Walsall vs Stevenage - EFL Trophy

Few would have predicted the narrative arc that brings Walsall and Stevenage together at the home ground on September 22, 2026, and the underdog storyline only adds to the EFL Trophy occasion. Manchester City face the K-League All-Stars in Seoul as part of their pre-season tour of Asia.

There is plenty riding on this EFL Trophy encounter for Walsall and Stevenage alike, and neither will want to leave the home ground empty-handed. Walsall will be keen to seize the initiative and build some momentum on home soil. The visitors will back themselves to cause problems and will not make the trip expecting an easy afternoon. During his 22 matches in charge, Oxford actually ranked as high as 14th in the table.

The tactical battle could prove decisive. Walsall may lean on their home advantage to dictate the tempo, but Stevenage have shown they can be dangerous when allowed to play on their own terms. Schalke were third bottom for possession in winning the second tier, let alone facing Bayern.

The fixture is likely to be shaped by its key performers, with creative midfielders and clinical finishers on both sides capable of turning the game in an instant. Discipline at the back and sharpness in front of goal will likely tilt the balance one way or the other. Leeds are also looking to bring in another striker to provide cover for Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha, who both have patchy injury records.

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. The signals point towards a stalemate, with the two sides closely matched across form and standings. A 1-1 draw is easy to envisage. With positions in the EFL Trophy table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. The club are understood to favour a profile closer to Aurelien Tchouameni or a Premier League‑proven alternative rather than Manu Kone.