A place in the last 16 of the 2025/26 English Football League Cup is up for grabs on Tuesday as Barnsley welcome Brighton to Oakwell Ground.
Having beaten Oxford United 6-0 in the previous round, Brighton will set out to get the better of less illustrious opponents once again, and we will be examining their chances of doing so in this Barnsley vs Brighton prediction article.
Contents
- 1 Barnsley vs Brighton prediction: Seagulls to stroll into round of 16
- 2 Most recent H2Hs: Teams reconvening after an eight-year no-show
- 3 Barnsley preview: Georgie Gent and Fabio Jalo still awaiting season debuts
- 4 Brighton preview: Maxim De Cuyper targeting return to action
- 5 Player to watch – Bajan Gruda
Barnsley vs Brighton prediction: Seagulls to stroll into round of 16
Key stats
- Brighton have conceded in each of their last three matches and have managed just one shutout in eight games leading up to Tuesday's affair.
- Six of the aforementioned eight games have ended with both teams scoring, while four of the last five games involving Brighton have yielded at least three goals.
- Like their visitors, Barnsley have also struggled at the back lately, with no clean sheets in five straight outings.
Correct score prediction: Barnsley 1-3 Brighton
Brighton made light work of Oxford to set up Tuesday's meeting with Barnsley, where the Premier League outfit are expected to run out comprehensive winners.
We fully expect Brighton to swat aside their hosts with relative ease.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Brighton aiming to avoid huge upset
- HOME: 15/2 (8.50) – 11.8%
- DRAW: 5/1 (6.00) – 16.7%
- AWAY: 2/7 (1.29) – 77.8%
*Odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
Brighton are winless in their last two outings, but a 77.8% win probability here hints that a return to winning ways is on the cards.
Fabian Hurzeler's men surrendered a two-goal lead against Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, denying them consecutive home victories for the first time this term.
Barnsley, meanwhile, saw their three-game winning run nipped in the bud against Blackpool courtesy of Jordan Brown's 98th-minute winner.
Conor Hourihane's men have not been beaten in back-to-back matches since April, although their meagre 11.8% chance of winning here suggests that could be about to change.
For more from the upcoming matches, today’s free football betting tips look at some of the best picks.
Most recent H2Hs: Teams reconvening after an eight-year no-show
Tuesday's clash is the first edition of this fixture since the 2016-17 campaign, when both teams were in the Championship.
Brighton won both meetings that season en route to Premier League promotion and have gone on to establish themselves in the English top flight.
Barnsley preview: Georgie Gent and Fabio Jalo still awaiting season debuts
Long-term absentee Georgie Gent (Achilles tendon) and Fabio Jalo (knee) are yet to appear for Barnsley in the current campaign due to their respective injuries.
Marc Roberts suffered a groin injury in August's curtain-raiser and has not featured since, while Patrick Kelly is set to sit out game number three on the bounce with a foot issue.
Predicted lineup: Cooper(GK), Ogbeta, Earl, Shepherd, Watson, Connell, Bland, McGoldrick, Phillips, Vickers & Keillor-Dunn
Barnsley's last five matches:
- Blackpool 1-0 Barnsley (League One)
- Barnsley 3-2 Reading (League One)
- Barnsley 3-1 Huddersfield (League One)
- Barnsley 2-1 Rotherham (EFL Cup)
- AFC Wimbledon 2-0 Barnsley (League One)
Brighton preview: Maxim De Cuyper targeting return to action
De Cuyper was absent from Brighton's 2-2 draw last time out due to an injury he picked up against Bournemouth, but the Belgian could be back to play a part for Brighton here.
However, Solly March and Adam Webster will miss out due to knee problems and are joined on the sidelines by fellow Englishman Jake Hinshelwood (ankle).
Predicted lineup: Steele(GK), Kadioglu, Boscagli, Coppola, Veltman, Milner, Baleba, Gomez, Gruda, Tzimas & Howell
Brighton's last five matches:
- Brighton 2-2 Tottenham (Premier League)
- Bournemouth 2-1 Brighton (Premier League_
- Brighton 2-1 Manchester City (Premier League)
- Oxford United 0-6 Brighton (EFL Cup)
- Everton 2-0 Brighton (Premier League)
Player to watch – Bajan Gruda
Gruda grabbed a goal and an assist against Oxford in round three and has since scored against Manchester City in Premier League action, while also grabbing an assist for the Germany Under-21s.
The forward made his first league start of the season against Spurs on Saturday, but is likely to get the nod to feature once again on Tuesday.
He will fancy his chances of putting on a show against lower league opposition and is one to keep an eye on.