Preview: Mansfield Town vs AFC Wimbledon - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to avoid four consecutive defeats in the third tier, Mansfield Town welcome AFC Wimbledon to One Call Stadium for a League One clash on Saturday afternoon.

The Stags suffered a sobering defeat to Lincoln City in Nottinghamshire last time out, whilst the Dons picked up a statement victory over Championship-chasing Bradford City on home soil.

Match preview

Enjoying their second straight campaign in League One following promotion from the fourth tier in 2024, Mansfield Town are in the midst of a seven-game winless league run (D4 L3) which is threatening to drag them into relegation trouble during the business end of the season.

For the second time already in 2026, the out-of-form Stags have failed to find the net in consecutive matches after a 2-0 loss at One Call Stadium to promotion hopefuls Lincoln last weekend, when Rob Street and Tom Bayliss struck for the Championship-bound visitors.

Collecting a measly four points across their last seven third-tier battles, Nigel Clough's troops have fallen to 16th spot in the League One rankings ahead of this weekend's match, just five points above Wigan Athletic in the dreaded drop zone.

On the contrary to their woeful divisional form of late, Mansfield are fighting admirably on other fronts and stand as the lowest-ranked side left in the FA Cup after knocking Premier League Burnley out at the fourth-round stage at Turf Moor on February 14.

Before a standout clash with top-flight pacesetters Arsenal in Nottinghamshire next month, the Stags must address their concerning home record at One Call Stadium, where they are winless across their last four league games (D2 L2), scoring only once during that wretched spell.

One of four newly-promoted sides in League One during the 2025-26 campaign, AFC Wimbledon are focused on establishing themselves as a third-tier club once more following relegation from this level at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season.

So far, the Dons are well on course to preserve their status in the division for at least another year, boosted massively by statement results like the one seen last weekend, when the hosts smashed fourth-placed Bradford 3-1 at The Cherry Red Records Stadium.

Smashing his own records for individual performance in a single season, 28-year-old Marcus Browne scored his 12th League One goal of the term at the expense of the Bantams, with the attacker a shining star for Saturday afternoon's visitors at the top end of the pitch.

Halting a three-game winless streak (D1 L2) in all competitions with a battering of Bradford last time out, Johnnie Jackson's side have jumped up to 13th spot in the League One standings, possessing a comforting eight-point buffer over the relegation zone with 14 matches remaining.

Wimbledon have struggled to enjoy recent trips to Mansfield, with the Dons winless across their past five away matches (D2 L3) at the Stags, who last tasted defeat in this version of the matchup when the two sides clashed as non-league clubs at Field Mill in October 2010.

Mansfield Town League One form: D D D L L L

Mansfield Town form (all competitions): D D L W L L

AFC Wimbledon League One form: L W W D L W

AFC Wimbledon form (all competitions): W W L D L W

Team News

Replaced at half time during the loss to Lincoln last weekend, Mansfield's Kyle Knoyle and Nathan Moriah-Welsh could drop to the bench on Saturday afternoon.

Failing to score in each of their last two matches, there is a growing need for freshness in the Stags' attack, meaning that Tyler Roberts and Victor Adeboyejo could be promoted from the bench.

An experienced option for the midfield of the hosts, Elliott Hewitt is pushing for his 11th League One start of the season.

Wimbledon's back-five system worked a treat against Bradford and should be utilised here once again, with goalscoring wing-back James Tilley set for another start.

Given the impressiveness of the victory last time out, the likes of Omar Bugiel and Antwoine Hackford are set to settle for spots on the bench this weekend.

Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:

L Roberts; Akins, Oshilaja, Blake-Tracey, McLaughlin; Reed, Lewis, Hewitt; T Roberts, Evans, Oates

AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:

Bishop; Tilley, Ogundere, Bauer, Johnson, Seddon; Smith, Maycock, Hippolyte; Stevens, Browne

We say: Mansfield Town 2-2 AFC Wimbledon

Netting on 11 occasions across their last five matches, Wimbledon are in potent form and should cause Mansfield plenty of problems on Saturday afternoon.

The Stags are desperate to conclude February with victory, however we feel that a high-scoring share of the spoils is likely in Nottinghamshire.

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