Tranmere Rovers host Shrewsbury Town in the EFL Trophy group stage on Tuesday evening at Prenton Park. The match offers a quick chance to build on a recent 2-0 league victory over the same opponent last month.
Nigel Adkins's side go into the cup tie sitting 10th in the League Two table with 10 points from seven games. Their most recent outing was a goalless draw away at Exeter City last Saturday. That result extended their recent form to just one win in their last five league matches, a sequence that includes three draws and one defeat.
Shrewsbury, who compete in League One, arrive with a mixed bag of results themselves. They drew 1-1 with Crewe Alexandra in their last match but had secured a 2-0 win over Northampton Town the week before.
Team news and context
Tranmere's lineup for the Exeter draw featured a 4-2-3-1 shape with Harvey Male in goal and a midfield anchored by Will Vaulks and Tom Conlon. Shrewsbury last fielded a 3-4-1-2 system against Crewe.
The EFL Trophy presents an opportunity for squad rotation and a different kind of challenge. A positive result could provide momentum ahead of a tough league fixture this Saturday, when second-placed Walsall visit Prenton Park.
Kick-off for the Group North 5 fixture is scheduled for 19:00 BST.
