Barnet vs Arsenal U21 prediction 18.08.2026 | EFL Trophy

Last season wasn't successful for Barnet in the cups, but in League Two, they finished eighth. Given the fact that they, one year before, played in the fifth tier of English football, Barnet hardly could expect more than being a promotion playoff contender. Dean Brennan's team started the 2026/27 season campaign with a defeat in the EFL Cup to Cambridge United, but one week later, in the League Two opening round, Barnet won 3-1 at home against Salford. The hosts doubled the opponents' xG, so it would be pretty unfair if the visitors left The Hive Stadium with points.

Although Barnet convincingly beat Salford, the manager Dean Brennan wasn't fully satisfied. He said, "It's a good start, but I'm annoyed not to keep a clean sheet. When it comes to the real detail, we should have won the game by four clear goals. We got three up and put in a huge performance."

Barnet's main problem in the previous weeks was their defense. They kept a clean sheet in only one of the last seven matches, including preseason. The team added a new goalkeeper and three defenders this summer, but it seems Barnet's defense is still far from adequate.

Last season, Arsenal U21 was far from the best youth teams in England. In Premier League 2, they finished 14th in the regular season, while Manchester City beat them 3-1 in the playoffs. In the previous edition of the EFL Trophy, Arsenal U21 finished with three points and without reaching the knockout phase. 

Of course, Arsenal U21's main task is to develop players for the senior squad, and they never focus on results in the youth competitions. Arsenal U21 had only one preseason match this summer, in which they played 1-1 against Boreham Wood. 

Arsenal U21 have a few talented players worth watching. Probably the most interesting is 16-year-old defender Marli Salmon, while Andre Harriman-Annous and Jaden Dixon are two more players who could have huge careers in the coming years. 

Arsenal had significant offensive problems last season. In the Premier League 2, they were the worst in attack, with only 28 goals scored in 20 league matches. However, in the EFL Trophy, they were significantly better with six goals in three games.