Preview: Exeter City vs. Cambridge United - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors, meanwhile, have failed to win any of their last 10 away trips in the league.

Match preview

Despite falling to a 2-0 defeat to Blackpool at the weekend, Exeter managed to remain outside of the relegation places. However, that was in large part due to both Reading and Cheltenham Town having their matches against Port Vale and Bolton Wanderers respectively abandoned.

Wins for either of those teams would have seen them leapfrog Exter in the table on goal difference, which emphasises the perilous situation Exeter find themselves in. A brace from Albie Morgan proved enough for playoff chasing Blackpool to swat them aside at Bloomfield Road last time out.

Gary Caldwell is facing some pressure in his managerial position as a result. After guiding the Grecians to an impressive 14th-placed finish in their first season back in the third tier last season, more was expected from them this time around.

However, since enduring a winless streak of 13 matches earlier in the campaign, Exeter have shown signs of recovery in recent weeks. Wins against Wycombe Wanderers and Carlisle United sandwiched a stalemate against league leaders Portsmouth at St James Park, suggesting they should have every confidence of claiming all three points against Cambridge on Saturday.

Cambridge, of course, survived relegation by a solitary point on the final day of last season. They have since sacked their former manager Mark Bonner and turned to Neil Harris in his stead, with the former Gillingham boss performing well in his new role so far.

The U's collected seven points from their opening three games under Harris to move away from relegation danger, but they suffered successive setbacks in the form of defeats to Oxford United and Leyton Orient. This made their home match against rock-bottom Fleetwood Town last time out an extremely important one.

Lyle Taylor and Promise Omochere exchanged strikes late in the second half, making a draw appear to be the likely outcome. However, former Crystal Palace winger Sullay Kaikai had other ideas by popping up in the first minute of injury-time to hand his side a precious victory.

That win moved Cambridge seven points clear of the relegation zone ahead of hosting Exeter, who they lead by four points. Having failed to win away from home since their opening away match of the campaign against Fleetwood, Harris and his players will be determined to end that run this weekend.

Exeter City League One form:

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Cambridge United League One form:

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Cambridge United form (all competitions):

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Team News

Exeter will still have Caleb Watts and Shaun MacDonald available after extending their deals until the end of the season. However, Watts is currently sidelined by a hamstring injury, while back-up goalkeeper MacDonald is yet to feature in the league.

Demetri Mitchell will almost certainly miss the remainder of the campaign due to an ACL injury.

Cambridge, meanwhile, will remain without their top goalscorer Gassan Ahadme due to a foot injury. The 23-year-old, who is on loan from Ipswich Town, had scored seven league goals in 16 starts before sustaining the issue against Oxford last month.

However, Elias Kachunga returned from a hamstring issue to start in the win against Fleetwood, while Taylor could provide a focal point from the start after scoring on his league debut.

Exeter City possible starting lineup:

Sinisalo; Sweeney, Diabate, Hartridge; Rankine, Carroll, Cole, Jules; Aitchison, Harris; Cox

Cambridge United possible starting lineup:

Stevens; L Bennett, R Bennett, Morrison, Andrew; Digby, Cousins; Lankester, Kachunga, Kaikai; Taylor

We say: Exeter City 1-2 Cambridge United

Cambridge have been dismal on the road so far this season, but they were minutes away from claiming a draw against Oxford having drawn away to Charlton Athletic in Harris' first away match in charge. Exeter have improved at home lately, but remain in a difficult position in the table.

As such, we can envisage Cambridge finally ending their winless streak on their travels on Saturday, and putting a sizeable gap between themselves and the relegation zone in the process.

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