With Portsmouth already through to the second round of this season’s Carabao Cup after stunning Birmingham City last week, Salford City will be looking to join them as they welcome Leeds United to the Peninsula Stadium in their first round clash.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesSalford captain, Liam Hogan is the side’s only absentee as he continues to battle an injury, which has kept him out of their matches against Stevenage and Crawley.
Marcelo Bielsa is set to hand loan signing, Eddie Nketiah his Leeds debut after skipping Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest due to only joining on Deadline Day.
Luke Ayling (ankle) and Tyler Roberts (knee) however will miss out for the Yorkshire side, as Bielsa prepares to ring the changes with Helder Costa and Jack Clarke expected to start.
Stat Attack
- This is Salford’s first ever Carabao Cup tie and also their first meeting with Leeds.
- Leeds have suffered just one First Round exit in this competition this decade, coming at the hands of Doncaster Rovers in August 2015.
- In five previous League Cup First Round appearances as a manager, Graham Alexander has progressed on just two occasions and both wins came with Scunthorpe and the Iron were at home on both occasions.
Prediction
Like many, a part of me would like Salford to cause a cupset but the last two Northern Section fixtures selected for live Sky coverage has been won by the away Championship team.
The opposition in those two picks however came from League One which means that a home win here will break that pattern, but given that Salford are in League Two I expect the gulf in quality to eventually show so am going for an away win.
Prediction: Salford City 0-2 Leeds United
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