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Fleetwood Town will welcome a Sheffield United side sat two divisions higher in the English pyramid to Highbury Stadium on Wednesday for an EFL Cup third-round tie with a round-of-16 spot on the line.
The fourth-tier hosts have beaten Chesterfield and Shrewsbury Town in home ties and will look to take the scalp of the second-tier visitors who got past Mansfield Town and Blackburn Rovers in the first two rounds and lost to Wolves on Sunday.
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.
Fleetwood Town vs Sheffield United key stats
- Fleetwood Town are unbeaten in 13 competitive matches dating back to April.
- Fleetwood Town have never gone further than the third round in the EFL Cup.
- Sheffield United have not kept a clean sheet in their last six matches.
- Sheffield United last progressed past the EFL Cup third round in 2014-15 – when they reached the semi-finals.
Fleetwood Town vs Sheffield United preview: Can Fleetwood shock the Blades and reach the last 16?
Fleetwood Town vs Sheffield United — Tale of the Tape
| Fleetwood Town | vs | Sheffield United |
|---|---|---|
| 7th (League Two) | Position | 14th (Championship) |
| 10 | Points | 9 |
| 7 | Goals For | 8 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 9 |
| 3 | Clean Sheets | 2 |
| 14th | Home / Away Rank | 9th |
Fleetwood Town will aim to continue an unbeaten start to the 2026-27 season on Wednesday and advance to the EFL Cup round of 16 with a statement win.
In eight competitive matches this term, the Cod Army have won four and drawn four, scoring 12 goals along the way and only conceding four having kept five clean sheets.
Two of those came in the first two rounds of the EFL Cup, as Matt Lawlor's side beat Chesterfield 1-0 and Shrewsbury Town 4-0 to reach the third round for the third time in their history.
Since that latest cup win, they have managed three draws and a victory in League Two, most recently following up a 2-0 win over Shrewsbury with a 1-1 draw against Newport County at the weekend to sit seventh, having contended with the recent absences of midfielders Andy Cannon and Kane Thompson-Sommers.
Fleetwood Town now face their biggest challenge yet with the aim of beating second-tier opposition and continuing their cup run into the final 16.
Their opponents are competing in the third round for the first time since 2021, having last got past this stage in a run to the semi-finals in 2014-15, when they suffered a 3-2 loss to Tottenham Hotspur over two legs.
Sheffield United's EFL Cup campaign began with a 3-0 away victory over Mansfield Town, before they visited second-tier Blackburn Rovers in the second round and won 2-1 through Tom Cannon and Romelle Donovan.
Those results have come alongside a mixed start to the Blades' Championship term, currently sitting 14th with nine points on the board from their seven outings, having won two and lost two of those.
Following a midweek victory in another trip to Blackburn, Chris Wilder's men most recently hosted Wolves on Sunday and fell just short, as the game remained goalless until Raul Jimenez snatched all three points for the visitors in injury time.
Turning their focus back to the EFL Cup with the hopes of reaching the round of 16, and still facing injury issues with Harrison Burrows, Femi Seriki, Tahith Chong and Ryan One not fit to feature, Sheffield United head to Highbury Stadium looking to avoid an upset.
Fleetwood Town vs Sheffield United form guide & betting tips
| Fleetwood Town | vs | Sheffield United |
|---|---|---|
WDDWD |
Form | DWLWL |
| 10 | Goals For | 8 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 9 |
WW |
EFL Cup | WW |
Whispers predicts: Fleetwood Town 1-2 Sheffield United
While Sheffield United arrive on England's west coast as clear favourites, they are far from guaranteed a comfortable triumph, with the hosts having scored five times in their two cup ties and only having been shut out in one of their eight competitive matches this term, while the visitors have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last six games and may rotate in the midst of a busy Championship schedule. We fancy Both Teams to Score at 7/10 (1.70).
In three away league matches this season, Sheffield United have conceded 26 corners, while Fleetwood Town have won 20 in three home League Two games and should have the confidence to attack their second-tier visitors, who are also bound to cause problems with their quality at the top end of the pitch. Over 9.5 total corners is priced at 10/11 (1.91).
After Championship fixtures on Tuesday and Sunday, and with a trip to Stoke City looming on Saturday, Wilder should shuffle his Sheffield United pack, and Tom Cannon is one of those likely to come back in from the start after a substitute appearance at the weekend. He has scored three goals so far this season and may act as the Blades' focal point, being priced at 5/4 (2.25) to score anytime.
> Both Teams to Score at 7/10 (1.70) | Likelihood: Probable
> Over 9.5 corners at 10/11 (1.91) | Likelihood: Probable
> Tom Cannon to score anytime at 5/4 (2.25) | Likelihood: Possible