Carlisle United vs Wigan Athletic Prediction 08.10.2024 | EFL Trophy

• Competition: EFL Trophy - Group A3
• Date: Tuesday, 8th, October 2024
• Kickoff: 19:00 UK / 20.00 CEST
• Venue: Brunton Park (Carlisle)

With both teams eager to shake off their underwhelming starts in the EFL Trophy, Carlisle United and Wigan Athletic will face off at Brunton Park this Tuesday.

Since this tournament has been held, Carlisle United have emerged victorious on two occasions, but their last success dates back to 2010-11 when they beat Brentford 1-0 in the decider. Since then, the Cumbrians have struggled to get anywhere near a return to the EFL Trophy final, and what makes it worse is that they have failed to progress past the group stage in seven of the last eight editions of the tournament. The start of the new campaign suggests that Williamson's squad appears unprepared to advance to the next phase, as they suffered a disappointing 1-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest Under-21s earlier in September.

As midweek hosts, Wigan Athletic have managed to clinch the Bristol Street Motors Trophy on two occasions, but both triumphs came in the late 20th century during the 1984-85 and 1988-99 campaigns. The Latics have occasionally shown a fondness for this tournament, as they reached the final four three years ago, only to suffer a heartbreak against Sutton Utd in a dramatic penalty shootout. When it comes to the new EFL Trophy season, Maloney's team faced a surprising 1-2 loss to the fourth-tier club Morecambe and they are determined to bounce back quickly and prove their worth in the tournament.

Carlisle United vs Wigan Athletic Betting Tips: WIGAN TO WIN

Even though they will enjoy the comforts of home, we believe that Carlisle United will remain the only team in Group A3 without points after the second day of the EFL Trophy, as Wigan boasts a stronger squad on paper and is expected to prove that on Tuesday. In the lead-up to the cup showdown, the Cumbrians are trapped in a downward spiral, having experienced losses in seven of their last nine competitive fixtures. 

What makes matters worse is that returning to their own Brunton Park home paints a grim picture, as fans are left in disbelief after overseeing their Carlisle side endure a shocking 13 losses in the last 15 home matches. In contrast to the midweek hosts, Wigan appear much more confident and assured as they enjoy a superb run of six straight games without defeat and conceding a goal, and this rise in form has come immediately after a 1-2 loss to Morecambe in the opening EFL Trophy match on September 3. Based on our observations, we conclude that the Latics currently possess all the tools necessary to capitalize on Carlisle's chaotic form and earn their first points of the tournament with a commanding performance.