The 2018/2019 Carabao Cup gets underway this evening with 34 regionalised ties taking place across the country.
The winners of the ties have an opportunity to possibly meet one of the English Premier League sides who are not involved in European competition this season in the second round.
Ahead of the first round schedule, we take a look at the three ties where we feel that a shock is most likely to be produced.
Mansfield Town v Accrington Stanley
Given that there are currently just 16 places between these two clubs in the English Football League ladder, would it really be a major shock if Mansfield Town beat Accrington Stanley? No.
The Stags have an ambition to do what Stanley did last season themselves and win promotion to the third tier.
Mansfield Town boss David Flitcroft has recruited well over the summer and the benefits are already being seen at Field Mill with four points from their first two games. Tonight’s opponents Accrington Stanley’s main aim will be survival in Sky Bet League One and they could find The Stags difficult to beat.
The jury is out on new Ipswich Town manager Paul Hurst with a 1-0 defeat at Rotherham United and home draw with Blackburn Rovers so far this season. One point from an available six is not what the club wanted after former boss Mick McCarthy’s departure last season.
New Exeter City boss Matt Taylor has enjoyed a very different start with his club topping the Sky Bet League Two table after two matches. His side are playing some good football and can certainly push Ipswich Town all of the way in Devon.
The seasons of both of these sides are difficult to predict at this stage but I’m tipping Taylor to get the better of Hurst in the battle of two new managers.
Queens Park Rangers v Peterborough United
It has been an awful start to life in West London for new Queens Park Rangers manager Steve McClaren. The R’s have lost both matches in the Sky Bet Championship this season and given their points return of just 56 last term, the clubs’ fans could well be worried about their side’s prospects this season.
Tonight QPR host a Peterborough United side who have started the season brightly. Steve Evans’ sides are never easy to play against and The Posh will be purring after bagging four at Rochdale on Saturday.
This may just be the season which Peterborough United finally secure their return to the second tier and I fancy them to heap further misery on QPR this evening.
The draw for the second round of the Carabao Cup will take place around 7pm on Thursday evening.
