Preview: Leyton Orient vs Barnsley - prediction, team news, lineups

Returning to League One action, in-form Leyton Orient will welcome Barnsley to the BetWright Stadium on Saturday.

The O's are eyeing a fifth win in six games, while the Tykes are looking to build on their victory last time out.

Match preview

Richie Wellens's Orient endured a difficult 2025-26 campaign, narrowly avoiding relegation as they finished 20th in the third tier.

However, the O's have made a stronger start to this term, and come into this clash having won three on the bounce across all competitions.

Last time out, Wellens's side beat Walsall 6-5 on penalties in the EFL Cup's second round after a 0-0 stalemate across 90 minutes.

That narrow triumph followed up Orient's 2-0 league victory over Wigan Athletic last Saturday, and aside from the wins, fans will be pleased to see their team keep three clean sheets from their first five outings of the season.

The state of the table matters little at this stage of the campaign, but the O's currently sit 10th in League One after two matches, and they will be keen to stay within touching distance of the top six - all of whom are at least one point ahead as things stand.

Meanwhile, Daniel Stendel has made a middling beginning to his second Barnsley stint, and he will be hoping to kickstart the campaign with three points this weekend.

The Tykes finished 15th under Conor Hourihane in 2025-26, and made the decision to replace the Irishman by bringing former boss Stendel back to the club, dreaming of recapturing the spirit that saw his 2018-19 side secure promotion to the Championship.

With that goal in mind, it would be fair to say that the team have some way to go, considering Barnsley are yet to earn their first league win of the season.

Last Saturday, Stendel's men collected a point in a 0-0 draw against Doncaster Rovers, a result that was frustrating yet marked an improvement over their 1-0 defeat to Bromley on August 15.

That stalemate has left the Tykes 21st in the table with just a single point to their name, but victory this weekend could lift them into the top half.

If supporters are looking for a reason to be optimistic ahead of Saturday's showdown, they should note that Barnsley have only lost one of their four matches this season, and after beating Crewe Alexandra 3-2 in the EFL Cup on Tuesday, a league win may not be far behind.

Leyton Orient League One form:

Leyton Orient form (all competitions):

Barnsley League One form:

Barnsley form (all competitions):

Team News

Having started against Walsall, Noah Phillips could continue between the sticks on Saturday if Nathan Baxter is unavailable, shielded by a centre-back pairing of Joseph Olowu and Phillip Chinedu.

Isaac Hayden is set to anchor the midfield from the number six role, with Zech Obiero and Idris El Mizouni operating just in front of the 31-year-old.

Further forward, Jaze Kabia may lead the line once again, supported from out wide by Yusuf Akhamrich and Tony Springett.

As for Barnsley, they could line up with Cameron McGeehan and Luca Connell in a double pivot at the base of midfield, while Patrick Kelly starts in the number 10 role.

Amani Richards and Luke Alker should be on hand to continue on the flanks, supporting striker Makenzie Kirk up top.

Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:

Phillips; Stevens, Olowu, Chinedu, Morris; Hayden; Akhamrich, Obiero, El Mizouni, Springett; Kabia

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Ravenhill; Noslin, Gale, Earl, Kay; McGeehan, Connell; Richards, Kelly, Alker; Kirk

We say: Leyton Orient 1-1 Barnsley

Orient may have won four of their last five games, but two of those victories were on penalties in cup matches.

Additionally, Barnsley are yet to win a game in League One this season, but they have only lost once across all competitions, and could hold their hosts to a draw on Saturday.

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