Sports Mole previews Wednesday’s EFL Cup clash between Fulham and Bristol City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Two unbeaten teams are set to clash at Craven Cottage on Wednesday when Fulham take on Bristol City in the EFL Cup‘s second round.
The Cottagers are looking for their first win of the season, while the Robins will be hoping to make it three victories from five matches.
Match preview
Marco Silva‘s Fulham were dreaming of European football in 2024-25 but they fell some way short, and failed to even finish in the top half.
Having started the current Premier League campaign with back-to-back draws, the Cottagers are now 13th in the top flight, and they may be concerned about their chances of qualifying for continental competition once again this time around.
After watching Crystal Palace reach the UEFA Conference League as a result of lifting the FA Cup last term, Silva’s side could see winning the EFL Cup as a viable path to gaining admission.
On Sunday, Fulham came from behind to secure a point in a 1-1 draw with Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United, thanks to an Emile Smith Rowe strike that cancelled out an own goal from Rodrigo Muniz.
Aiming to build on that stalemate and earn their first victory of the season on Wednesday, the hosts may take confidence from the fact that they have won three and drawn one of their four most recent home games, though they did close out the last campaign by losing four of their final five competitive matches.
Meanwhile, Gerhard Struber‘s Bristol City suffered disappointment in 2024-25’s Championship playoffs, but their unbeaten record so far this season suggests that they could get another shot at promotion this term.
While the Robins will be prioritising their efforts in the league, they could be inspired in their push towards the top flight by a deep cup run.
In the first round, Struber’s men beat League Two’s MK Dons 2-0 at Ashton Gate, courtesy of a Jason Knight header with just six minutes on the clock and a sealing strike from Yu Hirakawa around the hour mark.
Most recently, the Robins followed up their 0-0 stalemate with Charlton Athletic by earning another point in a 1-1 draw with Derby County last Friday, a result that left them ninth in the second tier, two points behind Preston North End, Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City in the playoff spots.
Bristol City may be the underdogs given that they are a lower-division team, but considering that they ended last season with three straight defeats on the road, the visitors will take heart from the improvements they have shown during their current four-away-game unbeaten run.
Fulham form (all competitions):
Bristol City EFL Cup form:
Bristol City form (all competitions):
Team News
Fulham could opt to rotate some of their XI from the weekend, replacing the likes of Rodrigo Muniz with Raul Jimenez and Joshua King with Emile Smith Rowe.
Out wide, Timothy Castagne could be benched for Harry Wilson, while goalkeeper Bernd Leno may be rested with Benjamin Lecomte deputising.
On the other hand, Bristol City will be without a number of defensive players this week, including the left-sided Cameron Pring and centre-back Luke McNally, as well as goalkeeper Max O’Leary.
In their absence, George Tanner, Robert Dickie and Zak Vyner should start in a back three in front of shot-stopper Joe Lumley, flanked by wing-backs Mark Sykes and Elijah Morrison.
Elsewhere, midfielder Joe Williams is sidelined with an ankle injury, and though he is expected back in action within a couple of weeks, Jason Knight and Adam Randell are likely to line up in the centre of the park on Wednesday.
Fulham possible starting lineup:
Lecomte; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon; Lukic, Berge; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Jimenez
Bristol City possible starting lineup:
Lumley; Tanner, Dickie, Vyner; Sykes, Knight, Randell, Morrison; Twine, Mehmeti; Yeboah
We say: Fulham 2-1 Bristol City
Fulham have won three and drawn one of their last four home matches, and given the league disparity between the sides, anything other than victory for the Cottagers will be seen as a failure.
However, Bristol City have proven their resilience on the road and throughout 2025-26 in general, and they could frustrate their hosts.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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