Following the conclusion of the Checkatrade Trophy Round Three matches, the quarter-final draw will be taking place live on Sky Sports’ evening review show, EFL Matters on Thursday 11th January.
Broadcast live from 7pm on the Sky Sports Football channel, the programme will be hosted by David Prutton, alongside guests Gregor Robertson and Garry Birtles.
As the competition reaches its latter stages, EFL caught up with Prutton and Robertson, who won the competition twice in his playing days, to get their predictions ahead of the Round Three ties.
David Prutton
Bury 0-2 Fleetwood Town
I’ve got to go with Fleetwood. They’re coming into the game off the back of a very good draw against Leicester City in the FA Cup, and I think they’ll win this one.
Oldham Athletic 1-0 Leicester City U21
While Leicester City are embracing competition and getting their youngsters to play competitively in the Checkatrade Trophy, I think experience will favour the youngsters in this one, so an Oldham win.
Charlton Athletic 2-1 Oxford United
I can’t look past a Charlton win in this one. I think the job that Karl Robinson is doing and continues to do considering the last few years is really good.
Luton Town 2-2 Peterborough United (Luton to win on penalties)
This is quite a juicy tie. With how well Luton are doing this season in terms of their goalscoring form and with Peterborough’s wonderful result at the weekend against Aston Villa, it makes it a really close match.
Portsmouth 1-0 Chelsea U21
It’ll be a good test for Chelsea’s U21s to go to Pompey and play at Fratton Park. Paul Cook and the way he’s got Pompey playing, he’s the kind of man who would make sure they really got stuck into Chelsea to show how good they are.
Rochdale 1-0 Lincoln City
I think this will be a really close one, with Lincoln doing well in League Two but Rochdale being a league above them, I think the home side will just sneak it.
Yeovil Town 1-1 Forest Green Rovers (Forest Green to win on penalties)
This is a tough one with them both struggling a little bit in League Two, but I think it’ll finish as a draw and go to penalties.
Shrewsbury Town 2-0 Blackpool
Shrewsbury are absolutely flying and doing wonderfully well under Paul Hurst, and even though Blackpool are also doing well since promotion last season, I think Shrewsbury will be up for it as they are any game.
Gregor Robertson
Bury 1-3 Fleetwood Town
Bury have recently had a change of manager and I don’t think he’s had enough time to have an effect on the team as yet. I think Fleetwood will be too strong for them with Uwe Rosler and how they are capable of playing.
Oldham Athletic 2-0 Leicester City U21
Oldham haven’t been on the best run but sometimes these cup competitions can be a good distraction for teams who have struggled, and I think they’ll make it through.
Charlton Athletic 2-1 Oxford United
I think Charlton will be too strong for Oxford at The Valley. Obviously they’re pretty close in the League One table but Charlton have got some good firepower and I think they’ll just sneak it.
Luton Town 3-2 Peterborough United
Automatically with this fixture you think ‘goals’, especially with Luton’s form and I think Luton will sneak a win in this one and cause a little bit of an upset.
I think they’re the best team in League Two, not just because they’re scoring lots of goals – the football they play is the best.
Portsmouth 1-2 Chelsea U21
For me, Chelsea will be the last remaining academy team, so I think they’ll make it through to the quarter-finals. They have scored quite a few goals in the competition so far, beating MK Dons 4-0 in the last round.
As a club they’re renowned for having good, young talent and I think it’ll be a really good test for Portsmouth.
Rochdale 0-1 Lincoln City
Knowing Danny Cowley, he prepares for every single game and will be up for it, no matter the competition.
They had an amazing run in the FA Cup last season, got to the semi-final of the FA Trophy and there’s been a lot of talk about them wanting to go to Wembley and this is the perfect opportunity for them.
As a team they’re really, really improving as the season goes on and they’re flying high.
Yeovil Town 0-1 Forest Green Rovers
I think Forest Green will come good in this second half of the season, they’ve already signed three players and I think this competition could revitalise their season.
They’re another team where a cup distraction could be a welcome one and help them kick on the rest of the season.
Shrewsbury Town 3-1 Blackpool
I played for Paul Hurst at Grimsby Town and I know what he’s like, he’s similar to Danny Cowley in terms of the way he approaches every game.
Even though they’ve made changes to the side in cup competitions previously, they’ve still come out with results and put out a strong side.
They really have been the story of the season in the EFL so far I think so I can’t look past them for reaching the quarter-finals.