Relegation-threatened Morecambe will continue their fight to beat the drop when they clash with Accrington Stanley in League Two at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium on Saturday.
The hosts are second-bottom with 23 points from 30 games, while the 20th-placed visitors will go out in search of a win to move further away from the relegation zone.
Match preview
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Currently placed 23rd in the standings and occupying one of the automatic relegation spots with 23 points from 30 fixtures, Morecambe's two-year stay in League Two is under threat.
The hosts started the season in unimpressive fashion, failing to win in their first 10 fixtures in the league - a run which included five losses on the trot, four draws and another defeat - before claiming their first victory, a 1-0 triumph over Barrow in gameweek 11.
However, the Shrimps were quickly brought back down to earth with three consecutive losses to MK Dons (3-1) AFC Wimbledon (3-0) and Chesterfield (5-2) to compound their woes.
More recently, the hosts have not seen an improvement in their form, claiming only one win in their last seven encounters in all competitions, further highlighting their inconsistent showing this term.
The home form of Derek Adams's team has also been worrisome, with only two victories in 13 matches in front of their fans — a record which is the joint-worst in the division, meaning the Shrimps will be tested against a Stanley side that have fared better on their travels with four wins on the road this term.
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Elsewhere, Accrington Stanley started 2025 on a bright note, claiming two consecutive wins over Grimsby Town (3-2) and Colchester United (2-0) to snap a seven-game winless spell.
However, since the back-to-back victories, the Reds have claimed a solitary win in the following six league fixtures, with the other results being three defeats and two draws.
That inconsistent run in the league has seen them slip to 20th in the standings having amassed 30 points from 29 matches this term — seven ahead of Saturday's hosts, and three places above the relegation zone with one game in hand over their opponents.
Although the visitors have claimed only two wins in their last eight League Two outings away from home, they have plundered 10 goals in that time, and recorded four victories on the road — one more than they have managed at the Crown Ground in the current campaign.
Indeed, only nine teams have claimed more wins on the road than the away side, and their resolve to put up a fight on their travels could come in handy on Saturday.
Ahead of this meeting, the visitors hold the bragging rights, having recorded a 2-1 triumph in their last League Two clash in October, and they can draw some confidence from that going into Saturday's contest.
Team News
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Gwion Edwards is sidelined with an ankle injury, and he is expected to be out for at least six weeks, hence, he will not be available for selection on Saturday.
Ben Tollit came on as a substitute last weekend, but he is expected to make the starting XI on Saturday, while Lee Angol and Stuart Moore are not in contention to feature for the hosts.
Ryan Schofield was a surprise inclusion in Morecambe's starting XI in their last outing, but given his decent showing last time out, he is expected to keep his place in the team.
For the visitors, there are no fresh injury concerns, and John Doolan could field the same team as in their last outing.
Devon Matthews, Farrend Rawson and Sonny Aljofree should make up the back three in front of William Crellin who should start between the sticks.
Morecambe possible starting lineup:
Schofield; Tuttonda, Taylor, Stott, Hendrie; Hope, Songo'o; Cooke, Macadam, Dallas; Tollit
Accrington Stanley possible starting lineup:
Crellin; Matthews, Rawson, Aljofree; O'Brien, Conneely, Woods, Hunter, Batty; Walton, Mooney
We say: Morecambe 1-2 Accrington Stanley
Both teams have struggled recently, but the visitors have shown flashes of brilliance this season as exemplified by their victories over Colchester United, Grimsby Town and Crewe Alexandra in recent times.
That said, the visitors are likely to edge this fixture and we predict a 2-1 for Doolan's team.
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