AFC Wimbledon vs Newport County - prediction, team news, lineups

AFC Wimbledon commence their 2026-27 run with a showdown against Newport County successful the EFL Cup archetypal round.

While the Dons narrowly avoided relegation to League Two past season, the visitors to Plough Lane pulled disconnected a large flight to stay astatine the 4th tier of English football.

Match preview

Although staying successful the 3rd tier tin beryllium viewed arsenic a affirmative for AFC Wimbledon, Johnnie Jackson's broadside ended 2025-26 connected a dismal tally of form.

Nine defeats were posted successful their last 11 games, it taking a 1-0 triumph astatine Wigan Athletic successful their penultimate fixture to get implicit the line.

Jackson has remained astatine the helm, moving into a 5th twelvemonth successful complaint of AFC Wimbledon, but helium is nether unit to present during the opening weeks of the season.

Six signings person been made truthful far, with Steven Sessegnon and Zack Nelson - who was connected indebtedness astatine the Dons from Luton Town earlier successful 2026 - are coagulated additions for this level of football.

Despite defeat to Queens Park Rangers successful their past pre-season outing, AFC Wimbledon bushed the likes of Coventry City and Charlton Athletic crossed their summertime schedule.

For ample parts of past season, Newport appeared destined for relegation to the National League, but the assignment of rookie manager Christian Fuchs yet paid off.

While the Leicester City fable lone delivered 9 wins from 31 games, Newport won 4 of their last 7 games to decorativeness the run 4 points supra the bottommost two.

Hayden Mullins has since taken complaint having spent 3 years with Fulham Under-21s, and helium volition beryllium backed to present a much-improved season.

Eight signings person been made, including Newport-born Christian Doidge who has arrived from Forest Green Rovers.

Newport ended their pre-season docket with a feisty 4-1 decision to Roma connected Tuesday night.

AFC Wimbledon signifier (friendlies):

L W D W L L

Newport County signifier (friendlies):

L D D L W L

Team News

With the players that started the past affable against QPR getting astatine slightest 69 minutes, the presumption is that Jackson volition prime a akin AFC Wimbledon XI.

That would spot Dan Sweeney, James Tilley and Nelson each provided with contiguous competitory debuts for the Dons.

Despite decision to Roma, Newport enactment successful a spirited performance, and Mullins could supply the aforesaid players with different accidental to impress.

Cameron Norman, Harrison Biggins, Yahya Bamba, Shaquile Gwengwe and Doidge whitethorn each marque debuts.

Tom Davies could instrumentality astatine left-back aft a trialist started the fixture against the Serie A giants.

AFC Wimbledon imaginable starting lineup:

McDonnell; Seddon, Johnson, Tilley, Nelson, Browne, Smith, Hippolyte, Sweeney, Sasu, Ogundere

Newport County imaginable starting lineup:

Wright; Norman, Jenkins, Cameron, Davies, Smith, Brennan, Biggins, Bamba, Doidge, Gwengwe

We say: AFC Wimbledon 2-1 Newport County

With Newport having a caller manager successful charge, it remains to beryllium seen however they volition fare. Although we expect them to beryllium competitory successful this contest, AFC Wimbledon get the motion with america successful a hard-fought tussle.

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