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

Lincoln City's quest for promotion from League One will continue when they welcome Barnsley to LNER Stadium on Tuesday.

The fourth-placed hosts occupy the second of four promotion playoff spots, though their points tally of 31 is only six more than their 10th-placed opponents, who held Stockport County to a 1-1 draw on November 29.

Match preview

The hosts overcame Port Vale 1-0 last time out in League One, keeping their seventh clean sheet of the league season, the joint second-most in the division.

Lincoln's xG tally of 22.9 is only the 12th-best in the third tier, though they have scored two or more goals in three of their last five outings in all competitions.

Manager Michael Skubala will be concerned that his side have lost five, drawn one and won three of their nine most recent fixtures.

The team's poor form has come at the wrong time considering they are only four points from first-placed Cardiff City,

LNER Stadium was the staging ground for a 2-0 defeat against Huddersfield Town on December 2 in the EFL Trophy, but they emerged as winners in four of their prior five at home, while they have won three consecutive league matches at the stadium.

The visitors played in the FA Cup on the weekend, beating Peterborough United 1-0 in the second round, meaning their only losses in their last seven fixtures have been in the EFL Trophy.

In that stretch, boss Conor Hourihane guided his players to four victories, including two wins in four League One games.

Barnsley boast the advantage of having played just 15 league fixtures so far, three fewer than their hosts, who they beat twice in the third tier in 2024-25.

The club are averaging the joint second most goals in the division per 90 (1.7), though only seven of the other 23 teams in the league have averaged more goals conceded per 90 (1.3).

Hourihane's side are unbeaten in their past four in the third tier on the road, though the Reds were forced to settle for stalemates on three occasions.

Lincoln City League One form:

Lincoln City form (all competitions):

Barnsley League One form:

Barnsley form (all competitions):

Team News

Lincoln City striker James Collins was challenged heavily when he came on as a late substitute against Huddersfield Town on December 2, and he was forced to leave the field.

If he is unable to make the squad on Tuesday, then Freddie Draper and Justin Obikwu are likely to come into Skubala's thinking.

Jack Moylan and Conor McGrandles are likely to start together in a double pivot, and they could play in front of defenders Thomas Hamer and Sonny Bradley.

Barnsley defenders Nathanael Ogbeta and Josh Earl both have a chance of featuring together in their team's back four after injury layoffs.

Number nine Davis Keillor-Dunn has scored in two of his last three league games, and he is set to be trusted in the forward line.

Lincoln City possible starting lineup:

Wickens; Darikwa, Hamer, Bradley, Reach; Hackett-Fairchild, McGrandles, Moylan, House; Draper, Obikwu

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Mahoney; Watson, Earl, Shepherd, Ogbeta; Phillips, Connell; Kelly, Yoganathan, Cleary; Keillor-Dunn

We say: Lincoln City 1-2 Barnsley

Considering Barnsley have been productive in the final third this season, Lincoln may have to defend for prolonged periods.

The visitors have also fared well on the road recently, so while they have been vulnerable defensively at times, supporters should be confident that their side can claim victory on Tuesday.

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