Preview:Cambridge United vs Barnet - prediction, team news, lineups

Both looking to bridge the gap between themselves and the top seven, Cambridge United welcome Barnet to the Cledara Abbey Stadium on Saturday for a League Two match.

The U's picked up a share of the points at the base of Salford City last time out, whereas the Bees managed a draw at home versus MK Dons.

Match preview

After spending the past four years rubbing shoulders with teams such as Bolton Wanderers and Birmingham City in League One, Cambridge United are back in the fourth tier of English football, looking to secure an immediate return to a higher level following last term's relegation.

With consecutive defeats to Barnet and Notts County rounding off an inconsistent October run, the U's have commenced their November schedule with a three-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, playing out a goalless draw with Salford last weekend.

Following the collection of a respectable point in the Greater Manchester area last time out, Cambridge are currently occupying 12th spot in the League One rankings ahead of this weekend's hosting of Barnet, just three points behind Gillingham in the lowest of the playoff spots.

The U's should be supremely confident of recording their third win in four matches on Saturday afternoon, with Neil Harris's men victorious in each of their last six contests at the Abbey Stadium, with only Swindon Town (17) earning more home points than Cambridge's 16 in the fourth tier to date.

A shining light for his side in the midst of a challenging League One campaign last season, James Brophy continues to be the main attacking threat for this weekend's hosts, with the 31-year-old scoring three goals and setting up two more in 14 league appearances.

Following an agonising seven-year absence, Barnet are back in the Football League and on a mission to do more than simply make up the numbers in League Two, with Saturday's visitors to Cambridge sitting on the coattails of the playoff conversation after 15 matches.

That being said, the Bees are at risk of falling further into mid-table mediocrity after a three-game winless run in the fourth tier, although a 2-2 draw against MK Dons last time out contained signs of promise, with both Adam Senior and Mark Shelton finding the net.

Winning just one of their last five matches across league, EFL Trophy and FA Cup action, Dean Brennan's troops are sitting in 11th spot in the League Two standings, three points behind the playoffs and a comforting nine points above Shrewsbury Town in 23rd.

On the contrary to Cambridge, this weekend's visitors have tended to do their result collecting on the road this season, with Barnet currently enjoying a six-game away unbeaten run in the fourth tier, with their last defeat away from home arriving all the way back in August.

Although Barnet picked up an EFL Trophy success over Cambridge last month, it is the U's who can boast the most recent league victory between the two sides, with a solitary strike from George Maris securing a League Two triumph on Boxing Day of the 2017-18 term.

Cambridge United League Two form:

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Cambridge United form (all competitions):

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Barnet League Two form:

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Team News

After keeping a solid clean sheet at the base of Salford last time out, Cambridge should stick with a centre-back pairing of Michael Morrison and Mamadou Jobe.

There could be some changes at the top end of the pitch for the U's following their firing of a blank, although Sullay Kaikai should retain his spot in the XI.

One of the potential arrivals into the starting team on Saturday, Louis Appere has not started a League Two match since September due to injury.

Barnet look set to to continue with their 3-4-3 system for the trip to Cambridge, with Ryan Glover and Idris Kanu providing the width.

A journeyman in the EFL at the likes of Portsmouth, Ipswich Town and Mansfield, Oliver Hawkins is currently playing a bit-part role for the Bees.

Cambridge United possible starting lineup:

Eastwood; Bennett, Jobe, Morrison, Watts; Smith, Mpanzu, Brophy, Kaikai, Mayor; Kouassi

Barnet possible starting lineup:

Slicker; Collinge, Tavares, Senior; Glover, Ofoborh, Winterburn, Kanu; Stead, Shelton, Ndlovu

We say: Cambridge United 1-1 Barnet

An unstoppable force meets an immovable object in some ways this weekend as Cambridge's home form battles against Barnet's away exploits.

As a result, we could see a highly-entertaining share of the points at the Abbey Stadium, bringing the result bringing both teams closer to their playoff ambitions.

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