Rotherham vs Bradford - EFL Trophy

Season-defining implications hang over this EFL Trophy clash at the home ground, where Rotherham host Bradford on October 6, 2026 knowing the result could shape the run-in for both clubs. That coronation came from City's £116m summer signing Elliot Anderson - and has been hotly debated in the build-up to the Manchester derby Super Sunday showdown at Old Trafford, which you can watch live on Sky Sports.

There is little to choose between Rotherham and Bradford on paper, and the EFL Trophy encounter should reflect that balance. Rotherham will be keen to seize the initiative and build some momentum on home soil. Bradford's away form is hard to read, but they will arrive with the belief that they can trouble their hosts. During his 22 matches in charge, Oxford actually ranked as high as 14th in the table.

Set-piece efficiency could prove the difference on the night. Both Rotherham and Bradford have invested time in dead-ball situations this season, and a single corner or free-kick may settle it. His passing display at the World Cup was yet more evidence of his suitability for City and the possession-heavy style Maresca favours.

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 wide areas will be a key battleground, with full-backs and wingers on either side capable of swinging the contest one way or the other. You need to move forward if you want to play on the world stage." But a season with Jose Mourinho, an unbeaten league campaign no less, is hardly a waste.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. The signals point towards a stalemate, with the two sides closely matched across form and standings. A 1-1 draw is easy to envisage. More than just three points is on the line at the home ground — this is a fixture that could shape the narrative of both clubs' seasons. Harry Kane is the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or.