In the second round of the EFL Cup, League One side MK Dons will travel to Vicarage Road on Tuesday for a date with Watford, with kickoff at 9:45 pm.
Watford started the season fairly well, sitting second in the Championship table with nine points. Their manager, Rob Edwards, seems to have instilled a lot of confidence in the team after they were relegated from the Premier League last season.
Watford allowed the third most goals (77) in league play last year but have been more stingy against lower-tier sides this term, conceding only twice so far this season – tied for second fewest in the Championship.
The Hornets have not lost at this competition stage since losing 3-2 to Bristol City at Vicarage Road in 2017-18.
MK Dons were promoted to League One after finishing second in League Two last season. However, they have struggled to replicate that form in the third tier and currently sit third from the bottom with only four points from their opening seven games.
All four of MK Dons’ points domestically this season have come at Stadium MK, and they haven’t kept a clean sheet anywhere else. In his first season managing a senior English side, Liam Manning was named EFL League One Manager of the Month for September 2021 after only 11 games.
Watford vs. MK Dons Head to Head
Both sides are yet to compete against each other, which marks their first encounter. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- Preston North End 0-0 Watford
- Birmingham City 1-1 Watford
- Watford 1-0 Burnley
- West Brom 1-1 Watford
Away
- MK Dons 1-1 Accrington Stanley
- MK Dons 2-1 Port Vale
- Ipswich Town 3-0 MK Dons
- MK Dons 1-0 Sutton United
Watford Team News
Goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann has three clean sheets in the first five games for Watford in the Championship, putting him in a tie for second in the league alongside Cardiff City’s Ryan Allsop. Ken Sema leads this team with two assists, followed by Tom Cleverley, Ismaila Sarr, Rey Manaj, and Joao Pedro with one assist each.
MK Dons Team News
Jamie Cumming made four saves to record a shutout against Sutton United, while Conor Grant scored the lone goal with Dawson Devoy assisting. Manning made two changes to his starting 11 this weekend, bringing in Daniel Oyegoke and Grant to replace Louie Barry and Matt Smith.
Prediction and Odds
We think the Dons will have difficulty scoring against the Hornets, who have shown tremendous poise and continuity on the defensive side this season.
- Correct Score: 2-0
- No Score: Away
- Goals Under 2.5
