Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the EFL Cup match.
In their last Premier League outing, Manchester United comfortably dispatched bottom-placed Southampton 3:0, and now they face an even more straightforward challenge against League One side Barnsley. Will it be a guaranteed rout or a hard-fought victory?
Manchester United
In their last two matches, Manchester United have been involved in blowout games—suffering a 0:3 defeat to Liverpool and then dominating Southampton. In 13 of their last 20 official matches, the team has seen at least three goals scored, with four or more in nine of those games. The defence has been leaky, keeping a clean sheet in only four of those 20 matches.
Barnsley
Barnsley's players have been trying to keep pace with their more prestigious counterparts. In the 2024/25 season, they have played nine matches across all competitions, scoring three or more goals in seven of them. Recently, they conceded three goals to Stevenage and previously netted three unanswered against Crawley Town, both times away. Against Manchester United, they are more likely to face the former scenario. Interestingly, on August 20, Barnsley played Manchester United U21 in the EFL Trophy, which also saw a high goal count: the team’s youth squad won 3-2.
Manchester United vs Barnsley Prediction
Both clubs have the ability to delight or disappoint their fans with a flurry of goals, depending on which net is bulging. We believe they will once again produce at least three goals between them, with the home crowd at Old Trafford likely to be the ones celebrating.
