Gillingham vs Brighton U21 - EFL Trophy

The history between Gillingham and Brighton U21 lends this EFL Trophy fixture an extra layer of spice, and when the two walk out at the home ground on October 13, 2026, recent encounters will be on everyone's mind. Real Madrid vs Fiorentina: Line-ups, stats and preview for pre-season clash.

The two sides arrive with plenty to prove, and the EFL Trophy contest at the home ground offers a chance to lay down a marker. The hosts will be looking to find their rhythm and put a run of results together. Brighton U21 will travel with intent, knowing that a positive result here could kick-start their campaign. If the recent winter window is anything to go off, meanwhile, United are once again unlikely to spend big for reinforcement half-way through the season.

Tactically, the contest promises a fascinating contrast. Gillingham will look to impose their style on home soil, while Brighton U21 are likely to have ideas of their own about how to gain the upper hand. They were slightly found out against Amorim's Milan in pre-season, with the press not quite sharp enough - the fourth goal, in particular, came from just one ball over a high-lined defence.

Game-changers are scattered across both line-ups, and the contest may well be decided by which side's match-winners deliver on the day. The battle in midfield, where both sides look to control tempo, could prove the decisive arena. Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has thanked AS Monaco after his contract was terminated by the club.

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. With the sides so closely matched, a 1-1 stalemate looks the most likely way this one ends. With positions in the EFL Trophy table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. It is understood that his next move is most likely to take him abroad - and potentially to the Premier League.