Preview: Cambridge United vs. Shrewsbury Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Both sides have been out of action for a fortnight following the cancellation of their previous fixtures, and the visitors return to the fray seeking a fourth straight win.

Match preview

Once hosts Fleetwood Town confirmed last week's League One clash with Cambridge had been postponed due to a frozen pitch, U's boss Mark Bonner was left frustrated in his efforts to build on a commendable 0-0 draw with high-flying Plymouth Argyle seven days before.

While holding the leaders to such a stalemate represents a relatively positive result, the Amber Army have now gone seven league games without a goal at home, as they continue to toil at the wrong end of the table.

With their only success since October coming via a penalty shootout victory over non-league Curzon Ashton in the FA Cup - a competition they were subsequently knocked out of by Grimsby Town - confidence may well be waning within the Cambridge camp.

Sharpness in the final third has been distinctly lacking during the last couple of months - and particularly at the Abbey Stadium. Not since early September have United's fans had a League One goal to cheer about on home soil, which is a streak stretching back more than 11 hours.

They are, therefore, in need of points to avoid slipping into the drop zone, as a side that enjoyed a comfortable mid-table finish last term currently languish in 20th place - just one point above the dotted line.

When Shrewsbury kick off on Boxing Day, like their hosts, they will not have played a fixture since December 10, and manager Steve Cotterill has taken the opportunity to give his players a rare rest amid a packed schedule; handing them two extra days off at the start of last week.

Salop's rematch with recent FA Cup victims Peterborough was also postponed due to weather conditions, but they will still head to Cambridge sitting 11th in the League One table and only five points adrift of the playoff places.

A run of three wins on the spin in all competitions - each coming at home - has helped Cotterill's side climb up the standings, having previously accrued just two points from six games.

At Christmas last year, Shrewsbury were 20th in the table and two points above the relegation zone, but now have their sights set higher.

Scoring eight times during their three most recent outings - with Tom Bayliss and Luke Leahy bagging two apiece - sees them standing in stark contrast to Monday's hosts, who are so painfully short of goals on home turf.

Cambridge United League One form:

W

L

D

L

L

D

Cambridge United form (all competitions):

W

L

L

L

L

D

Shrewsbury Town League One form:

D

D

L

L

W

W

Shrewsbury Town form (all competitions):

D

L

L

W

W

W

Team News

Cambridge continue to rely on back-up goalkeeper Will Mannion for their Boxing Day fixture, as the club's November 'Player of the Month' deputises for Dimitar Mitov once again. The latter is still recovering from an ankle ligament injury, while Adam May is another long-term absentee.

Young centre-back Zeno Ibsen Rossi has had his playing time restricted by stiff competition for places in the heart of the hosts' defence, but put in an impressive display in the goalless draw with Plymouth and is set to retain his place.

In addition to Daniel Udoh and George Nurse, who remain sidelined by ACL injuries, Shrewsbury could be without Julien Dacosta, Aiden O'Brien and Elliott Bennett at the Abbey Stadium.

Carl Winchester returns from an illness which threatened to rule him out of last week's postponed match, and the former Sunderland midfielder should start alongside captain Luke Leahy in the visitors' engine room.

Leahy joins Tom Bayliss at the top of the Shrews' scoring charts on five goals, and both play a major part in Steve Cotterill's favoured 3-4-1-2 formation.

Cambridge United possible starting lineup:

Mannion; Williams, Rossi, Jones, Dunk; Digby, Worman; Knibbs, Tracey, Brophy; Ironside

Shrewsbury Town possible starting lineup:

Marosi; Pennington, Dunkley, Flanagan; Moore, Winchester, Leahy, Shipley; Bayliss; Saydee, Street

We say: Cambridge United 1-1 Shrewsbury Town

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