Southern section Group E of the 2024-25 EFL Trophy commences on Tuesday night, when Leyton Orient welcome Arsenal Under-21s to the Gaughan Group Stadium.
League Two duo Colchester United and MK Dons are also vying for one of the two second round berths in this four-team section, where Tuesday's competitors enter the maiden match on the back of differing league starts.
Match preview
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Former semi-finalists of the EFL Trophy back in the 2012-13 campaign, Leyton Orient have failed in their quest to make waves in the tournament in more recent times, going out in the group stage in each of the last two seasons and not advancing beyond round two since 2014-15.
However, Richie Wellens's men have already made their presence felt in knockout circumstances this season, thrashing Newport County and upsetting Millwall in the first two rounds of the EFL Cup, earning a third-round tie with Premier League outfit Brentford in the process.
The EFL Cup has been a saving grace for Tuesday's hosts in recent weeks, as despite setting up a trip to the Gtech Community Stadium later this month, their start to their second straight season of League One football has been nothing short of nightmarish.
Indeed, Leyton Orient have no points on the board from their first four games of the new league campaign, going down to Bolton Wanderers, Birmingham City, Charlton Athletic and most recently Shrewsbury Town, conceding three unanswered goals to the latter.
The only side in League One to lose each of their first four games of the new term, Leyton Orient boss Wellens labelled the 3-0 beatdown at Shrewsbury the worst result of his time in charge so far, but getting one over the Hale End prospects would restore some pride.
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Similarly to their League One foes, the EFL Trophy has not provided Arsenal with much solace in seasons gone by; the Gunners' best finish in the competition remains their quarter-final loss to Wigan Athletic in the 2021-22 campaign.
Since then, Arsenal's young guns have progressed to the second round in successive seasons only to fall to the superiority of Stevenage and Peterborough, but while Leyton Orient's start to the season has been embarrassing, the visitors' has been exceptional.
Indeed, Mehmet Ali's men have triumphed in their opening three Premier League 2 matches against Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, thrashing the latter 4-1 on August 30 in a game where both sides had a man sent off.
While West Ham United and Nottingham Forest have also won their first three games of the campaign, Arsenal's stellar goals scored tally of 11 sees Ali's men sit at the summit of the embryonic rankings as they endeavour to dethrone current holders Tottenham Hotspur.
Thoughts of a North London title battle take a backseat for the time being, though, as the visitors seek to prove that age is just a number in their inaugural clash with Leyton Orient.
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Team News
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Despite being left battered and bruised psychologically against Shrewsbury, Leyton Orient did not appear to sustain any fresh injuries in that three-goal defeat, where Middlesbrough loanee Zach Hemming kept his place in goal despite Wellens singling him out for criticism after the loss to Birmingham.
Tuesday's hosts took two youngsters from Arsenal's bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur on loan this summer - goalkeeper Josh Keeley and forward Jamie Donley - and the latter may feature just off Leeds United-owned Sonny Perkins.
Keeley is on Ireland Under-21 duty alongside winger Ollie O'Neill, though, while captain Omar Beckles is representing Grenada.
Speaking of young attackers, Arsenal's chief central threat Khayon Edwards was dismissed in the dying embers of Friday's win over Aston Villa following a violent altercation with Jamaldeen Jimoh, who was also given his marching orders.
As a result, Edwards - who spent the second half of last season on loan with Leyton Orient - will be suspended for Tuesday's game, which should see Seb Ferdinand come into the XI as Nathan Butler-Oyedeji starts in the number nine slot.
Ali also cannot call upon four players on the fringes of the first team - Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ayden Heaven and Tommy Setford - all of whom are representing England age-group teams.
Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:
Hemming; Clare, Cooper, Happe, Sweeney; Pratley, Warrington; Agyei, Donley, Jaiyseimi; Perkins
Arsenal Under-21s possible starting lineup:
Rojas; Robinson, Monlouis, Kacurri, Ismail; Gower, Rosiak, Oulad M'Hand; Ferdinand, Butler-Oyedeji, Kabia
We say: Leyton Orient 2-1 Arsenal Under-21s
The less said about Leyton Orient's League One performances the better, but knockout matches have brought the best out of Wellens's side this season, and Tuesday's game should be no different.
Ali's Arsenal have been scoring for fun in 2024-25 and should make one of their forward forays count, but the experience of the hosts should prove telling on this occasion.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
