Lincoln City will host Rotherham United at the LNER Stadium on Tuesday as they look to put together consecutive victories in League One after defeating Cambridge United on Saturday.
Both clubs find themselves in mid-table at the moment after a mixed start to the season, with a win proving to be important for each team.
Match preview
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Lincoln City head into this game in confident fashion after picking up a dominant victory on Saturday when they collided with Cambridge United, earning the three points after a 5-1 win.
It was an impressive performance from Michael Appleton's men, who showcased their attacking qualities, with a goal in the first minute of the match setting the tone for the rest of the performance.
A brace from Anthony Scully helped earn his team three points, with the young forward enjoying a fantastic start to the season, having scored nine goals in all competitions so far, being one of the most lethal attackers in the league.
Despite a trio of defeats in August, the Imps have been able to put a stop to their losing run with a couple of victories in the EFL Trophy and then again on Saturday.
Lincoln have managed to secure two wins so far this season, which is something that they will be keen to build on after narrowly missing out on promotion during the 2020-21 campaign.
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The Imps were one of the most impressive teams in the league last year, which saw them head to the playoff finals where they were beaten by Blackpool, but the club is now eager to get back to that position once again.
Paul Warne's squad are also keen to earn promotion to the Championship after they suffered relegation last season, which makes this a game of real importance for both teams.
Rotherham United were also involved in a high-scoring game this past weekend, but despite having a 2-1 lead at half time, they ended up being defeated by Fleetwood Town with a 4-2 loss.
The Millers had put together consecutive victories prior to that game, having kept two clean sheets in the process, which is something that they will be hoping to return to on Tuesday.
Consistency has proven to be a problem for both teams so far in the league, which is something that they will each need to improve upon if they want to be involved in the promotion chase, particularly for Rotherham, who have not won consecutively in the league yet this season.
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Team News
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Teddy Bishop was forced to withdraw in the second half against Cambridge on Saturday, which was a cause of concern for Lincoln, with the ankle injury potentially seeing the playmaker miss out on Tuesday's game.
However, Adam Jackson could return to the side, adding aerial strength to the defensive side of Appleton's team, with the central defender being a commanding presence.
Scully will also be set to keep his place in the team due to the fantastic form he has been in this season, with the winger set to continue being the main threat for the Imps.
Will Grigg made an immediate impact on his debut for Rotherham in the EFL Trophy, finding the back of the net, and after coming off the bench on Saturday, the experienced striker could be in the starting lineup.
Chiedozie Ogbene was able to overcome a hamstring problem to feature against Fleetwood and he should retain his place in the team, while Mickel Miller will once again be available after serving his suspension.
Lincoln City possible starting lineup:
Griffiths; Poole, Jackson, Montsma, Robson; Bishop, Bridcutt, McGrandles; Scully, Adelakun, Hopper
Rotherham United possible starting lineup:
Johansson; Ihiekwe, Wood, Harding; Lindsay, Ogbene, Sadlier, Rathbone, Wiles; Grigg, Smith
We say: Lincoln City 2-1 Rotherham United
This is likely going to be a closely fought contest between two teams who are looking to climb the league table and pick up more consistent points.
However, with the firepower of Scully, Lincoln City might just have the edge in this particular game, especially with the home advantage.
Top tip
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Lincoln City win with a probability of 36.92%. A win for Rotherham United had a probability of 35.56% and a draw had a probability of 27.5%.
The most likely scoreline for a Lincoln City win was 1-0 with a probability of 10.88%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (7.97%) and 2-0 (6.66%). The likeliest Rotherham United win was 0-1 (10.63%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (13.01%). The actual scoreline of 1-1 was predicted with a 13% likelihood.
