Lincoln City vs Burton Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

With an opportunity to close the gap on league leaders Cardiff City, Lincoln City welcome struggling Burton Albion to LNER Stadium on Thursday night for a huge League One clash.

The Imps made it nine unbeaten in the league after their draw away to Luton Town, while the Brewers got a much-needed win at home to Huddersfield Town. 

Match preview

After a mid-table finish last season, Michael Skubala’s side have taken League One by storm and are shaping up as serious contenders for promotion to the Championship.

Across 26 league fixtures, Lincoln have recorded 14 wins, seven draws and five defeats, placing them second on 49 points and six behind Cardiff City.

One of those victories came during the festive period when they beat the Welsh leaders 2-1, helping to slowly narrow the gap at the top.

One concern for the Imps fans may be the fact Skubala's name has been linked with a move to the vacant manager's role at Huddersfield Town, since Lee Grant's departure over the weekend. 

However, Lincoln will look to shut out any distractions, with another three points on Thursday leaving them just nine short of last season’s final tally.

© Imago

 As for the visitors, Burton Albion ended a three-game League One losing streak with a vital win over promotion-hunting Huddersfield Town. 

Their 750th game in the EFL was marked with their biggest victory of the season as Terence Vancooten, Jake Beesley and JJ McKiernan all scored to give the relegation candidates hope of survival as the business end of the season draws closer. 

The stunning and much-needed win for the Brewers was enough to lift them out of the relegation zone ahead of another big clash and give the Terriers no choice but to part ways with Grant. 

Although a tougher task lies ahead for Gary Bowyer's men on Thursday night, their successive wins in all competitions will give them confidence of causing another big upset. 

Burton sit on 30 points, only one clear of the dreaded drop zone, and will take encouragement from the reverse fixture in which Lincoln needed an 89th-minute winner from Ben House to claim victory.

Lincoln City League One form:

W W W D W D

Burton Albion League One form:

Burton Albion form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Despite enjoying a great run, Lincoln have suffered a number of injuries this season and remain without several first-team players again. 

Tom Bayliss, James Collins, House, Adam Jackson, Josh Honohan and Oscar Thorn are all expected to miss Thursday night's clash.

Expect captain Tendayi Darikwa to remain at full-back with Tom Hamer, Sonny Bradley and Adam Reach joining him across the back four. 

As for Burton Albion, they came away from their latest clash with no further injury concerns and may be tempted to keep things the same after their latest win. 

Finn Delap, James Jones, Kain Adom, Alex Hartridge, Udoka Godwin-Malife, Seb Revan and Charlie Webster are all expected to miss out again. 

The Brewers did however welcome Beesley back to the starting XI, after missing the previous two matches, and was able to mark his return with an eighth league goal of the season. 

Lincoln City possible starting lineup:

Wickens; Darikwa, Hamer, Bradley, Reach; McGrandles, Jefferies; Hackett, Moylan, Street; Draper

Burton Albion possible starting lineup:

Collins; Godwin-Malife, Vancooten, Sibbick; Lofthouse, Evans, Chauke, Williams, Armer; McKiernan, Beesley

We say: Lincoln City 3-0 Burton Albion

Coming into this one at opposite ends of the table, we see this one going one way. Bidding to close the gap between themselves and the league leaders, we expect Lincoln City to cruise to victory and make it ten unbeaten.

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