Bradford vs Wycombe Prediction: Hosts to set up Wembley date

Bradford will take on Wycombe in the second of this week's EFL Trophy semi-finals at the University of Bradford Stadium on Wednesday and the Bantams look primed to set up a trip to Wembley in April.

This may be League Two against League One, but fourth-tier Bradford are heading into the contest on a five-match unbeaten run across all competitions.

That sequence includes a three-match winning streak in League Two that has reignited the Bantams' hopes of mounting a play-off push, something that for much of the campaign has seemed unlikely.

Wycombe are 15th in League One, still with work to do as they sit just six points above the relegation zone, while they will make the trip north to West Yorkshire on the back of a defeat to Bolton and a goalless home draw with Oxford United.

Team News

The hosts’ biggest injury concern regards forward Jake Young, who missed Saturday's league win over Sutton with an ankle issue that is still being assessed.

On-loan Plymouth midfielder Tyreik Wright did return as a substitute in that game after four weeks out with a muscle strain and he is now pushing for a place in Graham Alexander's starting XI.

Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield has no fresh injury concerns to contend with, but after drawing a blank against Oxford, he could look to freshen up his attack with Richard Kone and Chem Campbell hoping for recalls, as is leading scorer Luke Leahy.

Match Odds

This looks set to be a tight contest, but it is no surprise to see third-tier Wycombe installed as the 11/8 favourites given they play in the division above their hosts. Bradford are 13/8, while the draw after 90 minutes is 23/10.

This will be the second time these two sides have met in cup competition this season, with Wycombe having claimed a 2-1 success at the University of Bradford Stadium in November's FA Cup first-round meeting.

A repeat of that scoreline for the visitors on Wednesday is available at 8/1.

Bradford to win @ 13/8

Wycombe may have already won at Bradford this season in the FA Cup, but this looks a much more settled Bantams side than the one that lost that first-round contest 2-1.

After an up and down start to his tenure at the University of Bradford Stadium following his appointment as manager over the autumn, Alexander appears to now have his side singing from the same hymn sheet.

A five-game unbeaten run that includes four wins and no goals conceded would certainly suggest that and Bradford can now go a step further by reaching a first EFL Trophy final.

Wycombe will not make life easy for the Bantams, but a two-game winless run has stunted their recent momentum and just four away wins from 16 League One matches this term further suggests the Chairboys are there for the taking.

Both teams to score - No @ EVS

Semi-final encounters can often prove tight and tense affairs and this may be no different, especially when you consider Bradford's recent defensive solidity.

The Bantams have kept five clean-sheets on the bounce and have not conceded since Dawson Devoy struck in the first half of Swindon's win over Alexander's men on January 27th.

Wycombe failed to score against Oxford last time out and they have also drawn a blank in four of their last eight away fixtures across all competitions.

Eight of Bradford's last nine matches have gone under 2.5 goals and all the signs appear to be pointing towards a low-scoring contest on Wednesday, where both teams finding the back of the net seems unlikely.