Burkina Faso
Chinese Taipei
Indonesia
Nigeria

Preview: Walsall vs. Morecambe - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 18 February 2024, 21:45
Morecambe will be bidding to continue their strong run of form in the fourth tier of English football when they travel to Walsall on Tuesday night.

The visitors have picked up 10 points from their last four matches to rise into 10th position in the League Two table, while Walsall sit 16th, five points behind their opponents in this match.

Match preview

Walsall will enter this match off the back of an impressive result, having recorded a 2-1 victory over second-placed Mansfield Town on Saturday afternoon.

The victory proved to be their first in the fourth tier since New Year's Day, and it moved them onto 42 points from 31 league matches this season, which has left them in 16th position in the table.

Mat Sadler's side have only lost one of their last five in League Two, and the success on Saturday was a real step forward, so the team should be looking up the table rather than down.

The Saddlers are only five points behind their opponents on Tuesday and just six points from the playoff positions, so a couple more wins in quick succession really could catapult them up the division.

Walsall's home form this season has been relatively strong, picking up 26 points from their 15 matches in front of their own fans, suffering only three defeats in the process.

Morecambe, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon on Saturday afternoon, which stretched their unbeaten run in League Two to four matches.

A strong run of form has seen Ged Brannan's side pick up 10 points from the last 12 available, which has moved them into 10th position in the table, just one point off the playoffs.

The Shrimps were relegated from League One last season, and it has been a testing campaign to date, but there is certainly enough quality in the squad to claim a playoff spot and then challenge for an immediate return to the third tier.

Morecambe have actually lost seven times on their travels in League Two this season, but they have also managed to record seven wins and have the sixth-best away record in the division.

The Shrimps have also won their last two League Two fixtures against Walsall, including a 2-1 success in the reverse fixture between the two sides earlier this term.

Walsall League Two form:

L

D

D

L

D

W

Morecambe League Two form:

W

L

W

W

W

D

Team News

Walsall are likely to be without the services of Priestley Farquharson, who was substituted at the interval of the narrow home success over Mansfield on Saturday.

The defender's replacement on the afternoon was Emmanuel Adegboyega, and he came up with the game's winning goal, so it seems likely that will now be the change ahead of kickoff.

Head coach Sadler could otherwise name the same XI, with Isaac Hutchinson, who has 10 goals from a midfield position this season, operating in the middle.

Morecambe, meanwhile, are set to be without the services of forward Ged Garner, who was forced off in the first half of the team's 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon.

Jordan Slew is therefore on standby to play through the middle for the in-form outfit on Tuesday.

Head coach Brannan could also decide to make a further change in the final third of the field, with Gwion Edwards potentially freshening up a central area.

Walsall possible starting lineup:

Smith; Okagbue, Abegboyega, Allen; Knowles, Hutchinson, Cowley, Earring, L Gordon; Matt, J Gordon

Morecambe possible starting lineup:

Mair; Senior, Stokes, Bedeau, Tutonda; Taylor, Songo'o; Brown, Edwards, Larsson; Slew

We say: Walsall 0-1 Morecambe

Morecambe have been inconsistent on their travels this season, winning seven but also losing seven, while Walsall have only been beaten three times in front of their own fans. The visitors are flying at the moment, though, and we are expecting them to navigate their way to an important three points.

Previews by email

Top News

27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea saw a last-gasp winner ruled out but nevertheless completed an impressive comeback to hold Aston Villa to a 2-2 Premier League draw at Villa Park. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both Estrela Amadora and SC Farense will be looking to open up some daylight between themselves and the Primeira Liga relegation zone when they face off on Monday night. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bournemouth will attempt to equal a club record when they welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to the Vitality Stadium for Sunday's Premier League contest. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Round 34 of the 2023-24 Turkish Super Lig concludes on Monday evening as Fatih Karagumruk host Antalyaspor at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Premier League ever-presents Everton can look forward to another campaign in the big time thanks to a 1-0 win over Brentford at Goodison Park. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have made three changes for Saturday's Premier League fixture at Aston Villa. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim has apologised to Sporting Lisbon supporters after admitting that the timing and publicity of his talks in London with West Ham United were "completely wrong". 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona reportedly hope to ward off Manchester United interest in one of their star defenders by offering him a lucrative contract renewal. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle United have set a new Premier League scoring record after coming from behind to beat Sheffield United 5-1 at St James' Park on Saturday. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly running out of patience with one of their first-team attackers as their Premier League title fight ends with a whimper. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah made a cryptic "fire" comment after his touchline row with Jurgen Klopp in the Reds' 2-2 draw with West Ham United. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea are prepared to part ways with four home-grown players this summer in order to retain Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain-linked defender Levi Colwill, according to a report. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City will be looking to strengthen their Premier League title when they face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are leading the race ahead of both Manchester City and Manchester United to sign Brighton & Hove Albion attacker Kaoru Mitoma this summer, according to a report. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United manager David Moyes has insisted that his side did not specifically target any aerial weaknesses in Liverpool's defence during their 2-2 draw at the London Stadium this afternoon. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Rather than a glorious send-off for one of their greatest-ever managers, the story of Jurgen Klopp's final season as Liverpool boss is fast turning into what might have been. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Jarrod Bowen has followed in the footsteps of Geoff Hurst and Paolo Di Canio after scoring in West Ham United's 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool's Premier League title chances effectively crashed and burned in a 2-2 draw with West Ham United at the London Stadium, where Jurgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah were seen engaging in a touchline spat in the second half. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Premier League and Serie A-winning head coach Antonio Conte has supposedly agreed a return to management by signing a three-year contract with an Italian giant. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool title hopes suffer huge setback against West Ham United 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United centre-back Victor Lindelof is reportedly being linked with a transfer away from Old Trafford this summer, with Galatasaray showing apparent interest. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez have been dropped from Liverpool's starting lineup for their Premier League clash with West Ham United at the London Stadium. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur could supposedly make a surprise U-turn on their decision to accept offers for out-of-favour midfielder Giovani Lo Celso this summer. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur could supposedly try to steal a march on their rivals in the race for Genoa's Albert Gudmundsson by proposing a swap deal for the Icelandic striker. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly deployed scouts to keep an eye on a prolific Primeira Liga centre-forward also wanted by Arsenal. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Leicester City make the trip to Deepdale to face Preston North End looking for the win that could secure the Championship title. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Promoted together last year, Genoa and Cagliari will both seek points to secure Serie A survival when they meet at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Monday. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona boss Xavi must find a solution to Frenkie de Jong's absence for Monday's La Liga contest with Valencia at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich have been holding conversations with Ralf Rangnick regarding the possibility of replacing Thomas Tuchel, according to the club's former president Uli Hoeness. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk On the brink of relinquishing their La Liga crown, Barcelona at least endeavour to salvage some pride when Valencia arrive at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Monday night.