Two sides in contrasting forms in League One go head to head as AFC Wimbledon play host to Wycombe Wanderers at Plough Lane Stadium on Monday.
While the Chairboys head into the game unbeaten in each of their last nine outings, the hosts will be desperate to pick up their first win since last December.
Match preview
© Reuters
AFC Wimbledon hit another nadir in League One as they were on the receiving end of a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Crewe Alexandra when the sides met at Mornflake Stadium on Friday.
After going into half time with the lead courtesy of Sam Cosgrove's 19th-minute opener, the Dons imploded once again, conceding three goals in the final 30 minutes of the game as Mikael Mandron, Christopher Long and Bassala Sambou all scored to hand the hosts a comeback victory.
Mark Bowen's men have now failed to taste victory in any of their last 25 outings across all competitions, losing 14 and claiming 11 draws since a 2-0 win at Accrington Stanley on December 7.
This dire run, and their general underperformance this season, can be pinned to their struggles on home turf, where they have picked up just two wins and currently hold the league's joint-worst record with 19 points from 21 games so far.
Their struggles at the defensive end of the pitch has also been another key factor as they have conceded 69 goals so far, although they have been solid at the opposite end of the pitch with 44 goals scored so far.
With 35 points from 43 games, AFC Wimbledon are currently 22nd in the League One standings, four points off Gillingham just outside the relegation zone and five above rock-bottom Crewe Alexandra.
© Reuters
Wycombe Wanderers, on the other hand, kept their hopes of a playoff finish alive last time out when they cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle.
Jamaican forward Garath McCleary put on a clinic at the Adams Park Stadium as he scored twice in the opening half hour to condemn the visitors to their second defeat in 10 games.
Gareth Ainsworth's side are now unbeaten in each of their last nine outings, claiming six wins and three draws while scoring 16 goals and keeping six clean sheets since a 3-2 defeat away to Accrington Stanley on February 26.
Wycombe Wanderers have picked up 21 wins, 13 draws and lost nine of their 43 games this season to collect 76 points and sit sixth in the table, level on points with Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland.
With only three games left to play this season, the Chairboys are still in the mix for a place in the playoffs, but next up is an opposing side who are unbeaten in each of the last four meetings between the sides since, claiming two wins and two draws since a 2-0 friendly defeat back in 2017.
- L
- L
- L
- D
- D
- L
- W
- D
- W
- W
- D
- W
Team News
© Reuters
AFC Wimbledon head into the game with a host of injured players, particularly at the attacking end of the pitch, as the likes of Aaron Cosgrave, Jack Madelin and Kaja Egli all continue their spells on the sidelines.
Nineteen-year-old Zach Robinson adds to the Dons' attacking crisis after the Englishman missed the trip to Crewe Alexandra after picking up an injury against Milton Keynes Dons last weekend.
Centre-back Cheye Alexander will also play no part in Monday's game as the 27-year-old is set to sit out his seventh consecutive game after coming off injured 25 minutes into the game versus Lincoln City back in March.
Meanwhile, Wycombe Wanderers will be without the services of Nick Freeman, who has been out of action since last August through a severe injury.
He is joined on the Chairboys' injury table by Anthony Stewart and Albanian midfielder Anis Mehmeti, who was hauled off the pitch injured just 11 minutes into the game against Gillingham last Saturday.
Wycombe will be boosted by the return of Lewis Wing, who has now served his suspension for seeing red in the aforementioned game, while Dominic Gape returned to action in Friday's tie against Plymouth Argyle following an eight-game injury absence.
AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:
Tzanev; Nightingale, Heneghan, Brown; Lawrence, McCormick, Woodyard, Guinness-Walker; Rudoni, Assal, Cosgrove
Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Stockdale; McCarthy, Tafazolli, Forino-Joseph, Jacobsen; Gape, Wing; Hanlan, Horgan, McCleary; Vokes
We say: AFC Wimbledon 1-2 Wycombe Wanderers
While AFC Wimbledon will be seeking to end their horrid run, they go up against an in-form Wycombe Wanderers side who are unbeaten in nine straight games and are pushing for a place in the playoffs. Given their contrasting form, we predict the visitors will come away with all three points in this one.
Top tip
Joshua Ojele
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Wycombe Wanderers win with a probability of 53.11%. A draw had a probability of 24.6% and a win for AFC Wimbledon had a probability of 22.32%.
The most likely scoreline for a Wycombe Wanderers win was 0-1 with a probability of 12%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 0-2 (9.87%) and 1-2 (9.6%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (11.67%), while for an AFC Wimbledon win it was 1-0 (7.1%). The actual scoreline of 1-1 was predicted with an 11.7% likelihood.
