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Burton Albion welcome Nottingham Forest U21 to the Pirelli Stadium on Tuesday evening for their opening EFL Trophy fixture of the campaign, with the League One side looking to make home advantage count against an academy team arriving on a two-match winning run.
The hosts were held 2-2 by Mansfield on Saturday after surrendering a two-goal lead, while Forest U21 claimed a 3-1 victory away at West Bromwich Albion U21 in their last game.
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.
Burton Albion vs. Nottingham Forest U21 key stats
- Burton have scored 2+ goals in three of their last four matches.
- Burton's last four League One fixtures have produced 16 goals in total.
- Four of Nottingham Forest U21’s last five matches have produced over 2.5 goals.
- Forest U21 have scored in 14 consecutive matches.
- Burton have conceded in each of their last eight matches.
Burton Albion vs. Nottingham Forest U21 preview: Burton face dangerous academy opposition
Burton Albion vs. Nottingham Forest U21 — Tale of the Tape
| Burton Albion | vs | Nottingham Forest U21 |
|---|---|---|
| 12th | Position | 6th |
| 9 | Points | 9 |
| 12 | Goals For | 7 |
| 12 | Goals Against | 7 |
| 0 | Clean Sheets | 1 |
| 5th | Home / Away Rank | 11th |
Burton head into their EFL Trophy opener after another entertaining afternoon at the Pirelli Stadium, although Saturday's 2-2 draw with Mansfield will have left Gary Bowyer's side frustrated after they surrendered a two-goal advantage.
Deji Oshilaja's own goal put Burton ahead in the 16th minute before Jack Armer doubled the lead 12 minutes later, but Michael Smith pulled one back before half-time and former Burton forward Lucas Akins completed the comeback in the 70th minute.
The hosts finished with 10 shots and three on target, while Mansfield recorded 12 attempts and five efforts on target.
The result continued a relatively open spell for Burton, whose previous four League One matches had produced a 4-1 victory over AFC Wimbledon, a 2-2 draw with Cambridge United, a 3-0 defeat at Oxford United and Saturday's stalemate with Mansfield.
Burton's home record provides some encouragement before this cup assignment, having scored in all their five matches at the Pirelli Stadium this season, although keeping opponents out has proved considerably more difficult, conceding in all those games.
This competition also gives Bowyer the opportunity to manage his squad differently from a normal League One fixture.
The EFL Trophy group stage includes League One and League Two clubs alongside invited Under-21 teams, with Burton placed in Northern Group F alongside Grimsby Town, Notts County and Forest U21.
Forest's young side arrive with considerably stronger recent momentum, having won their last two Premier League 2 matches, beating Burnley U21 1-0 and then West Bromwich Albion U21 3-1 on Friday.
The visitors also bring plenty of EFL Trophy experience from previous campaigns, having competed in the competition last season, drawing 2-2 at Tranmere before losing 2-1 at Blackpool and 2-0 at Barrow.
There is no head-to-head history between the clubs to provide a useful precedent, making the contrasting nature of the two squads more significant.
Burton have the experience of senior League One football and home advantage, whereas Forest's youngsters have been playing with considerable confidence in recent weeks.
Burton Albion vs. Nottingham Forest U21 form guide & betting tips
| Burton Albion | vs | Nottingham Forest U21 |
|---|---|---|
L
W
D
L
D |
Form | L
W
L
W
W
|
| 9 | Goals For | 8 |
| 10 | Goals Against | 9 |
N/A |
EFL Trophy | N/A |
Whispers predicts: Burton Albion 2-1 Nottingham Forest U21
The both teams to score selection at 1.45 (9/20) is supported by the attacking form of both sides, with Burton scoring in every home game this season and Forest U21 finding the net in 14 consecutive games.
The Burton win at 1.64 (16/25) also has appeal, with the hosts backed by the market despite Forest's recent two-match winning streak. Burton's League One experience and home advantage should give them an edge, particularly against an Under-21 side facing a senior opponent away from home.
The goals market points towards another lively contest, with over 2.5 goals at 1.33 (1/3) available from one current bookmaker. Burton have seen more than 2.5 goals in each of their last four matches, while Forest's recent results have also generally produced goals.
A 2-1 Burton victory is priced around 8.00 (7/1) in the correct-score market, and that result reflects the balance between Burton's greater senior experience and Forest's current scoring run.
> Over 2.5 goals at 1.33 (1/3) | Likelihood: Likely
> Both teams to score at 1.45 (9/20)| Likelihood: Likely
> Match result — Burton Albion win at 1.64 (16/25) | Likelihood: Probable
> Correct score — Burton Albion 2-1 Nottingham Forest U21 at 8.00 (7/1) | Likelihood: Outsider