Watford vs Peterborough United - prediction, team news, lineups

Championship broadside Watford volition invited third-tier Peterborough United to Vicarage Road for Tuesday’s EFL Cup second-round tie. 

The contention represents the archetypal gathering betwixt the 2 sides since Posh prevailed 3-2 successful a Championship brushwood successful April 2013.

Match preview

Watford boss Alessio Dionisi has made a affirmative commencement to his tenure, having recorded 2 location victories and an distant gully successful his opening 3 matches.

Dionisi started retired with a constrictive 1-0 triumph implicit League Two Crawley Town earlier his broadside kicked disconnected the Championship play with a 2-1 triumph implicit Southampton.

The Hornets had to beryllium contented with a stock of the spoils successful Saturday's distant clash against Wrexham, aft Luca Kjerrumgaard's aboriginal opener was cancelled retired by Danny Imray's first-half equaliser in a 1-1 draw. 

Watford volition look to widen their unbeaten commencement to 4 matches successful their 3rd EFL Cup second-round quality successful 5 years. 

The Hornets prevailed successful their astir caller round-two necktie successful 2024-25, erstwhile they bushed Plymouth Argyle 2-0 earlier losing to Manchester City successful the 3rd round.

Watford person avoided decision successful their erstwhile 3 meetings with Peterborough successful large cupful competitions, prevailing successful an FA Cup first-round necktie successful November 1963, 7 years earlier they won 2-0 successful the lone erstwhile EFL Cup clash betwixt the 2 sides. 

Peterborough, meanwhile, volition beryllium contented with their commencement to the caller season, signaling 2 victories successful their archetypal 3 competitory outings.

Posh started their run with a 1-0 distant triumph against League Two broadside Bristol Rovers successful the EFL Cup.

They were incapable to physique upon that affirmative effect successful their league opener, which saw them autumn to a disappointing 2-0 decision to Bradford City astatine Valley Parade. 

After kicking disconnected the run with back-to-back distant games, Peterborough looked acceptable to play retired a 1-1 draw against Mansfield Town successful their archetypal location outing until Harry Leonard netted a melodramatic 93rd-minute winner.

Luke Williams's broadside are preparing to caput backmost connected their travels for their adjacent 2 fixtures, including the club's archetypal quality successful the EFL Cup 2nd circular since beating Portsmouth connected penalties successful 2023-24.

Posh whitethorn person won their past gathering with Watford astatine the Weston Homes Stadium successful 2013, but they person mislaid connected their erstwhile 2 visits to Vicarage Road successful 2011 and 2012. 

Watford EFL Cup form:

Watford signifier (all competitions):

Peterborough United EFL Cup form:

Peterborough United signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Watford defender Marc Bola has been ruled retired until October aft helium sustained a hamstring wounded connected the opening play of the Championship season.

The Hornets are besides without the services of Jack Grieves, Jeremy Ngakia, Travis Akomeah and Kwadwo Baah owed to injury.

Right-back Omar Traore volition person to beryllium assessed aft being forced disconnected successful the closing stages of the archetypal play against Wrexham.

Meanwhile, Peterborough defender Sam Hughes precocious suffered a setback successful his betterment from a semipermanent wounded that has kept him retired since the summertime of 2025.

Rio Adebisi is continuing to enactment connected his rehabilitation from a semipermanent injury, portion Matthew Garbett remains sidelined with a hamstring problem.

David Okagbue could instrumentality to the starting lineup aft serving a one-match prohibition pursuing his dismissal connected the opening time of the League One season.

Watford imaginable starting lineup:

Bachmann; Eames, Keben, Pollock, Zemura; Kyprianou, Kayembe; Nabizada, Payero, Vata; Doumbia 

Peterborough United imaginable starting lineup:

Bass; Dornelly, Nevett, O'Connor, Mills; Conn-Clarke, Woods; Edwards, Jones, Williams; Leonard 

We say: Watford 3-1 Peterborough United

Watford are the favourites to advancement from this tie, and having some of their 2 location matches this season, we deliberation they marque afloat usage of location vantage to unafraid a spot successful the EFL Cup 3rd round. 

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