EFL League One PREVIEW 12 Sep 2026: Leicester Chase a Response at Stockport, Wycombe Sack Duff

EFL League One plays eleven fixtures on 12 September 2026: Leyton Orient host Wycombe Wanderers, Notts County host Bradford City, AFC Wimbledon host Doncaster Rovers, Blackpool host Bromley, Cambridge United host Reading, Mansfield Town host Huddersfield Town, MK Dons host Peterborough United, Oxford United host Burton Albion, Plymouth Argyle host Barnsley, Sheffield Wednesday host Wigan Athletic and Stockport County host Leicester City.

Leyton Orient, missing Aaron Connolly, Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Ollie O'Neill and Somto Boniface, drew 1-1 with Luton Town after a 5-0 win at Bromley, but were knocked out of the EFL Cup by Bradford City in midweek; Jaze Kabia, who has scored three goals in his last two appearances, is expected to lead the line, with recent signing Dane Scarlett also in contention. Wycombe Wanderers have sacked manager Michael Duff, with Tom Hounsell taking interim charge for his first match since a caretaker spell at Burton Albion in 2024; Wycombe are still searching for their first league win of the season and have not won at Brisbane Road since April 2017.

Notts County, unbeaten so far this season, drew with Huddersfield Town last time out and make at least one change with Matthew Baker replacing the injured James Gibbons; top scorer Ollie Cooper has three goals in his last four league games. Bradford City, missing a fixture-specific squad update, beat Mansfield Town 1-0 through Antoni Sarcevic, with new signing Beesley providing the assist; manager Graham Alexander said the squad's fitness picture was clean after that game.

AFC Wimbledon beat Bromley 2-0 away, Jayden Stockley and Myles Hippolyte scoring, for a third clean sheet in five games; manager Johnnie Jackson called the performance "the benchmark for the season," though winger James Tilley is a fresh injury concern after being forced off in that match, and Harry Cornick and Marcus Browne remain unavailable. Doncaster Rovers, still searching for their first league win of the season, are missing summer signing James Collins along with Tom Nixon and Francis Okoronkwo; manager Grant McCann said of Okoronkwo, "we'll not see him for a few months, I wouldn't imagine."

Blackpool will be without centre-backs Fraser Horsfall and Michael Ihiekwe, though both are closing in on returns from ankle and toe injuries; CJ Hamilton is out for ten to twelve weeks with a serious knee injury and George Honeyman is sidelined until after the international break. Bromley, on a four-game winless run after successive heavy defeats including a 7-2 loss at Sheffield Wednesday, also lost goalkeeper Shamal George to injury in their defeat to AFC Wimbledon; manager Andy Woodman said of his side's defending: "soft underbelly."

Cambridge United drew 2-2 at Burton Albion, though head coach Neil Harris was sent off during that match and will not be on the touchline against Reading. Reading are unbeaten in five matches in all competitions, having won their last three including a 3-1 win over Blackpool; defender Jeriel Dorsett is out with a hamstring injury, with Haydon Roberts deputising at left-back, though manager Leam Richardson is expected to stick with the same starting XI.

Mansfield Town, who have not dropped a point at the One Call Stadium this season, lost 1-0 away to Bradford City after an enforced early goalkeeper change saw Harry Lewis replace Liam Roberts; Jordan Bowery and Baily Cargill are both missing. Huddersfield Town, one of only two League One clubs yet to lose a league match this season, beat Oxford United 3-1 last time out but have a lengthy injury list including Nigel Lonwijk, Tom Lees, Mickel Miller, Herbie Kane, Dion Charles, Danny Ward and Rhys Healey; striker Joe Taylor has scored five goals in his first five games of the season.

MK Dons drew 3-3 at Wycombe Wanderers, coming back from 2-0 down before failing to hold a 3-2 lead, and carry knocks for Curtis Nelson, Archie Collins and Cohen Bramall along with Charlie Goode a doubt after a foot injury; Owura Edwards is expected to return to the squad. Peterborough United lost 1-2 at home to Sheffield Wednesday despite Ben Woods' equaliser being cancelled out by a 79th-minute winner; the club has made eleven new signings this window, including Harry Ashfield, while sending Klaidi Lolos on loan to Rotherham United and Joel Randall to Chesterfield.

Oxford United beat Leicester City 4-0 in their last match, Mark Harris scoring twice with Mo Missanga and Jamie McDonnell also on target; head coach Aaron Ramsey said his side were at their "absolute best," and no changes are expected for the Burton game, though Aidomo Emakhu is out for a couple of weeks with a leg injury. Burton Albion, missing Matthew Dennis, George Evans, Gbemi Arubi and Ciaran Gilligan, drew 2-2 with Cambridge United, manager Gary Bowyer calling it a "fantastic point" built on "spirit and fight"; Burton are seeking their first win at the Kassam Stadium since 2019.

Plymouth Argyle, missing Malachi Boateng and long-term absentee Michael Baidoo, won 3-2 away at Doncaster Rovers through Will Evans and Aribim Pepple and are chasing back-to-back league wins for the first time this season; Nigeria international Owen Oseni is available again after returning from injury in that match, though Evans looks likely to keep his place up front. Barnsley, under returning manager Daniel Stendel, lost 5-1 at home to Stevenage despite Cameron McGeehan's opener, a defeat that ended an encouraging run of wins; the club is missing midfielder Vimal Yoganathan and goalkeeper Cieran Slicker, with Rogan Ravenhill deputising in goal.

Sheffield Wednesday, unbeaten in their last three matches after a 2-1 win at Peterborough United sealed by a Yan Valery goal, remain without Max Lowe, Tyler Onyango, Jordi Liongola and Harry Gray, and winger Louie Barry faces a lengthy absence; head coach Henrik Pedersen said the squad has trained little in the last ten days because of a heavy fixture schedule. Wigan Athletic, beaten 4-0 by Stockport County in their last match, make the trip with defender Morgan Fox returning to Hillsborough, where he spent three and a half years and made over 100 appearances before leaving in 2019/20; manager Gary Caldwell called Hillsborough "a very difficult place to go" and said winning there "shows what your team is all about."

Stockport County thumped Wigan Athletic 4-0 in their last match, with Kyle Wootton, Harry Wood, Jack Diamond and Ryan Gover all on the scoresheet, and are expected to be unchanged under manager Jimmy McNulty. Leicester City, playing in League One for the first time since 2008-09 after back-to-back relegations, were beaten 4-0 at home by Oxford United; manager Russell Martin said his side had been "too soft and too naive," and is expected to make changes, with Conor Chaplin, Admir Bistric and Harry Howell all candidates to come into the side.