After suffering their first defeat of the season, Fleetwood Town aim to get back on track against Aston Villa Under-21s on Tuesday, as the teams meet in EFL Trophy Group D.

Fleetwood Town:

Fleetwood Town will look to bounce back from their first defeat of the season when they host Aston Villa Under-21s in their opening EFL Trophy Group D fixture on Tuesday. After a promising start to their League Two campaign, Fleetwood’s unbeaten run came to an end with a narrow 1-0 loss to AFC Wimbledon on Saturday. This defeat leaves Charlie Adam's side with five points from their opening four matches, as they strive to secure an immediate return to League One following last season's relegation. Despite their recent setback, Fleetwood have shown promise in knockout competitions, securing victories in their EFL Cup ties against West Bromwich Albion and Rotherham United. Irish striker Ryan Graydon has been in fine form, scoring three times in those cup matches, and will be keen to continue his scoring streak against Villa’s younger defenders. With goals being somewhat scarce in the league, a strong performance in the EFL Trophy could be a vital boost for Fleetwood’s campaign.

Aston Villa Under 21:

Aston Villa Under-21 head into their EFL Trophy campaign after a tough weekend, having been defeated 4-1 by Arsenal’s talented young squad on Friday. Despite this setback, Villa's Under-21s had a strong start to their Premier League 2 season, securing four points from their first two games with a win over Derby County and a 1-1 draw at Leeds United. Last season, Villa Under-21s finished 16th in Premier League 2, just making it into the playoffs where they were eventually knocked out by Tottenham Hotspur. In the EFL Trophy, they had a disappointing run in 2023, ending up at the bottom of their group with just one point. Head coach Josep Gombau will be looking to improve on last year's performance and guide his young side to a better showing in this year’s competition. With their Premier League 2 form showing potential, Villa’s Under-21s will be eager to make a strong start in Group D and challenge for one of the top-two spots.

Prediction:  1-0

Fleetwood vs Aston Villa U21 stream and TV listing

Ireland Republic：Sky Sports+

Great Britain：Sky Sports+

International：Score808 808ball