Peterborough United vs Barnsley prediction, preview & betting tips – 15/09/2026

League One sides Peterborough United and Barnsley will do battle at the Weston Homes Stadium on Tuesday in the third round of the EFL Cup.

Both teams have navigated through two rounds to reach this stage, with the hosts now winless in four matches since and the visitors having suffered back-to-back defeats.

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.

Peterborough United vs. Barnsley key stats

• Peterborough United have scored the fewest goals in League One so far this season (4).
• Peterborough United are winless in four matches since a 5-1 victory away at second-tier Watford in the previous round.
• Barnsley have conceded 12 goals in their last five matches in all competitions.
• Barnsley are unbeaten in the last six H2Hs, while winning four of those.

Peterborough United vs. Barnsley preview: Who can bounce back from League One slump to advance?

Peterborough United return to action on Tuesday aiming to end a four-match winless streak and progress further into the EFL Cup.

Their run to the third round has come through ties against Bristol Rovers, who the Posh beat 1-0, and Watford away from home, with Luke Williams recording a statement 5-1 triumph at Vicarage Road thanks to Harry Leonard's brace, goals from Bolu Shofowoke and Harrison Jones and an own goal.

That has come alongside a tough start to the League One term, though, with Williams's side currently sat 21st in the third tier with five points on the board from six games, scoring a league-low tally of four goals in those matches while conceding 10.

The Posh are winless in four outings since their last cup win, going on to lose away at Blackpool and Sheffield Wednesday either side of a draw, before they visited MK Dons on Saturday and drew 1-1 thanks to Chris Conn-Clarke's leveller five minutes from time.

Now hoping to build on that comeback draw and progress, but still badly hit by injuries with Rio Adebisi, Sam Hughes, Tom O'Connor, Carl Johnston, Matthew Garbett and Declan Frith still sidelined, Peterborough United will look to come out on top on home turf to advance to the EFL Cup fourth round for the first time since 2009-10.

Their visitors will also set out to bounce back from a difficult run of league results and extend their own cup run to the fourth round.

Barnsley's first EFL Cup campaign back under returning manager Daniel Stendel began at home to Wigan Athletic in August, with the Yorkshire outfit progressing through a penalty shootout following a draw, before they hosted Crewe Alexandra and won 3-2 with Reyes Cleary, Tyrese Noslin and Corey O'Keeffe on the scoresheet.

The Reds built on that win consecutive league wins over Leyton Orient and Blackpool, but they have since suffered a pair of losses to leave them 18th on seven points from six matches, having only scored six goals while conceding 11 – the fourth most in the division.

Eight of those goals have come in the last two outings, losing 5-1 at home to Stevenage before a trip to Plymouth Argyle ended in a 3-0 beating at the weekend having trailed from the first minute.

Left wounded by their last two displays and results, and with first-choice goalkeeper Cieran Slicker still sidelined alongside midfielder Vimal Yoganathan, Barnsley will hope to tighten up and bounce back with an away win to progress on Tuesday.

Peterborough United vs. Barnsley form guide & betting tips

Whispers predicts: Peterborough United 3-2 Barnsley

Both teams have struggled defensively so far this season, with Peterborough allowing 10 goals in six league matches and Barnsley having let 11 in in the third tier and three in two EFL Cup games against third and fourth-tier opposition. We do not see either having enough to see out a clean sheet, particularly with the hosts' injury troubles, and tip Both Teams to Score at 4/6 (1.67).

While Peterborough United are certainly yet to hit their groove this season, they do have a good chance to find a victory against a Barnsley side wounded by consecutive heavy defeats including in a gruelling trip to Plymouth on Saturday. We fancy Peterborough United to win in 90 minutes at 6/5 (2.20).

Harry Leonard is undoubtedly the star man in Peterborough's attack, having scored four goals this season after netting 16 in League One last time around. He should continue up front after starting in the prior round against Watford and scoring twice and is priced at 5/1 (6.00) to score first.

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