Swansea name three debutants in Carabao Cup clash

Melker Widell, Kaelan Casey and Zeidane Inoussa make their full Swansea City debuts against Crawley Town in the Carabao Cup this evening.

Swansea field three debutants against Crawley Town Carabao Cup

Swansea City name three debutants for the Carabao Cup match with Crawley Town as Melker Widell, Kaelan Casey and Zeidane Inoussa start in the XI. Head coach Alan Sheehan makes seven changes from the weekend defeat to Middlesbrough, with Andy Fisher in goal and Cameron Burgess captaining a back four that also features Casey, Josh Tymon and Sam Parker. Widell teams with Ethan Galbraith and Ollie Cooper in midfield, while Inoussa and Ronald provide width. Zan Vipotnik leads the line for Swansea.

Crawley Town respond with Harvey Davies in goal and a defense including Charlie Barker and Max Anderson. The visitors also name Kabongo Tshimanga, Reece Brown, Jack Roles, Harry McKirdy, Joy Mukena, Ade Adeyemo, Jay Williams (captain) and Josh Flint. Swansea’s substitutes include Paul Farman, Josh Key, Jay Fulton, Jisung Eom, Goncalo Franco, Liam Cullen, Bobby Wales, Cameron Congreve and Arthur Parker, while Crawley bring on Will Heater, Gavin Holohan, Louis Flower, Ben Radcliffe, Fate Kotey, Antony Papadopoulos and Louie Watson if needed.

This lineup signals a clear development focus, using the Carabao Cup to give minutes to fringe players and blood youngsters. Seven changes from the Middlesbrough game suggest Swansea is prioritizing long term depth over short term results, a move with potential upside if the debutants settle quickly and build chemistry with regulars. It also tests the mettle of the squad under competitive pressure and could reveal which players are ready for bigger stages this season.

For Crawley Town, the night offers a chance to measure up to a higher division and probe Swansea’s depth. The outcome may hinge on how quickly the new Swansea trio can link with teammates and whether the visitors can exploit any early jitters. Either way, the match is less about a single win and more about what it could signal for Swansea’s planning and the club’s youth pipeline this season.

Highlights

What begins tonight may influence the path Swansea takes well beyond this round.