Huddersfield to continue giant-killing run against Man City

Huddersfield Town will aim to continue their giant-killing run in the EFL Cup today when they host Manchester City in the third round.

The hosts defeated Leicester City and Sunderland to progress to this stage, while the visitors will compete in the competition for the first time this term.

Aiming for a significantly improved promotion charge this campaign, new manager Lee Grant has led the Terriers to a largely positive start to the term.

Huddersfield Town have won five, drawn one and lost three of their nine League One fixtures, leaving them fifth in the standings with 16 points, though their form has taken a worrying turn in recent games, with just one win from their last four.

Despite their home advantage and promising start to the campaign, Manchester City are the clear favourites heading into today’s clash and will expected to record a significant victory.

The Citizens will be looking to maintain their undefeated run when they take on Huddersfield Town in the EFL Cup, with Man City also eyeing the first available silverware of the campaign.

Pep Guardiola‘s side had dominated this competition between 2017-18 and 2020-21, lifting the trophy in all of the four seasons, but they have since failed to even make the final.

Huddersfield may be hopeful of recording a third giant-killing in the EFL Cup this term, but the Citizens are undoubtedly the stronger team heading into this clash and should comfortably win.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Arsenal travel away to face Port Vale

One of their least favourite haunts down the years, Arsenal begin another quest for EFL Cup stardom on this evening, when they hit the road to face Port Vale in the third round.

While the Gunners did not have to exert themselves in the first two stages, their hosts have already taken down Blackpool and Birmingham City away from home to earn a date with Mikel Arteta‘s men.

So often lambasted for their perceived negative approach towards matches, especially against fellow members of the Big Six, the Arsenal shoe was on the other foot on Sunday, where it was all backs against the wall as far as Manchester City were concerned.

Pep Guardiola’s bus-parking tactics very nearly paid dividends at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League’s main event, but Arteta’s crop finally found a belated spark through their newfound super sub, as Gabriel Martinelli popped up with an equalising lob in the dying embers.

Either the Premier League or Champions League will be considered the ultimate prize by Arsenal this season, and EFL Cup success will no doubt not be high on Arteta’s list of priorities, but a disastrous defeat in midweek would only heighten questions about the Spaniard’s ability to get his side over the line.

The EFL Cup had been something of a welcome distraction for Port Vale, who endured a disastrous start to their League One campaign with no wins from their first seven matches, but Moore’s men have finally rediscovered that winning feeling at an ideal time.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Atletico Madrid aim to return to winning ways against Rayo Vallecano

Atletico Madrid will be aiming to return to winning ways when they continue their La Liga campaign with a home fixture against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday night.

 

Diego Simeone‘s side are currently down in 12th spot in the La Liga table, nine points off division leaders Real Madrid, while Rayo are 14th, collecting five points from their first five points.

Atletico’s start to the 2025-26 campaign has been underwhelming, only managing to pick up six points from five matches, which has left them down in 12th spot in the table.

The Red and Whites would have been aiming to get closer to the top of the division this term, but they are already nine points off the summit and just two points ahead of 16th-placed Levante.

Simeone’s side will enter this match off the back of a 1-1 draw with Mallorca; Conor Gallagher had sent the visitors ahead in the 79th minute, only for Vedat Muriqi to come up with an equaliser five minutes from time.

As for Rayo, the visitors will enter this match off the back of a 1-1 draw with Celta Vigo, with Jorge de Frutos on the scoresheet for the capital team after Borja Iglesias had sent the visitors ahead.

Rayo’s last away La Liga success over Atletico came back in August 1999, and we are finding it difficult to back the visitors on Wednesday. Atletico have not exactly been great this season, but the Red and Whites should be able to just about get the job done.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Tottenham welcome Doncaster Rovers to North London

Premier League meets League One in Wednesday’s EFL Cup third-round showdown, as Tottenham Hotspur welcome Doncaster Rovers to their North London home.

The Lilywhites bypassed the first two rounds thanks to their European participation, while their third-tier visitors have already taken down Middlesbrough and Accrington Stanley away from home.

Starved of domestic success since a Jonathan Woodgate-inspired triumph in this competition in 2008, Tottenham are long overdue another slice of English football stardom, even if they did conquer the continent in the secondary term last season.

The reigning Europa League champions have contested three EFL Cup finals since last lifting the trophy aloft 17 years ago, but they settled for runners-up medals in 2009, 2015 and 2021 and were agonisingly bested by Liverpool in the semi-finals of the 2024-25 edition.

Third-round exits are also not uncommon for Tottenham, who lost at this stage as recently as the 2022-23 season to Nottingham Forest, while lower-league Colchester United stunned Spurs on penalties in the third round of the 2019-20 EFL Cup.

However, it is difficult to envisage a seismic shock taking place on Wednesday evening, especially with Spurs able to reflect on far more positives than negatives during the earliest days of Thomas Frank‘s tenure, including four wins from their last six in all competitions.

Doncaster have won their first two EFL Cup games of the season by an aggregate score of 6-0, but McCann’s men are now looking more vulnerable defensively and will surely bow out in North London.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

FIXTURES

English League Cup

Huddersfield Town 19:45 Manchester City

Newcastle United 19:45 Bradford

Tottenham Hotspur 19:45 Doncaster Rovers 

Port Vale 20:00 Arsenal 

Spanish La Liga

Getafe 18:00 Alavés 

Atletico Madrid 20:30 Rayo Vallecano

Real Sociedad 20:30 Mallorca 

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