It’s the third round of the EFL/League/Carabao Cup, the portion of the tournament where “the big boys” come in. And quite often they do so against League One opposition, which is…kind of a quasi-bye to the fourth round, in a sense. Bradford City is indeed a team from that third tier of the FA pyramid, and they will visit Newcastle United, a side that finished in the top five in the top flight last season. Let’s preview.
EFL Cup 3rd Round FYIs
Newcastle United vs Bradford City
Kickoff: Wed. Sept 24, 7:45pm, St. James Park, Newcastle, UK
Newcastle United Team News vs Bradford City
No real changes here as Fabian Schar is still recovering from a concussion. He might be ready to go here, but manager Eddie Howe will likely not risk him.
Jacob Ramsey (ankle problem) and Yoane Wissa (knee injury) remain sidelined, otherwise there are no fitness concerns at this time. Scoring concerns, yes, absolutely since Alexander Isak left, but no more injury concerns.
So without further ado, let’s get to the predicted XI, which will see some squad rotation.
Newcastle United Starting XI Prediction vs Bradford City
Aaron Ramsdale; Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman, Malick Thiaw; Joelinton, Lewis Miley, Bruno Guimaraes, Joe Willock; Harvey Barnes, Anthony Elanga, William Osula
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter