League One’s Lincoln City host Premier League giants Chelsea in the third round of the Carabao Cup at the LNER Stadium. EFL Cup
Our Three Predictions For Lincoln City vs Chelsea
- First Prediction: Chelsea To Win -1 Handicap – 11/25
- Second Prediction: Both Teams To Score – 21/20
- Third Prediction: Over 3.5 Goals – 1/1
First Prediction For Lincoln City vs Chelsea – Chelsea To Win -1 Handicap – 11/25
Lincoln head into this tie as one of the most in-form teams in the country. Saturday’s impressive 3-1 victory over Luton Town extended their unbeaten run to 10 games in all competitions whilst also moving up to third in League One. They’ve beaten Harrogate Town and Burton Albion to earn this marquee clash in front of their own supporters and will be confident of becoming the second Lincolnshire side to cause a major upset in this competition following rivals Grimsby Town’s win over Manchester United in the previous round. Still, navigating a way past the current World Champions will be a tough ask and head coach Michael Skubala will see this as somewhat of a free hit ahead of their showdown with Peterborough United on Saturday.
Chelsea head into this game on a run of three games without a win. A 2-2 draw with Brentford kicked of a nightmare seven days, which also saw them lose 3-1 at Bayern Munich in the Champions League before going down 2-1 to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday. Enzo Maresca will rotate but will still see this as a competition that they can win. Therefore, we may see the likes of summer signing Alejandro Garnacho handed a first start. This won’t be the easy game the bookies are predicting but they should have enough quality to see the game through by a couple of goals.
Second Prediction For Lincoln City vs Chelsea – Both Teams To Score – 21/20
Lincoln have failed to score just once this season in all competitions, with that coming in their only defeat against AFC Wimbledon. It’s worth noting that the Imps were forced to play the majority of that game with 10 men after defender Adam Jackson was dismissed in the first half. Michael Skubala boasts a wealth of attacking options, including James Collins, Freddie Draper, Rob Street and Ben House. Fan were also introduced to the talent of Justin Obikwu on Saturday, with the loanee scoring and assisting after coming on as a late substitute. They are likely to spend the majority of the game under sustained pressure here but will be confident they can breach the Blues’ back line at least once.
Cheslea drew a blank with an opening day 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace but have found the net in every game since. However, they have shown they are capable of a lapse at the back, having conceded two against Brentford and Manchester United, as well as three against Bayern Munich. Four of their six games in all competitions have seen both teams score.
Third Prediction For Lincoln City vs Chelsea – Over 3.5 Goals – 1/1
It’s set to be a special occasion at Sincil Bank, who have rarely welcomed top quality Premier League opposition to their own patch. The last was Liverpool in 2020, although the match was played behind closed doors due to COVID restrictions. As such, the game is expected to be a sell out. The Imps possess one of the best atmosphere’s in League One and this could play a role as Michael Skubala’s team look to cause an upset. As mentioned in the previous prediction, the former Leeds United coach has built a squad who know where the back of the net is and despite the two division gap, they will be disappointed if they don’t give the home support something to cheer about. The last two league outings at the LNER Stadium have both seen four goals, with a 2-2 draw with Wigan Athletic preceding Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Luton.
Chelsea are likely to rotate but this is a squad that has cost millions to assemble. As such, goals are capable from all areas of the pitch. We will likely see the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrique George and Marc Guiu from the start and all will be desperate to stake their claim for a regular starting berth. Enzo Maresca’s side have seen two of their last three away outings finish with four goals, picking up a 2-2 draw with Brentford before last week’s 3-1 defeat at Bayern Munich.
Best Odds For Lincoln City vs Chelsea
| Bookmaker | Lincoln City | Draw | Chelsea |
| MyriadPlay | 12/1 | 6/1 | 7/50 |
| Gentleman Jim | 14/1 | 13/2 | 2/15 |
| Betarno | 13/1 | 13/2 | 2/13 |
Full Preview of the Game: Last Results and Head-To-Head
Lincoln have been in superb form this season and look like they could be genuine contenders to earn promotion from League One. They started the campaign with a 2-0 win over Reading before losing to AFC Wimbledon by the same scoreline a week later. That was the last – and only – time the Imps have tasted defeat this season. The East Midlands-based outfit followed their trip to the capital with back-to-back wins over Plymouth Argyle (3-2) and Northampton Town. Michael Skubala’s team then recorded three successive draws, picking up a point against Bolton Wanderers (1-1), Mansfield Town (1-1) and Wigan Athletic (2-2). They returned to winning ways with a 1-0 triumph over Burton Albion before Saturday’s impressive 3-1 win over Luton Town. In this competition, Lincoln comfortably beat League Two’s Harrogate Town 3-1 in the first round and followed that with another 1-0 win over Burton in the second round.
Chelsea returned to Premier League action full of confidence in August after winning the revamped Club World Cup in August. An emphatic win over European Champions Paris Saint-Germain in the final means that the Blues will be now classed as World Champions for the next four years. Despite that, they were held to a goalless draw on the opening day against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, but soon showed their quality with a 5-1 hammering of West Ham United a week later. Enzo Maresca’s side picked up another three points when they beat city rivals Fulham 2-0, but have faltered since the international break. A trip to Brentford ended 2-2 whilst their opening Champions League tie saw them lose 3-1 to Bayern Munich. Hampered by the early sending off of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, the Blues suffered their first league defeat of the season when they went down 2-1 to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.
This is the first meeting between the two teams in 114 years, although Lincoln did beat Chelsea’s under-21 team enroute to winning the EFL Trophy 2018. The last clash featuring the senior teams in 1911 finished 0-0 and the Blues have won five of the previous eight clashes. Lincoln’s only victory in this fixture came in the FA Cup in 1907, where the Imps won 0-0 in first round replay after the first tie ended 2-2.
Confrontation
Where To Watch Lincoln City vs Chelsea
Where can I watch this game, either in person or on TV?
- Location: The LNER Stadium, Sincil Bank, Lincoln, LN5 8LD
- Date: September 23rd, 2025
- TV Channel: Sky Sports Football
Probable Lineups For Lincoln City vs Chelsea
Predicted Lincoln City Lineup
- Lineup: Wickens; Darikwa, Towler, Bradley, Reach; McGrandles, Bayliss; Street, Draper, House; Obikwu
- Injured/Suspended: Lembikisa, Moylan, Jefferies
- Manager: Michael Skubala
Predicted Chelsea Lineup
- Lineup: Jorgensen; Gusto, Adarabioya, Chalobah, Hato; Santos, Caicedo; George, Buonanotte, Garnacho; Guiu
- Injured/Suspended: Sanchez, Colwill, Essugo, Palmer, Delap, Mudryk
- Manager: Enzo Maresca
