first victory of the campaign when they play host to Newport County in the first-round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
The visitors, meanwhile, are also searching for their first win of the season after taking only point from their first two matches.
We say: Luton Town 3-1 Newport County
Luton have already demonstrated in their opening two league games that they are a tough team to beat, and we think they will use their extra quality to brush aside their League Two opponents on Tuesday.
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AFC Wimbledon vs. Gillingham (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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AFC Wimbledon and Gillingham get their EFL Cup campaign up and running when they lock horns in the first round at the Cherry Red Records Stadium on Tuesday.
Both sides squared off in this season's League Two opener on July 30, withJohnnie Jackson's side cruising to a comfortable 2-0 victory in front of their home fans.
We say: AFC Wimbledon 2-1 Gillingham
Gillingham have failed to win any of their last four visits to the Cherry Red Records Stadium, losing three and managing one draw since a 4-2 win in March 2019. Wimbledon have enjoyed the better of this fixture and we are backing them to come away with a slender victory once again.
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Cheltenham vs. Exeter (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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On Tuesday, Exeter City will make the trip to Whaddon Road to face Cheltenham Town in the first-round of the EFL Cup.
The Robins have begun their campaign with consecutive defeats, while the visitors have taken four points from their opening two league games.
We say: Cheltenham Town 1-3 Exeter City
While Cheltenham have started the season with two defeats, Exeter will be in a confident mood after collecting four points from their opening games, and we expect the League One side to continue their unbeaten start with a victory.
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MK Dons vs. Sutton (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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MK Dons head into their EFL Cup first round tie with Sutton United looking to end their losing start to the new campaign.
The visitors are also winless in League Two, and both teams will be eager to change their fortunes ahead of the remainder of the month.
We say: MK Dons 1-0 Sutton United
Given their respective form, this has the makings of being a closely-fought contest. However, while Sutton will relish the chance to compete against a higher-profile club, we expect the home side to edge this game by a narrow margin.
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Oxford Utd vs. Swansea (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
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Oxford United and Swansea City will kick off their respective EFL Cup quests with Tuesday's first-round showdown at the Kassam Stadium.
Both sides have gone all the way in the tournament in the past, with the hosts coming up trumps in 1986 and the Championship outfit lifting the trophy in 2013.
We say: Oxford United 0-2 Swansea City
A trip to lower-league opposition is just what the doctor ordered for Swansea as they aim to finally post a first win of the season, with Oxford yet to find a golden touch in front of goal.
The U's were indebted to a teenage hero at the weekend and can be expected to put out an experienced side here, but we cannot see Swansea suffering a shock early defeat.
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Reading vs. Stevenage (Tuesday, 8.00pm)
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A place in the next round of the EFL Cup is up for grabs on Tuesday when Reading welcome Stevenage to the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
The teams head into this one off the back of victories in their respective last outings and both will be looking to pick up where they left off.
We say: Reading 2-1 Stevenage
Playing in front of their fans, Reading will be expected to seize the initiative and take the fight to Stevenage. We are tipping the home side to emerge triumphant, albeit by only a narrow margin.
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Ben Knapton
