Newport County welcome Swansea City to Rodney Parade in a mouth-watering Welsh derby as the first round of this season’s Carabao Cup continues.
This match marks the first competitive meeting between Newport and Swansea’s senior teams since November 2006 as the Ironsides look to cause a cupset against last season’s Championship Play-Off semi-finalists.
Team News
Newport have no fresh injury concerns to report with a full squad available for selection with no players away on international duty.
Swansea will be without Connor Roberts, Ben Cabango and Marc Guehi due to international duty but otherwise Steve Cooper has a full squad available for selection.
Stat Attack
- Newport have won just three of eight previous League Cup meetings against Swansea (W3, D1, L4).
- Swansea won each of their two trips to Newport in League Cup, defeating The Ironsides 2-1 in August 1966 then 3-2 in August 1969.
- Both teams have scored in seven of last eight meetings across all competitions.
- Newport have advanced from this stage on four occasions in last seven seasons, with just one of their three exits in Round One coming against Championship opposition – Reading in August 2014.
- Swansea haven’t exited at this stage in last 13 seasons although they did bypass Round One in eight of last nine seasons due to either being in Premier League or by virtue of not being first team relegated from the top flight in 2017-18 season.
Prediction
Given that this is Newport’s first competitive match since March, they will definitely have to be wary in the opening stages because Swansea not only have the better quality but also fitness, after having played as part of ‘Project Restart’ involving Premier League and Championship clubs over summer which will help them in terms of freshness.
Swansea however are without three of their strongest defensive players which could well provide Newport with an opportunity to attack the Swans’ defence but it will be tough if Swansea get control of this game early on and can maintain it throughout both halves.
This is a local derby though so Newport will be pumped for this match but I do think quality and fitness could well play a part even if Swansea are missing some players in their back lines.
Prediction: Newport County 1-3 Swansea City
Result: Newport County 2-0 Swansea City
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