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With a place in the third round of the EFL Cup up for grabs, Barnsley will welcome Crewe Alexandra to Oakwell on Tuesday.
Barnsley only narrowly advanced past Wigan Athletic on penalties on August 8 to reach the second round, whereas Crewe Alexandra managed to beat Accrington Stanley 2-1 on the same day.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Barnsley vs Crewe Alexandra key stats
- Barnsley have scored just one goal in their three games so far this season.
- Crewe have kept three clean sheets in their last four competitive matches.
- Barnsley have failed to take the lead into the interval any of their three matches this campaign.
- Crewe have scored at least two goals in two of their last five competitive matches.
Barnsley vs Crewe Alexandra: A good matchup for the EFL Cup?
Rotherham United vs West Bromwich Albion — Tale of the Tape
| Barnsley | vs | Crewe Alexandra |
|---|---|---|
| 21st (League One) | Position | 2nd (League Two) |
| 1 | Points | 6 |
| 0 | Goals For | 2 |
| 1 | Goals Against | 0 |
| 1 | Clean Sheets | 2 |
| 22nd | Home / Away Rank | 4th |
Barnsley are currently 21st in League One, with the club having taken just one point from their two games in the third tier so far.
Their latest result was a goalless stalemate with Doncaster Rovers on Saturday, and they have now failed to win eight of their last nine fixtures within 90 minutes.
The hosts only managed to advance into the second round of the competition because they beat Wigan 6-5 on penalties, and they were in fact heading for elimination in that match until Cameron McGeehan netted an equaliser in the 81st minute to draw the game 1-1.
Striker Makenzie Kirk could be joined in the forward line by wide attackers Reyes Cleary and Amani Richards, while Patrick Kelly may play as a number 10.
Crewe have enjoyed an outstanding campaign so far, with the club winning all three of their outings, including both of their League Two fixtures.
Those victories represent a remarkable turnaround in fortunes considering they lost four, drew one and won just one of their final six matches of 2025-26.
Boss Lee Bell will be concerned by his side's record against the hosts given they have lost their last three meetings with Barnsley.
Defender Mickey Demetriou was sent off against Crawley Town on August 15, but he served his suspension against Northampton, so he should be available for selection.
Barnsley vs Crewe Alexandra form guide & betting tips
| BAR | vs | CRE |
|---|---|---|
WLD |
Form | WWW |
| 1 | Goals For | 4 |
| 2 | Goals Against | 1 |
W |
EFL Cup | W |
Whispers predicts: Barnsley 1-2 Crewe Alexandra
Barnsley are widely backed by the bookmakers, with odds of 3/5 (1.6), but Crewe Alexandra should not be discounted at 7/2 (4.5).
Given the hosts have frequently disappointed in attack, predicting Under 1.5 Goals for Barnsley could be a sensible bet, priced at 5/4 (2.25).
Considering Barnsley have failed to take the lead into any of their three matches this campaign, perhaps it makes sense to back a Draw at Half Time at 6/4 (2.5).
The visitors have proven they are capable of scoring more than once, so backing Over 1.5 Goals for Crewe Alexandra at 2/1 (3) could be a value bet.
> Under 1.5 Goals for Barnsley at 5/4 (2.25) | Likelihood: Probable
> Draw at Half Time at 6/4 (2.5) | Likelihood: Possible
> Over 1.5 Goals for Crewe Alexandra at 2/1 (3) | Likelihood: Outsider