Reigning EFL Trophy champions Bolton Wanderers begin the defence of their title when they host League Two outfit Salford City in their opening Northern Section Group E match on Tuesday.
The Trotters thumped Plymouth Argyle 4-0 in last year's showpiece event, while Salford have already experienced their own dose of knockout joy this year, beating Preston North End and Leeds United in the EFL Cup second round.
Match preview
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While Bolton may no longer be making waves in European football as they did 15 years ago, the Trotters added another piece of silverware to their cabinet for the first time since 1989 last term, putting four unanswered goals past Plymouth in front of a 79,000-strong Wembley crowd.
However, the Pilgrims left the EFL Trophy behind as they enjoy Championship football for the 2023-24 season, while Bolton were left to rue what could have been in the playoffs, suffering a 2-1 aggregate loss to Barnsley in the semi-finals after finishing fifth in the regular season.
The hosts' bid for redemption got off to the perfect start with successive wins over Lincoln City, Cheltenham Town and Fleetwood Town, but the end of August was a forgettable period for Ian Evatt's team, who were thumped 4-0 at home to Wigan Athletic and lost in the second round of the EFL Cup to Middlesbrough.
A new month brought new opportunities for Bolton, though, and they got back on track at the weekend with a 2-1 success over 10-man Derby County, cancelling out a Conor Hourihane penalty through Dion Charles's spot kick and a Tyrese Fornah own goal.
Before resuming League One duties away to Reading in two weeks time, the Trotters now become reacquainted with the EFL Trophy, where Stockport County and Manchester United's Under-21s will also endeavour to end Bolton's cup defence at the first hurdle in Group E.
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Similarly, Salford are no strangers to EFL Trophy supremacy either, having defeated then-holders Portsmouth on penalties to win the 2019-20 edition, although the final was held 11 months later than planned as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the sporting calendar.
Only two-and-a-half years on from that triumph behind closed doors, the League Two upstarts now have the opportunity to put the reigning champions to the sword again, and Neil Wood's side have already made waves in one EFL knockout tournament so far this term.
Still possessing their 12-yard know-how from their shootout versus Portsmouth in 2021, Salford have beaten Preston and Leeds on penalties to progress to the third round of the EFL Cup for the very first time, where their reward will be a home clash with newly-promoted Premier League side Burnley.
The visitors' cup success has come at a cost, though, as they have won just one of their last five League Two matches and succumbed to a Michael Mellon winner in a 1-0 loss to Morecambe at the weekend - salt was then rubbed into the wounds when Matty Lund saw red in added time.
Sitting 17th in the League Two table owing to their underwhelming start to proceedings, Salford now seek an injection of confidence in the EFL Trophy, where they got as far as the quarter-finals last year before being bested by Cheltenham Town.
Team News
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As international fixtures loom large, Bolton should only be without three players called up for their respective nations, as Charles and Josh Sheehan will represent Northern Ireland and Wales respectively, while Zac Ashworth will report for duty with the Welsh Under-21 team.
Charles and Sheehan were two of the Trotters' star performers at the weekend and will be a big miss for Evatt on Tuesday night, but the likes of Dan Nlundulu, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and 37-year-old Cameron Jerome could now earn opportunities up top.
Brentford loanee Paris Maghoma could potentially come in for Sheehan in the engine room, while centre-back George Johnston is on the long road to recovery from a knee operation and is unlikely to play again this season.
Meanwhile, Salford City's veteran centre-back Adrian Mariappa will not be at the visitors' disposal for the trip to the Toughsheet Community Stadium, as the 36-year-old prepares to turn out for Jamaica during the international hiatus.
Lund's sending-off against Morecambe also renders him unavailable for this one, while Wood's side welcomed Declan John on a six-month loan from Bolton in deadline day, but the defender cannot face his parent club.
Theo Vassell is the most likely candidate to fill in for Mariappa at the heart of the backline, while the creative Odin Bailey departed the club on loan for Stockport County during the last knockings of the window.
Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Baxter; Santos, Forrester, Toal; Thomason; Dacres-Cogley, Maghoma, Morley, Williams; Adeboyejo, Nlundulu
Salford City possible starting lineup:
Cairns; Olopade, Vassell, Tilt, Berkoe; McAleny, Watson, Ashley, McLennan; Hendry, Dackers
We say: Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Salford City
Salford have certainly proved that there are not to be taken lightly in knockout football this season, but a seven-game run without a clean sheet is an unwelcome statistic before a trip to the holders.
International call-ups will force Evatt into a few alterations, and Bolton may have lost their way a tad over the past couple of weeks, but they should still commence the defence of their title with a maximum.
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Top tip
Ben Knapton
