Carlisle United will be hoping to bring an end to a wretched run of form in League One when they face off against Cambridge United at Brunton Park on Saturday evening.
The hosts are favourites to be relegated this season, having managed just 20 points from 31 league matches, while the visitors are still uncomfortably close to the dotted line with 35 points after 30 league games.
Match preview
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After a thrilling League Two playoff triumph against Stockport County at Wembley last season, the transition to League One has proven to be a formidable task for Carlisle, who are rooted to the bottom of the league standings.
Under the guidance of ex-player Paul Simpson, the Cumbrians have a massive task on their hands if they are to avoid heading straight back down, with a disheartening 12-point gap separating them from safety as they head towards the final quarter of the season.
Their series of six consecutive league losses has also exacerbated their problems, with the most recent of those defeats coming in a close 1-0 loss at this venue against league leaders Portsmouth last weekend.
In addition, Carlisle's defensive vulnerabilities, highlighted by the league's second-worst record of 51 goals conceded, coupled with a lacklustre attack producing only 26 goals, make retaining their current league status all the more unlikely.
A win here for the hosts is an absolute must, but they have not fared well against this opponent, having lost the reverse fixture 1-0 back in October, marking their third consecutive defeat against Cambridge since September 2020.
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Meanwhile, now under the leadership of manager Neil Harris, who took over after the departure of Mark Bonner earlier in the season, Cambridge have shown commendable resilience in the face of a challenging campaign.
Still, there is a long way yet to go until the U's can breathe a little more easily, as they are just four points above Port Vale, who are the first side in the drop zone, though they do have two games in hand on most of the sides around them.
However, a recent downturn in performance, including consecutive losses to Pompey and Cheltenham Town, emphasises the necessity for Cambridge to regain their winning momentum and distance themselves from the relegation battle.
Although Cambridge have only been able to match the same number of goals as Carlisle this season (26), they have shown greater defensive strength, conceding only 38 goals, which is a tally bettered by only six other sides in the league.
While the visitors head into this match as the marginal favourites according to most bookmakers, their away record is far from impressive, with six losses in their last 10 on the road and just two wins in 14 games across the season to date.
Team News
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Joshua Kayode has recommenced light training after an extended absence due to injury, but Simpson mentioned that he only expects the Rotherham United loanee to return by the end of the month ahead of the side's match against Portsmouth last weekend.
Jack Diamond and Jack Robinson both shook off knocks to feature in last weekend's defeat and should be fine to start again here, while Josh Emmanuel could return to the squad this week after a spell on the sideline due to injury.
Cambridge United striker Gassan Ahadme scored nine goals in 24 appearances for the club this season but will remain sidelined for this match as he continues to recover from a stress fracture to his foot.
Fejiri Okenabirhie, who has contributed five goals this term, is also expected to miss out this weekend due to injury, which will likely mean that January arrival Lyle Taylor will continue to lead the line, having netted three times in his first six matches for the U's.
Carlisle United possible starting lineup:
Lewis; Back, Lavelle, Barclay, Robinson; Gibson, Vela, Neal, Mellish, Diamond; Armstrong
Cambridge United possible starting lineup:
Stevens; L. Bennett, R. Bennett, Morrison, Andrew; Digby, Cousins; Kaikai, Kachunga, Lankester; Taylor
We say: Carlisle United 1-1 Cambridge United
While Carlisle have lost four of their last five home games, it is worth pointing out that three of those defeats were against teams in the top six this season. With just two wins on the road, Cambridge's away record is far from solid and we feel that they will have to settle for a share of the spoils in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
