Floodlights, a chill in the air, and a chance to all but seal progression: this is the kind of EFL Trophy night where rotation shouldn’t mean ‘bomb squad’—it should mean opportunity.
Lincoln City won their first game in the competition, 3-0, and a win tonight would all but ensure qualification for the next round, without anyone else having played.
It’s been a tough week for the Imps, beating Luton and Peterborough and taking Chelsea close, so there may be tired legs. Who do we think will play for them this evening?
Here’s our suggested starting XI.
System & Intent
We think Lincoln will be 4-2-3-1 to dictate tempo, press high and be direct. United’s U21s will try to play their game rather than tailor their game; City should lean into seniority, physicality and pace to make it feel like men against boys.
Goalkeeper
Zach Jeacock gets the gloves. George Wickens is the established No.1, but Zach was excellent against Chelsea and needs meaningful minutes to keep pushing. Nothing he could do about the goals in that tie; this is the right stage for his development.
Back Four
RB: Dexter Lembikisa for a debut. He’s fit, training well and this is an ideal introduction; real stakes without the full Saturday furnace. The route to league minutes is crowded, so this is where he earns trust.
CBs: Tom Hamer & Lewis Montsma. Montsma looked assured versus Chelsea and needs to stay on the cusp of the squad. Hamer benefits from 60–70 purposeful minutes; if Saturday selection becomes a factor, you can still manage his load with a planned change.
LB: Riley Towler, who’s been reliable whenever called. No need to blood a kid here; give a senior a good rhythm-builder and maintain balance on the left.
The Double Pivot
Finn Barbrook starts. He handled his debut well and deserves another proper look in a competitive setting. This is the lane for him to press the established names and show he can control games.
Alongside him, Ivan Varfolomeev, the club-record signing, who’s already shown flashes of top-flight nous from the Czech league. He set up the goal against Chelsea, looks fitter every outing, and this is perfect for sharpening his timing under pressure.
The Three Behind the Nine
Left: Eric Ring. Fitness issues set him back pre-season, but the talent’s obvious, and he impressed in a behind-closed-doors game recently. Tricky, direct, and exactly the kind of finisher Michael Skubala talks about. Give him 70 to build confidence and end product.
Right: Oscar Thorne. Direct runner with a clean delivery; a good-profile winger for this fixture. Lower glare than a league Saturday, but still a proper test. Bank the minutes now to make him a real bench weapon at the weekend.
10: Frankie Okwonkwo. One of the standout loanees in terms of profile and power. He bridges academy tempo and senior tempo, which is vital against a technical U21 side. Let him run the game between the lines and go hunting for that goal contribution.
Striker
Justin Obikwu leads the line. Two in two, an assist, and a handful whenever he’s on. Big, quick, direct, his physicality can tilt this in our favour and set the pressing tone from the first whistle.
Why this XI
This isn’t a token XI; it’s eleven players who can do a job now. Senior backbone at full-back and centre-half, a balanced pivot with legs and quality, and a front four built to press and run.
United’s kids will try to play; The Imps will play too, but their speed, duels, and box entries will make the difference. To progress early, they need to make it intense, make it direct, and make it count.
