Brighton & Hove Albion are looking to repeat another resounding win against lower league opposition as they travel to the Oakwell Stadium to face a mostly in-form Barnsley. The Tykes will be looking to cause an upset in this exciting third round tie; the pressure will undoubtedly be on the Seagulls as they come off the back of a draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
EFL Cup
Our Three Predictions for Barnsley vs Brighton & Hove Albion
- First Prediction: Brajan Gruda to score anytime 21/10
- Second Prediction: Double Chance – Barnsley or Draw 5/2
- Third Prediction: Both teams to score – Yes 9/10
Betting odds are correct at time of writing via MyriadPlay
First Prediction for Barnsley vs Brighton & Hove Albion – Brajan Gruda to score anytime 21/10
In a tie that lauds the Seagulls as heavy favourites, one standout cup performer will be excited by the prospect of facing a League One outfit. Brajan Gruda has been prominent in a consistently rotated Brighton side this season. The German has featured in the league – mostly as an impact substitution – and scored against Manchester City at the end of August.
Against Championship opposition, in Oxford United, Gruda emphasised his quality by applying a man of the match performance to the second round showing. The former Mainz 05 midfielder scored and assisted in a 6-0 win at the Kassam Stadium, leading to a clear implementation into the main starting side as the weeks passed by.
Barnsley can be expected to concede, even if they provide a resilient showing. Gruda will likely be at the epicentre of Albion attacks for yet another round and has become a bit of a key, cup performer since his arrival. An early substitution at the weekend against Tottenham Hotspur suggest that the 21-year-old will be involved again mid-week.
Second Prediction for Barnsley vs Brighton & Hove Albion – Double Chance – Barnsley or Draw 5/2
Despite the glaring gulf in quality, Barnsley have been tremendous performers in the third tier so far this season. With arguably the most balanced – and best – midfield in League One, Conor Hourihane’s side could spring a surprise against the Seagulls with an excellent home performance.
Losing to Blackpool in the 98th minute will have deflated the Tykes, but a mid-week visit from Brighton could be the perfect place to bounce back. Grimsby Town have already pulled off a giant killing against Manchester United; this gap in league strength is even less than the Mariners’. The likes of David McGoldrick and Luca Connell provide a perfect blend of experience, leadership and organisation in a well-structured side.
Brighton are of course the far better team on paper. However, with the creative threat of McGoldrick complimenting a front line of Davis Keillor-Dunn and Reyes Cleary – due to Caylan Vickers’ unknown situation when facing his parent club – will likely cause some problems to a rotated Brighton side.
If Hourihane’s team play for a draw, and manage to shut out Brighton in a low-scoring affair, then this double chance punt allows for this exact situation. Barnsley could prove just how strong they are in their respective league – testing their resolve against a mixed-form Brighton side.
Third Prediction for Barnsley vs Brighton & Hove Albion – Both teams to score – Yes 9/10
Both teams will likely score in this tie, as their attacking merit definitely outweighs their defensive one. Brighton have seen this bet land in all but two of their opening six games across all competitions. Despite comfortably winning 6-0 against Oxford United, Barnsley will be more likely to score considering their ability to so far this campaign.
In Barnsley’s last five, this bet has landed in all three home fixtures, winning 2-1, 3-1 and 3-2. The Tykes are susceptible to a Premier League attack, so will ultimately be less likely to keep a clean sheet. With Gruda being backed to score, a shutout of the Seagulls doesn’t seem plausible.
Best Odds for Barnsley vs Brighton & Hove Albion
| Bookmaker | Barnsley | Draw | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| MyriadPlay | 8/1 | 9/2 | 1/4 |
| Gentleman Jim | 9/1 | 19/4 | 2/9 |
| Betarno | 17/2 | 9/2 | 26/100 |
Full Preview of the Game – Last Results and Head-to-Head
The Tykes sit in sixth place in a competitive and unexpected League One table. With a game in hand, if results favour Horuihane’s side, they could climb as high as second. Away from winning five times already in the third tier, an opening round victory in Carabao Cup against Fleetwood Town on pens, was followed up by a 2-1 win over Rotherham United.
Brighton entered the Carabao Cup at the second round stage so can only mostly be judged off their Premier League performances this season. Although, a 6-0 triumphant victory away at the U’s is a perfect opener for a Carabao Cup campaign – this should worry Barnsley fans. Fulham equalised in the final minute of play to draw 1-1 with the Seagulls on the opening weekend. David Moyes’ Everton completely silenced Hürzeler’s side with a 2-0 win during their inaugural Hill Dickinson Stadium home match.
Brighton achieved the double over Barnsley the last time the two were in the same league. A 2016/17 Championship campaign saw the Seagulls win 2-0 in both ties. Dating back to 2011, Barnsley have won on two occasions, seen a point apiece in two and lost four games to Brighton.
23/09/2025
League Cup
League Cup
Barnsley Brighton 0 6 11/11/2025
EFL Trophy
EFL Trophy
Barnsley Lincoln 0 2 L 08/11/2025
League One
League One
Doncaster Barnsley 1 2 W 01/11/2025
FA Cup
FA Cup
Barnsley York City 3 2 W 25/10/2025
League One
League One
Barnsley Rotherham 0 1 L 21/10/2025
EFL Trophy
EFL Trophy
Barnsley Manchester Utd U21 5 2 W 09/11/2025
Premier League
Premier League
Crystal Palace Brighton 0 0 D 01/11/2025
Premier League
Premier League
Brighton Leeds 3 0 W 29/10/2025
League Cup
League Cup
Arsenal Brighton 2 0 L 25/10/2025
Premier League
Premier League
Manchester Utd Brighton 4 2 L 18/10/2025
Premier League
Premier League
Brighton Newcastle 2 1 WConfrontation
Last Results - Barnsley
Last Results - Brighton
Where to watch Barnsley vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Where can I watch this Carabao Cup clash, either on TV or in-person?
- Location: Oakwell Stadium, Barnsley
- Date: Tuesday 23rd September 2025
- Channel: Live on Sky Sports+ from 7:30pm
Probable Lineups for Oxford United vs Brighton & Hove Albion
What sort of lineups can we expect for this third round fixture?
Predicted Barnsley Lineup:
- Lineup: M. Cooper, N. Farrugia, J. Earl, J. Shepherd, M. de Gevigney, J. Russell, L. Connell, J. Bland, D. McGoldrick, R. Cleary, D. Keillor-Dunn
- Manager: Conor Hourihane
- Injured/Suspended: M. Roberts, K. Nwakali, C. Vickers (facing parent club), F. Jalo
Predicted Brighton & Hove Albion Lineup:
- Lineup: J. Steele, F. Kadioglu, O. Boscagli, D. Coppola, J. Veltman, J. Milner, C. Baleba, B. Gruda, T. Watson, S. Tzimas, H. Howell
- Manager: Fabian Hürzeler
- Injured: A. Webster, M. De Cuyper (doubt), T. Lamptey, J. Hinshelwood, S. March
Media Centre – News about Barnsley vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Barnsley – Official Twitter Page
Brighton & Hove Albion – Official Twitter Page
