Preview: Wycombe Wanderers vs. Barnsley - prediction, team news, lineups

Thanks to a fine run of form, the Reds only trail the automatic promotion spots by three points with games in hand on the sides above them, while their hosts climbed to 14th spot with a midweek victory.

Match preview

Wycombe Wanderers return to action on Saturday aiming to make it back-to-back wins in League One having moved clear of the threat of relegation in recent weeks with an improved run under Matt Bloomfield.

Following a span of 17 league games between late October and the end of January which produced just one win alongside seven defeats, the Chairboys sat in a concerning position on just 31 points from 28 outings, but they have since corrected their form somewhat, adding 10 points to that tally in six further attempts.

Matt Bloomfield's side ended a four-match winless run away at Cheltenham Town, before dishing out a 5-2 beating at home to promotion-chasing Peterborough United, only to go on to suffer defeats to high-flying Bolton Wanderers and Stevenage either side of a draw with Oxford United and an EFL Trophy win over Bradford City to book their place in the final at Wembley.

Seeking to quickly bounce back from the away loss to Stevenage last weekend and avoid being dragged back into the mix at the bottom of the division, the Chairboys most recently hosted 21st-placed Cheltenham Town on Tuesday, and after the game looked set to end goalless, they were eventually able to snatch all three points from a 2-0 triumph as Joe Low and Beryly Lubala got on the scoresheet in the final five minutes.

With that result seeing them climb back up to 14th spot, eight points clear of the drop zone and five outside of the top half, Wycombe Wanderers will now bid to make it back-to-back triumphs to improve their standing at the weekend.

They face a tough test though, as the visitors arrive in fine form in the fight for automatic promotion back to England's second tier this season.

Barnsley head into the weekend in a strong position at the top end of League One as one of the division's form sides, having suffered just one defeat in their last 17 outings since mid-November while collecting 36 points across those games, climbing to fourth spot as a result with just a three-point gap to the top two.

That solitary defeat came at home to Exeter City in late January, and after following that up with away draws against Bolton Wanderers and Shrewsbury Town either side of a victory over Leyton Orient, they now head into the weekend on the back of a pair of crucial triumphs, firstly prevailing in a 2-1 win away at Fleetwood Town thanks to goals from Sam Cosgrove and Herbie Kane.

The Reds then welcomed second-placed Derby County to Oakwell for a true six-pointer last Saturday, and after falling behind in the 18th minute, they would come away with a crucial 2-1 triumph thanks to Adam Phillips's brace.

Having moved within touching distance of the top two with that result, now only trailing Derby and third-placed Bolton Wanderers by three points with two and one games in hand respectively, Barnsley will bid to build further momentum on Saturday and make it three wins on the bounce with the chance to move into the automatic promotion spots.

Wycombe Wanderers League One form:

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Wycombe Wanderers form (all competitions):

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Barnsley League One form:

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Team News

Matt Bloomfield should field a similar starting XI to their midweek win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday, although first-choice goalkeeper Max Stryjek should return from the outset between the sticks, having served a suspension in that victory with Franco Ravizzoli stepping in.

Attacker Brandon Hanlan remains sidelined by an injury, and Beryly Lubala should come in from the outset in their 4-2-3-1 shape after scoring off the bench against Cheltenham, likely joining Garath McCleary and Dale Taylor in a supporting trio behind lone striker Sam Vokes.

Elsewhere, Josh Scowen will fight to return to the midfield, having settled for a substitute appearance in midweek with Matt Butcher and Freddie Potts preferred, while Ryan Tafazolli and Joe Low again bound to partner up at the heart of a back four.

Barnsley should be unchanged from last weekend's crucial win over Derby County in their 3-5-2 shape, with Adam Phillips bound to continue in an advanced midfield role having taken his tally to six league goals for the season alongside seven assists with his brace in that game.

He should again feature alongside Herbie Kane, with Luca Connell bound to anchor the midfield, while Donovan Pines displaced Jamie McCart and joined Mael de Gevigney and Josh Earl in the back three last weekend.

Jordan Williams and Nicky Cadden will offer further attacking support from wing-back roles, and Devante Cole is bound to again lead the line having notched up 17 third-tier goals so far this term, with John McAtee and Sam Cosgrove fighting to join him.

Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:

Stryjek; Grimmer, Low, Tafazolli, Leahy; Butcher, Scowen; McCleary, Taylor, Lubala; Vokes

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Roberts; De Gevigney, Pines, Earl; Williams, Phillips, Connell, Kane, Cadden; McAtee, Cole

We say: Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 Barnsley

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