Prediction Salford City vs Stockport County 2025/2026 – Betting Tips for the EFL Trophy on 07/10/2025

Match context and mood

The Peninsula Stadium in Salford will host a Northern Group Stage clash that promises intensity rather than atmosphere, given the compact 1,400 capacity. Salford City arrive with the kind of recent record that reads in waves: flashes of attacking prowess bookended by a couple of stutters. Their latest League Two outing ended in a 0-2 reverse to Grimsby Town on October 4, but the run before that featured a string of multi-goal wins — 3-2, 3-1 and another 3-2 — showing the team can be prolific and vulnerable in equal measure. Stockport County, meanwhile, bring momentum from a morale-boosting 2-1 victory at Huddersfield Town on the same weekend, and they top the group on goal difference after an opening group performance that produced plenty of goals.

Tactical snapshot from the data

Numbers suggest this will be an open contest. Salford’s attacking metrics are strong: a higher shots average (17) and a healthy tally of shots inside the box. Their defensive ledger in the group is tidy — a clean sheet recorded — but their domestic sequence includes losses that highlight some inconsistency. Stockport are dangerous on transition and in the final third, with a good shots-on-target return and a higher dangerous attacks average (76) than Salford’s (61). Their group outing produced an aggregate of goals, lifting their goals-scored column and pointing to a team comfortable in end-to-end scenarios. The historical edge adds intrigue: the most recent meeting ended in a 2-2 draw, confirming that when these sides meet the scoreboard tends to be busy.

Key match factors

The referee appointment of Jamie O’Connor hints at a match that could be managed without too many stoppages, but both teams’ recent records show a willingness to attack and take risks. Salford’s corner and attacking averages underline a propensity to create, while Stockport’s higher dangerous attack figure suggests they can punish slack defending. Recent best-player mentions from last weekend — Ossama Ashley for Salford’s outing and Oliver Norwood for Stockport — underline that individuals on form may swing momentum, but the broader picture is one of two sides capable of scoring and conceding.

Prediction and betting suggestion

Based on the available data, this fixture looks tilted toward open play and goals. Both clubs have produced high-scoring encounters recently, the H2H finished 2-2 the last time these teams met, and attacking metrics from both sides indicate a willingness to probe and create chances. The safest, most value-driven market from the two allowed options is the goal market: expect the scoreboard to move.

Betting suggestion: Goal market — Over 1.5 goals. This selection reflects the recent multi-goal trends for both Salford and Stockport, their attacking statistics, and the history of open encounters between them.