Premier League go jam League One for Wednesday EFL Cup third round as Tottenham Hotspur welcome Doncaster Rovers for North London.
Spurs wey dey play Europe skip di first two rounds, while Doncaster don already knock out Middlesbrough and Accrington Stanley away from home.
Tottenham Form
Tottenham never taste domestic trophy since 2008 when Jonathan Woodgate header give dem di EFL Cup. Dem don reach three finals since den – 2009, 2015 and 2021 – but na only silver medal dey follow dem go house. Last season Liverpool dash dem semi-final heartbreak too.
Third-round exits no be new for Spurs – Nottingham Forest beat dem for dis stage 2022/23, and Colchester shock dem 2019/20 on penalties. But under new coach Thomas Frank, Spurs don start with more positives than negatives: four wins from dia last six games across competitions.
For weekend, Brighton almost show dem shege after go 2-0 up, but Spurs fight back equalise 2-2. Na new resilience wey dem no dey show before.
Doncaster Form
Doncaster wey start season hot, don cool small. Between August 23 and September 6, dem win five straight matches, including shock 4-0 win against Middlesbrough and 2-0 against Accrington for EFL Cup. But now dem don lose back-to-back games against Wigan and Wimbledon.
Defence na major wahala – seven goals conceded inside last four matches, after dem first keep three clean sheets. Na bad sign before facing Premier League big boys. History no dey favour dem too – dem never pass third round since 2005/06. Last time dem face Spurs for dis competition (2009/10), Tottenham flog dem 5-1.
Team News Tottenham
Spurs injury list still long: James Maddison, Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski, Kota Takai, Yves Bissouma and Dominic Solanke all dey out. Randal Kolo Muani and Ben Davies still dey recover. Even with dat, Thomas Frank get plenty rotation options. Expect Antonin Kinsky, Archie Gray, Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel and Dane Scarlett to start. 16-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett, wey score hat-trick for U21s last week, dey push for senior debut.
Team News Doncaster
Doncaster go welcome back some players but dem go miss Harry Clifton wey tear hamstring – e go miss six weeks. Jamie Sterry dey struggle with back but fit play. Veteran striker Billy Sharp (39 years) go lead attack, with Luke Molyneux and Jordan Gibson dey support. Damola Ajayi, Spurs loanee, don get permission to play against him parent club.
Possible Lineups
Tottenham XI: Kinsky; Spence, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Gray, Simons; Johnson, Scarlett, Tel
Doncaster XI: Lawlor; Sterry, McGrath, Pearson, Maxwell; Bailey, Close; Molyneux, Crew, Gibson; Sharp
Prediction
Doncaster start EFL Cup campaign well with 6-0 aggregate over two games, but recent form show say dia backline dey leak badly. Spurs go rotate, but rotation still get experience pass wetin Doncaster fit handle. Na one-way traffic e go be.
We say: Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 Doncaster Rovers
