MX23RW : Tuesday, December 17 22:32:53| >> :120:56223:56223:
[monks data]
Wycombe Wanderers
League One | Gameweek 36
Mar 2, 2024 at 3pm UK
Adams Park
Barnsley

Wycombe
2 - 4
Barnsley

Taylor (16'), Sadlier (52')
Grimmer (44'), Leahy (45+1'), Kone (74')
Wheeler (68')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Cosgrove (45+2'), Pines (56'), O'Keeffe (65'), Grant (72')
Phillips (35'), Cosgrove (44'), Russell (90+7')

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

Sports Mole previews Saturday's League One clash between Wycombe Wanderers and Barnsley, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Aiming to ramp up their pursuit of the top two in the League One table, Barnsley will travel to Adams Park to take on Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.

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:


Wycombe Wanderers form (all competitions):


Barnsley League One form:


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


SM words green background

We say: Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 Barnsley

Barnsley are prone to winning narrowly in tight games in recent months, and we envisage another three-point haul on Saturday, with the hosts bound to trouble them in a tough trip but Collins's men boasting the quality and momentum to get over the line again.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


ID:537867:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect13077:
Written by
Sam Varley

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: Wycombe vs Barnsley

Wycombe Wanderers
29.2%
Draw
4.2%
Barnsley
66.7%
24
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Luton Town's John Mcatee and Chiedozie Ogbene during the warm up before the match on February 9, 2024
Read Next:
Luton's John McAtee 'turned down Ipswich, Sunderland offers'
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Wycombe WanderersWycombe19134243222143
2Birmingham CityBirmingham18133234161842
3Wrexham20125330131741
4Huddersfield TownHuddersfield19113530181236
5Stockport CountyStockport2096532211133
6Reading199463028231
7Barnsley208662926330
8Bolton WanderersBolton189362829-130
9Lincoln CityLincoln207762625128
10Blackpool197572931-226
11Mansfield TownMansfield187472222025
12Stevenage187471517-225
13Peterborough UnitedPeterborough197393735224
14Charlton AthleticCharlton196671819-124
15Exeter CityExeter197391721-424
16Wigan AthleticWigan196581716123
17Rotherham UnitedRotherham186571920-123
18Leyton Orient196491920-122
19Northampton TownNorthampton205692129-821
20Bristol Rovers1963101728-1121
21Crawley TownCrawley1954102032-1219
22Cambridge UnitedCambridge1945102031-1117
23Burton Albion1926111630-1412
24Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury1932141939-2011


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!