Two sides separated by just two points in the middle of the League One table will do battle on Saturday, as Lincoln City entertain Wycombe Wanderers.
The visitors leapfrogged their hosts and climbed to 10th spot with a 2-0 beating of Portsmouth last weekend and now sit just three points outside of the playoff places.
Match preview
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Lincoln City enjoyed a positive start to the League One campaign under the new management of Mark Kennedy, amassing 21 points from their opening 14 outings, including five victories.
They have since hit a slightly tougher patch, though, only putting five more points on the board in their last five attempts, with an impressive away victory over Barnsley immediately followed by a defeat to Port Vale and back-to-back draws with Accrington Stanley and Plymouth Argyle.
The Imps would then return to winning ways in the third tier with a 2-1 home beating of Morecambe, thanks to goals from Joe Walsh and Ben House, and make it four games unbeaten in all competitions with another win against the Shrimps in the EFL Trophy, having previously knocked Championship side Bristol City out of the EFL Cup.
Aiming to build on that three-point haul and go five matches without a defeat, Kennedy's side most recently travelled to Shrewsbury Town last weekend, but they were unable to leave with a result, eventually losing 2-0 as Luke Leahy and Tom Bayliss got on the scoresheet for the hosts.
With that result seeing them drop below Saturday's opponents and down to 12th spot, the Imps will be keen to bounce back with a victory at the weekend to move back into the top 10 and towards the playoff spots.
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They meet a Wycombe Wanderers side who are vying to continue their climb towards the playoff places, having won two of their last three games in England's third tier.
Three straight victories in October saw the Chairboys strengthen their position in the fight for a top-six spot, but they would go on to suffer a defeat and play out two draws in the following outings, dropping deeper towards mid-table as a result.
Following those disappointing results and an exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Walsall, Wycombe were able to return to winning ways away at Forest Green Rovers, as David Wheeler and Garath McCleary got on the scoresheet, but they did not manage to build on that in the next encounter away at Cheltenham Town, eventually losing 1-0.
Aiming to put an end to their struggles for consistency, Gareth Ainsworth's team most recently took on Portsmouth at home and put an important triumph on the board, as Anis Mehmeti opened the scoring early on and McCleary wrapped up a 2-0 win in the dying minutes.
While they are yet to establish a winning run in their bid for promotion this time around, the Chairboys do now sit just three points outside of the playoff places, and they will look to kick on and strengthen their claim with back-to-back league wins.
Team News
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Despite the defeat last weekend, Mark Kennedy should again refrain from making too many changes to his Lincoln team, having stuck with a relatively established starting XI throughout the campaign, with Timothy Eyoma, Paudie O'Connor and Joe Walsh again set to line up in a back three.
Regan Poole and Jamie Robson will continue to operate in wing-back roles, with Matty Virtue and Max Sanders partnering up in the engine room.
The line will be led by Ben House, who has notched up five league goals so far this season, while winger Jack Diamond has also hit the net five times in 13 third-tier appearances.
Wycombe will likely field an unchanged team from last week's impressive display, with Anis Mehmeti continuing to play a starring role going forward having hit his eighth league goal of the season in that game.
Brandon Hanlan and Sam Vokes will fight to lead the line, with the former preferred against Portsmouth, while Garath McCleary will hope to continue his scoring form from the left flank.
Lewis Wing and Josh Scowen should again partner up at the base of midfield in a 4-2-3-1 setup, while Ryan Tafazolli and Alfie Mawson will both keep their places in the middle of the defence.
Lincoln City possible starting lineup:
Rushworth; Eyoma, O'Connor, Walsh; Poole, Virtue, Sanders, Robson; Diamond, House, Vernam
Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Stryjek; Grimmer, Mawson, Tafazolli, Obita; Wing, Scowen; Wheeler, Mehmeti, McCleary; Hanlan
We say: Lincoln City 1-2 Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe boast plenty of quality in their squad, and we think it is only a matter of time until they charge towards the top six with a run of results.
Taking on a Lincoln side fresh from a disappointing defeat, Ainsworth's men should have enough to prevail and return home with all three points at the weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Sam Varley
