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Aston Villa U21s will travel to Crewe Alexandra's Mornflake Stadium to play their second EFL Trophy game of the season.
The visitors are last in their group in fourth with zero points having lost against Wigan Athletic, whereas Crewe are yet to begin their campaign in the competition and are third.
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.
Crewe Alexandra vs. Aston Villa U21 key stats
- Each of Crewe's last three games have ended 1-1.
- Both teams have scored in each of Crewe's last four games.
- Aston Villa U21s have scored first in two of their past four matches against English opposition.
Crewe Alexandra vs. Aston Villa U21 preview: A key test for young stars
Crewe Alexandra vs Aston Villa U21 — Tale of the Tape
| Crewe Alexandra | vs | Aston Villa U21 |
|---|---|---|
| 9th (League Two) | Position | 16th (Premier League 2) |
| 11 | Points | 5 |
| 7 | Goals For | 7 |
| 5 | Goals Against | 8 |
| 3 | Clean Sheets | 0 |
| 16th | Home / Away Rank | 14th |
Crewe's performances in League Two have been mixed, as while they are unbeaten in their seven league fixtures, they have drawn five times, including when they drew 1-1 with Shrewsbury Town on Saturday.
That result left them in ninth place with 11 points, though only four points separate them from first-placed Barnet.
The hosts topped their group in the EFL Trophy in 2025-26, winning all three of their matches, but they were eliminated from the competition after losing 4-1 on penalties to Stockport County in the round of 32.
Head coach Lee Bell may opt to start striker Adrien Thibaut, who last started for the club on August 25 in the EFL Cup against Barnsley.
Aston Villa U21s have already played one game in the EFL Trophy, though they will not want to linger on their 3-2 defeat against Wigan on August 18.
Their most recent result was a 2-2 stalemate with Middlesbrough U21s on Friday, and that extended their unbeaten streak to three games (W1, D2, L0).
Tuesday will be the first ever meeting between Villa U21s and Crewe, but the fact they lost all three of their group outings in the EFL Trophy in 2025-26 does not bode well.
Manager Jimmy Shan may look to start number nine Markie Meade up front, and he could be supported by Cole Brannigan.
Crewe Alexandra vs. Aston Villa U21 form guide & betting tips
| Crewe Alexandra | vs | Aston Villa U21 |
|---|---|---|
DDDDD |
Form | WLDD |
| 5 | Points | 5 |
| 16th | Form Table | N/A |
| 5 | Goals For | 7 |
| 5 | Goals Against | 8 |
DDDDD |
Form (All Comps) | LLDWD |
Whispers predicts: Crewe Alexandra 1-1 Aston Villa U21 (Crewe Win on Penalties)
The bookmakers view Crewe as overwhelming favourites at 9/20 (1.45), but a draw should not be discounted at 7/2 (4.5) after 90 minutes.
Both teams have scored in each of Crewe's last four games, and that could make Both Teams to Score at 8/15 (1.53) a strong starting bet.
The visitors have scored first in two of their last four games against English opposition, so it may be sensible to predict Aston Villa to Score First at 9/5 (2.8).
All three of Crewe's past three matches have ended 1-1, so perhaps predicting Correct Score: 1-1 at 15/2 (8.5) could be the way to go.
> Both Teams to Score at 8/15 (1.53) | Likelihood: Likely
> Aston Villa to Score First at 9/5 (2.8)| Likelihood: Possible
> Correct Score: 1-1 at 15/2 (8.5) | Likelihood: Outsider