Preview: Salford City vs. Crawley Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Neil Wood's side recorded a 2-0 victory over Forest Green Rovers in their league opener last weekend, while Crawley started their season with a 1-0 success over Bradford City.

Match preview

Salford finished seventh in League Two last season to secure a position in the playoffs, but they were beaten by Stockport County in the semi-finals, losing the last-four affair on penalties.

The Ammies will go again this season, and they made a positive start to their 2023-24 campaign by recording a 2-0 victory over Forest Green Rovers last Saturday, with Conor McAleny and Matt Smith on the scoresheet.

Wood's team were also victorious in the second round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday evening, beating Championship outfit Preston North End on penalties following a 2-2 draw.

Salford have brought six new players to the club thus far this summer, with Connor McLennan, Curtis Tilt and Luke Garbutt among those to arrive.

There have also been a number of first-team departures, so there is a fresh look to the squad this season, and it will be fascinating to see what the team can achieve in 2023-24.

Crawley, meanwhile, finished 22nd in League Two last season, only narrowly avoiding relegation to the National League, with just three points separating them from 23rd-placed Hartlepool United.

The Red Devils are being tipped for another tough campaign, but they made the perfect start to their League Two season last weekend, running out 1-0 winners over Bradford City.

Scott Lindsey's side were beaten 2-1 by Exeter City in the first round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday, but it would be fair to say that the competition was way down their list of priorities this season.

Crawley have overhauled their squad this summer, with a number of players both arriving and departing, so there should not be too much of a hangover from last season.

The West Sussex outfit struggled badly on their travels in 2022-23, only picking up 17 points from 23 matches, but Salford only had the 14th-best home record in the division with 35 points.

Salford City League Two form:

Salford City form (all competitions):

Crawley Town League Two form:

Crawley Town form (all competitions):

Team News

Salford's side is expected to be almost identical to the one that took to the field for the first whistle against Forest Green Rovers due to the nature of the performance and the result.

Head coach Wood will find it difficult to change the XI from the opening weekend, but McLennan's brace against Preston in the EFL Cup on Tuesday is likely to see him come into the side.

McLennan could line up in a wide area for the home team, with Callum Hendry set to retain his position at centre-forward on Saturday afternoon.

Crawley, meanwhile, are expected to be unchanged from their opening-weekend win over Bradford, with goalscorer William Wright again lining up at the back.

Both sides are expected to start with back threes in this game, and it will be fascinating to see how the systems match up.

Head coach Lindsey made wholesale changes for the clash with Exeter in the EFL Cup, but the team's key players will be back for this one, including centre-forward Danilo Orsi.

Salford City possible starting lineup:

Cairns; Tilt, Vassell, Shephard; Watson, Ashley; McLennan, Bolton, McAleny, Garbutt; Hendry

Crawley Town possible starting lineup:

Addai; Wright, Conroy, Ransom; Gordon, Williams, Kelly, Tsaroulla; Darcy, Orsi, Telford

We say: Salford City 2-0 Crawley Town

Salford will know that their home form needs to improve this season if they are to be serious contenders for promotion, and we are backing Wood's side to triumph here. Crawley were so disappointing on their travels last season, and it is tough to back them to pick up a positive result on Saturday.

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