Forfar Athletic vs Dundee United II - Challenge Cup

Few would have predicted the narrative arc that brings Forfar Athletic and Dundee United II together at Station Park on September 26, 2026, and the underdog storyline only adds to the Challenge Cup occasion. He is expected to miss the Community Shield game against Arsenal and the opening Premier League fixture of the season as a result.

There is plenty riding on this Challenge Cup encounter for Forfar Athletic and Dundee United II alike, and neither will want to leave Station Park empty-handed. The hosts will be looking to find their rhythm and put a run of results together. The visitors will back themselves to cause problems and will not make the trip expecting an easy afternoon. Those who followed Morocco's recent World Cup campaign will recognise the name Ayyoub Bouaddi.

Pressing intensity will define the contest. Forfar Athletic will seek to win the ball high up the pitch and suffocate Dundee United II's build-up, while the visitors will aim to play through the pressure and exploit the spaces it leaves behind. Andoni Iraola could not have been clearer about how he plans to change Liverpool when speaking in his opening press conference.

When Taylor Hogarth is on the pitch — 0 goals to his name this term — moments of magic are never far away, and the Challenge Cup's top scorer will be central to how this one unfolds. Set-piece specialists and aerial threats on both sides mean dead-ball situations could carry outsized importance. Speaking to The United Stand, he claims Michael Carrick would potentially prefer a player like Aurelien Tchouameni over the Roma midfielder, or an alternative with Premier League experience.

Predictions are tricky when the sides are this evenly matched, and small margins — a moment of quality, a slice of luck — could decide it either way. A share of the spoils looks the most probable outcome, with neither side holding a decisive edge — a 1-1 draw feels like a fitting result. Whatever the outcome, the Challenge Cup fixture promises a meaningful contest with real implications for both clubs. The club are understood to favour a profile closer to Aurelien Tchouameni or a Premier League‑proven alternative rather than Manu Kone.