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2026-09-08 - Bournemouth vs Lincoln City
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English League Cup Third Round
Tuesday 8th September 2026 - Kick Off 7:45pm
Bournemouth
So many Bournemouth fans have to be really excited about the coming months with a trip to Real Sociedad kicking things off in the Europa League next week. That does mean Bournemouth have to play the League Cup Third Round tie on Tuesday and Marco Rose will be hoping his squad can just find a way to turn performances into winning results.
Late goals have proven to be a kick in the teeth in each of the opening Premier League games played under the new manager and blowing a 0-2 lead at Newcastle United on Saturday will have hurt. Marco Rose is new to English Football and so his approach to the League Cup is unknown, but Bournemouth as a club have not really performed that well in recent years in this competition and lost their opening fixture twice in a row.
Bournemouth have not won any of the last 5 Premier League games played, but it will have stung that they have led at the 83rd minute mark of all 3 played this season. The Cherries are unbeaten in 10 at the Vitality Stadium in all competitions, but conceding late in the 1-1 draw with Everton means Bournemouth have drawn 7 of the last 8 here.
The squad that was available this past weekend should be ready for the manager on Tuesday, although Marco Rose is likely to freshen things up through rotation.
Lincoln City
Ten years ago, Lincoln City were playing in the National League and they earned promotion at the end of the 2016/17 season. It was also a notable campaign in which they produced an upset run to the Quarter Final of the FA Cup, although winning Cup matches in recent seasons has been more difficult.
The Imps are now back playing in the second tier of English Football, although they are amongst were amongst the pre-season favourites when it came to the relegation odds. This is a club that has been developing the right way though, which will give Lincoln City fans confidence of what can be achieved in the season ahead, while away wins at Derby County and Blackpool have carried the team into the League Cup Third Round.
Lincoln City lost consecutive League games last month, but have bounced back to put together a 4 game unbeaten run in all competitions and they have produced a couple of wins in that time. An away win at Bolton Wanderers means Lincoln City have actually won 13 of the last 17 games played on their travels in all competitions.
Any Cup run is appreciated by the fans, but the Championship is the priority for Lincoln City and that may mean the joint Head Coaches choose to utilise the squad.
Head to Head
Both Bournemouth and Lincoln City beat the other at home when last meeting in the League all the way back in 2010/11.
Those were both fixtures played in League Two and the clubs are in stronger positions when facing off in September 2026.
Prediction
Any of the early League Cup ties are subject to late team news that can place an entirely different feel for the fixture and so units should be kept to a minimum if placing bets before team news is announced.
You have to expect rotation from most clubs, but Bournemouth's Marco Rose may be more ready to select a strong team in the hope that a victory can spark this season for his new club.
Late goals have held Bournemouth back in the Premier League and it is becoming a very unwelcome pattern, while The Cherries have not always found their best form in the League Cup.
However, this is an opportunity with a home tie against a club that won the League One title last season.
Lincoln City's main ambition of this campaign has to be consolidating in the Championship and the recent results are encouraging. They have also been very good away from home for some time, but Lincoln City will have to make use of the squad if only to freshen things up too.
The resources of the two clubs should give Bournemouth that added depth that will give them the edge and The Cherries can finally turn a draw into a win.
Draws have been the real issue for Bournemouth either side of the summer break, but they will not have faced too many opponents of this level and that may eventually be a telling factor in the final outcome.
The Pick :
Bournemouth 3-1 Lincoln City
