Preview: Barnsley vs Mansfield Town - prediction, team news, lineups

With visitors Mansfield Town lingering in League One's relegation zone, Barnsley will hope to get the better of their opponents at Oakwell on Friday and move closer to the playoff spots.

The hosts are 10th with 28 points and are six points from sixth-placed Bolton Wanderers, whereas the visitors are fourth last in 21st place with 23 points having lost 2-1 against Stockport County on December 20.

Match preview

The festive period has not proven kind to Barnsley, who have lost two and drawn one of their past four league games.

Their most recent clash was a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Exeter City on December 20, a match in which their only shot on target came in the third minute of second-half stoppage time.

Boss Conor Hourihane will hope for defensive improvement on Friday considering his side have conceded eight times in their last three fixtures.

The Reds have also been poor at the front end of the pitch, failing to find the back of the net twice in their six most recent games, while only scoring one goal in three of those contests.

A triumph on Friday would be Barnsley's third in a row at home in the league, and it would also be their fifth in seven League One outings at Oakwell.

Mansfield Town would not have expected to beat fifth-placed Stockport, but they will still be disappointed that they failed to hold onto their 28th-minute lead, and it should be noted their tally of 13 shots inside the box was more than double that of the victors (six).

Head coach Nigel Clough's side are only one place and one point from 20th-placed Exeter City, who are outside the relegation zone, though they are winless in their last seven in the league.

In that period, the visitors were beaten five times, scoring three goals while conceding on 11 occasions.

The Stags won both encounters with their hosts in League One last term, winning 2-1 in both matches.

Mansfield have won one and drawn one of their two most recent away trips, whereas they had been defeated five of their prior seven away fixtures in all competitions, emerging victorious just once.

Barnsley League One form:

Barnsley form (all competitions):

Mansfield Town League One form:

Mansfield Town form (all competitions):

Team News

Barnsley top scorer Davis Keillor-Dunn is set to lead the forward line, and the striker may be supporterd by wide attackers Neil Farrugia and Reyes Cleary.

Considering midfielder Adam Phillips was withdrawn due to injury last time out, his involvement against Mansfield is in doubt, so perhaps Vimal Yoganathan will come into the XI and play next to Luca Connell.

Centre-backs Marc Roberts and Jack Shepherd are likely to retain their places, while Murphy Cooper is set to feature between the posts.

As for Mansfield, Stephen McLaughlin and Louis Reed are candidates to start in the middle of the pitch, and they may appear ahead of central defenders Oshilaja, Sweeney, Cargill.

If the visitors continue to use a front three, then expect to see an attack consisting of Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Aaron Lewis and Will Evans.

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Bland, Roberts, Shepherd, Watson; Yoganathan, Connell; Farrugia, Kelly, Cleary; Keillor-Dunn

Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:

Roberts; Oshilaja, Sweeney, Cargill; Hewitt, Reed, McLaughlin, Blake-Tracy; Moriah-Welsh, Lewis; Evans

We say: Barnsley 2-1 Mansfield Town

Though Barnsley have not been productive in the final third, they have still managed to get by at home in recent weeks.

Mansfield's displays at the back have been poor, and their form heading into Friday's clash is concerning, so the hosts should be seen as clear favourites.

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