The 2026/27 Carabao Cup continues on Wednesday, August 26, with four second-round fixtures as clubs battle for a place in the third round.
The Wednesday schedule features Bradford City vs Burnley, Newcastle United vs West Bromwich Albion, Tottenham Hotspur vs Charlton Athletic and Preston North End vs Everton. The first three are scheduled for 7:45pm BST, while Preston vs Everton starts at 8:00pm BST.
With the third-round draw taking place after the Preston-Everton tie, these matches carry plenty of importance for the teams involved.
Below are our Carabao Cup predictions, followed by match-by-match analysis and the key factors behind each selection.
Carabao Cup Predictions for Wednesday 26 August
| Match | Prediction | Goals | Correct Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradford City vs Burnley | Burnley Win | Over 1.5 | 0-2 |
| Newcastle United vs West Brom | Newcastle Win | Over 1.5 | 2-0 |
| Tottenham vs Charlton | Tottenham Win | Over 2.5 | 3-0 |
| Preston North End vs Everton | Everton Win | Under 3.5 | 0-1 |
Click here to explore more with our free daily football prediction tips and Half Time Full Time predictions for broader match forecasts
Important: These are analytical forecasts, not guaranteed results. Final team news and confirmed lineups should be checked before kickoff.
Bradford City vs Burnley Predictions
Prediction: Burnley to Win
Correct Score: Bradford City 0-2 Burnley
Click here to explore more with on our Correct Score Predictions Tips Today and broader match forecasts
Burnley are the stronger side on paper and should have the greater individual quality, although cup matches can become complicated when the higher-ranked team rotates its squad.
Bradford’s biggest opportunity is to make the match uncomfortable, defend compactly and force Burnley to break them down.
The key question is whether Bradford can maintain that defensive discipline for 90 minutes.
Best angle
Burnley to win
A more conservative goals approach could be Over 1.5 match goals, rather than relying on a very high-scoring game.
Newcastle United vs West Brom Predictions
Prediction: Newcastle United to Win
Correct Score: Newcastle United 2-0 West Brom
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Newcastle have home advantage and should be expected to control more of the match against West Brom.
Cup rotation introduces uncertainty, but Newcastle’s squad depth gives them an important advantage.
If Newcastle establish territorial control early, West Brom could spend long periods defending without creating enough opportunities to threaten the home side.
Best angle
Newcastle United to win
The 2-0 scoreline is a prediction rather than a certainty, with team selection potentially influencing the final outcome.
Tottenham vs Charlton Predictions
Prediction: Tottenham to Win
Correct Score: Tottenham 3-0 Charlton
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Tottenham enter the competition at a higher level than Charlton and should have considerably more attacking quality.
However, cup matches involving a Premier League side and a lower-division opponent can be influenced heavily by rotation.
The most important factor will therefore be the strength of Tottenham’s starting lineup and how seriously they approach the opening stages.
If Tottenham move the ball quickly and create an early advantage, the game could become difficult for Charlton to recover.
Best angle
Tottenham to win
For a goals-based selection, Over 2.5 goals is another option to consider.
Preston North End vs Everton Predictions
Prediction: Everton to Win
Correct Score: Preston North End 0-1 Everton
Click here to explore more with on our Correct Score Predictions Tips Today and broader match forecasts
This is arguably one of the more interesting fixtures of Wednesday’s round.
Everton have the stronger top-level experience, but Preston have home advantage and will see the Carabao Cup as an opportunity to compete against Premier League opposition.
That makes this a potentially tighter match than the difference in league status might suggest.
A narrow Everton victory is therefore preferred rather than predicting a comfortable away win.
Best angle
Everton to qualify/win
A lower-scoring match is also plausible, making Under 3.5 goals an alternative consideration.
Best Carabao Cup Predictions Wednesday
If you are looking for the strongest selections from Wednesday’s four matches, our shortlist is:
1. Tottenham to beat Charlton
The difference in squad quality makes Tottenham the obvious favourite, although rotation remains a consideration.
2. Newcastle to beat West Brom
Home advantage combined with Newcastle’s squad quality gives the hosts the edge.
3. Burnley to beat Bradford
Burnley should have enough quality to overcome the challenge if they approach the game seriously.
4. Everton to beat Preston
This is the closest of the four matches, so confidence should be lower than in the Tottenham selection.
Carabao Cup Accumulator Considerations
A four-match accumulator could include:
Burnley Win + Newcastle Win + Tottenham Win + Everton Win
However, combining several selections increases the risk because every individual selection must be correct.
For that reason, a smaller combination can sometimes make more sense than attempting to include every available match.
Our predictions should be treated as analysis rather than guaranteed accumulator winners.
Carabao Cup Over/Under Goals Predictions
Goals markets can provide an alternative to simply predicting the winner.
Our preferred considerations include:
| Match | Goals Prediction |
|---|---|
| Bradford vs Burnley | Over 1.5 |
| Newcastle vs West Brom | Over 1.5 |
| Tottenham vs Charlton | Over 2.5 |
| Preston vs Everton | Under 3.5 |
For daily football analysis and broader match forecasts, continue exploring FullTimePredict’s football prediction coverage and our accurate football predictions.
The reasoning differs from match to match, which is why blindly selecting the same goals market across every fixture is not advisable.
How We Analyse Carabao Cup Matches
Cup football requires slightly different analysis from a normal league fixture.
Squad Rotation
Premier League clubs may rotate players, particularly when balancing domestic and European commitments.
This can affect:
- attacking quality
- defensive stability
- midfield control
- overall match intensity
Home Advantage
Lower-ranked teams can become difficult opponents at home.
The atmosphere and motivation can help create a closer contest than league rankings suggest.
Motivation
Every team has a different reason for taking the competition seriously.
Some managers may see the Carabao Cup as an opportunity to give squad players minutes, while others may want to progress as far as possible.
Recent Form
League form remains relevant, but it should not be the only factor.
Cup football can produce different tactical approaches and lineups.
Confirmed Team News
Always check the confirmed lineups before kickoff.
A prediction made before major team news can become less attractive if several important players are rested or unavailable.
What Happens After the Second Round?
The Carabao Cup third-round draw takes place on Wednesday night after the Preston North End vs Everton match.
The third round introduces the nine Premier League clubs competing in UEFA competitions, including Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool.
The third-round matches are scheduled across the weeks beginning September 7 and September 14.
That creates another potential content opportunity for FullTimePredict:
Carabao Cup Third Round Draw Predictions
once the draw is confirmed.
Are Carabao Cup Predictions Guaranteed?
No.
No football prediction can guarantee the final result of a match.
Cup football can be particularly unpredictable because of:
- squad rotation
- penalties
- red cards
- injuries
- tactical changes
- individual mistakes
- extra-time situations
- unexpected performances
Our Carabao Cup tips are therefore probability-based forecasts rather than guaranteed outcomes.
Final Thoughts
Wednesday’s Carabao Cup schedule provides four different types of prediction challenges.
Tottenham and Newcastle have the strongest-looking home advantages, while Burnley should have enough quality to overcome Bradford. Preston vs Everton appears more difficult to call, making a narrow away victory the preferred forecast.
The most important consideration before finalising any prediction is team news and the confirmed lineup.
The Carabao Cup is a knockout competition, so there is always additional uncertainty compared with a normal league fixture.
Use the predictions as part of your own match research rather than treating any selection as certain.
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