Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s EFL Cup clash between Sheffield Wednesday and Grimsby Town, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Looking to punch above their weight once again in the EFL Cup, League Two‘s Grimsby Town will travel to face Championship side Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough for their third-round tie on Tuesday.
The Owls will be hoping to bounce back from consecutive defeats in midweek, while the Mariners could make it three games unbeaten.
Match preview
Henrik Pedersen‘s Wednesday have endured a tough start to their 2025-26 campaign, losing all but one of their five matches in the second tier so far.
However, the Owls have found some respite in their EFL Cup games, and they have broken up their dire form by beating Bolton Wanderers on penalties in the first round before a shock 3-0 spot-kick victory against Premier League-club Leeds United in the second round on August 26.
Unfortunately for fans, Pedersen’s side followed up that last triumph with a 2-0 defeat against Swansea City and a 3-0 battering at the hands of Bristol City on Saturday.
Most concerning for the boss will be the fact that his team failed to score in either of those games, and while Wednesday will see this week’s cup clash against lower-tier opposition as a chance to reset, they will need to defy their dire record at Hillsborough that features just three wins throughout 2025, as well as four draws and eight losses.
Additionally, the Owls are likely to concede considering that they have not kept a clean sheet in any competition since March 8, but given their struggles in front of goal, they may find it difficult to muster enough offensive output to overcome their defensive frailty and progress to the fourth round.
Meanwhile, David Artell‘s Grimsby recorded a famous victory over 20-time Premier League champions Manchester United in the second round, beating Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils 12-11 on penalties after a 2-2 stalemate on August 27.
That triumph extended the Mariners’ unbeaten streak to 10 games at the time, but they stumbled in days following the giant killing, losing 1-0 to Bristol City in the league and 2-1 to Bradford City in the EFL Trophy in back-to-back matches.
However, Artell’s men have since recovered their form, beating MK Dons 3-2 on September 6, and earning a point in a 1-1 draw with Cambridge United on Saturday.
Taking four points in League Two this month has Grimsby fifth in the table, just one shy of third-placed Salford City in the automatic promotion spots after eight games.
The Mariners will be hoping that another EFL Cup win can inspire their push for ascension to the third tier this season, and with only one defeat from their last seven away matches, they will be feeling confident despite the disparity in divisions between the sides.
Sheffield Wednesday EFL Cup form:
Sheffield Wednesday form (all competitions):
Grimsby Town EFL Cup form:
Grimsby Town form (all competitions):
Team News
Wednesday have a number of players due back from injury in September, including 19-year-old attacker Bruno Fernandes, midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah and centre-back Di’Shon Bernard, but they are all likely to miss this week’s cup action.
As a result, expect to see a back three of Max Lowe, Gabriel Otegbayo and Ernie Weaver start in front of goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, who should line up between the sticks in place of injured shot-stopper Pierce Charles.
In the centre of the park, captain Barry Bannan could be joined by Liam Palmer and Svante Ingelsson, and flanked by wing-backs Yan Valery and Reece Johnson – Harry Amass may be sidelined after being substituted off with an injury last time out – while Jamal Lowe and Bailey Cadamarteri operate in a strike partnership up top.
As for Grimsby, Tyrell Warren and Cameron McJannett should start at the heart of Artell’s defence, with Harvey Rodgers and Jayden Sweeney at full-back.
At the opposite end of the pitch, Jaze Kabia could start at centre-forward, while Darragh Burns and Charles Vernam provide support from out wide.
Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Horvath; Weaver, Otegbayo, Lowe; Valery, Palmer, Bannan, Ingesson, Johnson; Lowe, Cadamarteri
Grimsby Town possible starting lineup:
Pym; Rodgers, Warren, McJannett, Sweeney; McEachan; Burns, Green, Khouri, Vernam; Kabia
We say: Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Grimsby Town
Wednesday may be low on confidence ahead of this clash, and given their defensive frailty, they are likely to concede at least once.
In contrast, Grimsby have enjoyed a strong season to date, and, bolstered by their giant killing in the previous round, they could defeat yet another higher-tier opponent in the EFL Cup.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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