Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the EFL Cup match.
Brighton
Last Saturday, Brighton defeated Manchester United at home (2:1). The winning goal by João Pedro came in the 95th minute, which was well-deserved as they created 2.34 xG for the match. It's worth noting that there wasn’t absolutely anyone next to the Brazilian striker — no one interfered with him. What can be expected from a League One defence then? The team's stars will likely be rested, but even the substitutes will be significantly stronger than Crawley Town's experienced players.
Crawley Town
The team comfortably overcame the first round of the Cup, but their opponents were a League Two side, Swindon Town. In their main competition, League One, Crawley Town have been performing decently. They recorded two wins early on, with their only recent loss being away to Wigan Athletic (0:1). So far, they haven't conceded more than one goal per game, but their upcoming opponent is in a completely different league. Even if they field a mixed or second-string lineup, the quality gap will be substantial.
Brighton - Crawley Town Prediction
The teams are currently on different levels, and even with squad rotation, Brighton should face no problems. Crawley Town are not in a position to challenge a Premier League club.
