Preview: Bradford City vs Barnsley - prediction, team news, lineups

With a chance to move to the top of the League One table, Bradford City will welcome Barnsley to the University of Bradford Stadium for a Yorkshire derby on Saturday.

The hosts trail league leaders Stevenage by a single point in the midst of a four-match unbeaten run, while their visitors have dropped to eighth spot in recent weeks.

Match preview

Bradford City return to League One action on Saturday with their sights set on top spot in League One, having enjoyed a fine start in their first season back in England's third tier.

After winning promotion from League Two last time around, the Bantams have enjoyed a seamless transition thus far, amassing 24 points from their first 11 outings.

That is largely down to a perfect home record, with Graham Alexander's men having won each of their first five league outings at the University of Bradford Stadium, most recently hosting Blackpool in late September and making it three straight victories as Josh Neufville netted the only goal early in the second half.

A trip to Rotherham United then followed before the recent international break, and the Bantams fought from 2-0 down to share the points as Antoni Sarcevic halved the deficit in the 56th minute and Alex Pattison levelled nine minutes from time.

Now returning to the league on the back of a 5-1 midweek EFL Trophy win over Everton Under-21s, with Stephen Humphrys netting a brace alongside goals from Calum Kavanagh, George Lapslie and Pattison, Bradford City will bid to keep building momentum and leapfrog leaders Stevenage.

Their visitors, meanwhile, make the trip across Yorkshire aiming to end a five-match winless run in all competitions and return to League One's top-six picture after a drop to ninth place.

Barnsley's first full season under the management of Conor Hourihane has been a mixed one thus far, as they currently sit on 17 points from 10 games, having earned 16 of those in the first seven outings.

That fast start culminated in back-to-back wins over Huddersfield Town and Reading, but they would go on to suffer consecutive defeats at the hands of Blackpool and Port Vale alongside cup losses to Brighton & Hove Albion and Notts County in late September.

The Reds' last outing came in a trip to Wycombe Wanderers before the October international break, and Hourihane's men were at least able to end a four-match losing run in a 2-2 draw, albeit in disappointing fashion having led 2-0 through Reyes Cleary and Davis Keillor-Dunn before being pegged back by goals from Sam Bell and Alex Lowry in the dying minutes.

Now returning after a two-week break, Barnsley will aim to put that disappointment behind them and climb back within touching distance of the playoff spots, with sixth-placed AFC Wimbledon now five points ahead.

Bradford City League One form:

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Bradford City form (all competitions):

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Barnsley League One form:

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Barnsley form (all competitions):

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Team News

Bradford City will remain without defenders Curtis Tilt and Aden Baldwin on Saturday due to ongoing injuries.

Despite the statement midweek victory, Graham Alexander will revert to a similar starting XI from the last league outing, with Will Swan and Bobby Pointon bound to return in attack having netted six and five goals respectively so far this term.

Stephen Humphrys will compete to stay in attack against his former club after Tuesday's brace, though, while Alex Pattison and Tommy Leigh will battle to regain their midfield spots despite competition from Max Power and Jenson Metcalfe.

Barnsley are still unable to call on defenders Marc Roberts and Georgie Gent and attacker Fabio Jalo, with the trio confined to the treatment room.

Reyes Cleary should keep his spot in the attack after opening his account for the club last time out, while David McGoldrick will hope to return in support of star attacker Davis Keillor-Dunn, who netted his seventh goal of the season in their draw with Wycombe Wanderers.

Jon Russell will compete to rejoin Luca Connell in the engine room, while Jack Shepherd, who spent last season on loan with Bradford City in their promotion-winning campaign, should again join Josh Earl at the heart of the defence.

Bradford City possible starting lineup:

Walker; Byrne, McIntyre, Touray; Neufville, Power, Pattison, Wright; Sarcevic, Pointon; Swan

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Watson, Shepherd, Earl, Ogbeta; Connell, Russell; Phillips, McGoldrick, Cleary; Keillor-Dunn

We say: Bradford City 2-1 Barnsley

Barnsley certainly possess the quality to hurt Bradford City despite their tough run of form before the break, but with the hosts only continuing to build momentum on their return to League One, we see them extending their perfect record at the University of Bradford Stadium.

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