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Chelsea will entertain fourth-tier side AFC Wimbledon at Stamford Bridge in the second round of the 2023-24 EFL Cup on Wednesday.
The hosts finished 12th in the Premier League standings last season and thus will start their campaign in the second round. They began their cup campaign in the third round last season, though suffered an elimination at the hands of eventual champions Manchester City.
The visitors have already improved upon their performance from last season as they recorded a 2-1 win over Coventry City in the first round earlier this month. They'll look to pull off an early upset in the competition with a win in this match.
Chelsea vs Wimbledon Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams will meet for the first time in a competitive match on Wednesday. They met in a pre-season friendly in 2014, with the Blues recording a 3-2 away win.
- The hosts are five-time winners in the competition, last lifting the trophy in 2015. They last made it into the final in the 2021-22 season.
- The visitors, meanwhile, have never made it past the third round in the EFL Cup.
- The hosts recorded their first win of the season on Saturday, securing a 3-0 win over Luton Town in the Premier League.
- The visitors have enjoyed an unbeaten start to their 2023-24 campaign, recording three wins and playing three draws.
- The visitors have kept clean sheets in all three of their away games across all competitions, scoring five goals in that period.
- The hosts have seen under 2.5 goals in their last eight games in the EFL Cup, keeping three clean sheets and failing to score in two games in that period.
Chelsea vs Wimbledon Prediction
The Blues have endured a slow start to the season, with just one win in three games. They have scored five goals in these games but have conceded four times as well. They recorded a 3-0 win at home in the Premier League on Saturday and will look to build on that performance in this match.
The Wombles have enjoyed an unbeaten start to their season, recording three wins in six games. They have kept clean sheets in the three away games thus far. Nonetheless, they lag the hosts significantly in terms of squad quality, so continuing their unbeaten run might be a bit difficult.
Considering Chelsea's home advantage and better record in the competition, we back Mauricio Pochettino's men to record a comfortable win.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Wimbledon
Chelsea vs Wimbledon Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Chelsea to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least a goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Raheem Sterling to score or assist any time - Yes
