Football Bet of the Day: Mansfield can bully Newcastle’s kids

We’ve got a few different games taking place across the world on Wednesday night as club football takes hold once again following the international break. 

For Wednesday’s Football Bet of the Day, I’ve taken a look at the EFL Trophy for some value.

Mansfield Town vs Newcastle U21 Odds

If you’ve read my EFL Trophy previews before, you’ll know that I’m usually incredibly dismissive of the Premier League U21 sides taking part in the competition. I think it would be a far better use of everybody’s time, if they scrapped the youngsters, and instead invited the National League clubs to partake in this tournament. 

Mansfield Town are the heavy 1/4 favourites to win this game, and rightly so. They have had a decent start to the League 1 season, and currently sit 11th in the third tier. One win in their last five in the league is slightly disappointing for Nigel Clough, but they finished 17th last term in their first season back at this level and look set to build on that. 

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Meanwhile, Newcastle United U21 have only played once during this tournament so far, conceding six goals against Huddersfield Town in a 6-2 defeat. Along with Everton, Manchester United, Leeds United, Liverpool, Fulham, Aston Villa, and Chelsea’s U21 teams in the EFL Trophy - they sit pointless.

See a common pattern here? The U21 teams are not good enough to compete with senior teams - even if they are rotated heavily. The physicality is too much and it’s not a level playing field most of the time. Even Manchester City’s fancied academy side were battered 3-0 by Bolton Wanderers in their last outing. 

These games usually deliver goals however, given the relaxed nature of the competition at this stage and the fact Mansfield are set to rotate their goalkeeper and several others. Spurs got hammered 6-2 by Huddersfield and although I expect them to be able to find the net as many of these Premier League U21 teams can - I think they will be exposed defensively once again. 

Mansfield have done well so far this term and should have no problem easing past the youngsters in an entertaining clash. 

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