Cambridge United can move outside of League One's relegation places with a positive result against Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday evening.
The visitors, meanwhile, almost certainly require all three points if they are to keep their slim hopes of securing a playoff position alive.
Match preview
© Reuters
Having appeared to be doomed to succumb to relegation back to League Two, Cambridge have turned things around by claiming 10 points from an unbeaten run of four matches in recent weeks.
Strikes from Harrison Dunk and Sam Smith either side of half time provided Mark Bonner's side with an invaluable victory against their local rivals Peterborough United at the weekend, moving them level on points with 20th-placed Oxford United.
Although Oxford's goal difference is significantly superior to Cambridge's, all the momentum appears to be with Bonner's side, as the two clubs ready themselves for a relegation battle even more intense than the famous annual boating race between their two cities' prestigious universities.
With a tough trip to automatic promotion contenders Plymouth Argyle awaiting them at the weekend, Cambridge will clearly be targeting all three points on home turf against Wycombe on Tuesday, while simultaneously hoping for a favour from Portsmouth away to Oxford.
© Reuters
Wycombe, meanwhile, saw their playoff hopes significantly dented by a 1-0 defeat away to relegation-threatened Morecambe at the weekend.
Despite amassing 20 shots and 11 corners across the course of the encounter at the Globe Arena, Matt Bloomfield's side could not find a way beyond opposing goalkeeper Connor Ripley, before Cole Stockton scored a dramatic winner with only one minute of normal time remaining on the clock.
The loss leaves Wycombe five points behind sixth-placed Peterborough with only four matches of the season remaining for both teams, meaning the Chairboys will surely require maximum points if they are to reach the playoffs for a second successive campaign.
As such, there is clearly huge pressure on Bloomfield and his players when they arrive in Cambridgeshire on Tuesday evening, which is not ideal when coming up against a team desperately scrapping for all three points themselves.
Team News
© Reuters
Cambridge will remain without Adam May due to a serious knee injury, with Bonner unlikely to make any changes from the side which performed to an extremely high level when beating Peterborough at the weekend.
That means Joe Ironside, who has struggled to make an impact this season after hitting double figures in his previous two campaigns for the U's, may have to settle for a place on the substitutes bench once again.
Wycombe, meanwhile, may shake things up after struggling to create clear cut chances during their defeat to Morecambe last time out, with Sam Vokes and Gareth McCleary likely to return to their starting XI.
Chem Campbell and Tjay De Barr could make way for the duo, who would bring a wealth of experience and quality to the visitors' attack as Bloomfield's side look to keep pace with the top six.
Cambridge United possible starting lineup:
Mitov; L. Bennett, Morrison, R. Bennett, Dunk; McGrandles, Digby; Brophy, Lankester, Knibbs; Smith
Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Stryjek; McCarthy, Grimmer, Forino-Joseph, Jacobson; Wheeler, Wing, Scowen, McCleary; Vokes, Hanlan
We say: Cambridge United 1-0 Wycombe Wanderers
Morecambe laid the template for their relegation rivals Cambridge to follow in terms of keeping Wycombe at bay at the weekend, and we expect the hosts to do exactly that on Tuesday.
The U's have been in excellent form during recent weeks and appear to have renewed optimism in terms of staying in the division, whereas Wycombe's playoff hopes were surely ended by their surprise defeat in the North West at the weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Brett Curtis
