Preview: Doncaster Rovers vs Burton Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to make it consecutive league victories and climb out of the bottom four of the League One table after the international break, Doncaster Rovers will welcome Burton Albion to the Club Doncaster Sports Village on Saturday.

The hosts picked up an important win in mid-September and returned with a midweek EFL Trophy victory, while their visitors were in action last weekend and sit eighth despite a defeat.

Match preview

Doncaster Rovers return to League One action on Saturday aiming to build on a victory before the break and begin climbing the division.

Aiming to build on a 14th-placed finish in their first season back in England's third tier last time around, they experienced a poor start, going winless in their first seven outings and picking up just three points.

Grant McCann's side scored just six goals and conceded nine in those games, but they were able to put a first win on the board on the back of consecutive defeats last time around, visiting Peterborough United and prevailing in a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Alfie May and Isaac Hutchinson.

Then on the back of a two-week layoff during the international break, the Rovers returned to action against Liverpool Under-21s in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday and again came out on top with Tommi O'Reilly netting the only goal on the stroke of half time.

Now with some confidence back in the camp, and having moved within a point of jumping out of the relegation zone despite their poor start, Doncaster will look to make it back-to-back league victories at the weekend.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head to South Yorkshire having played throughout the international break and with their sights set on the top six.

After avoiding relegation thanks to a strong end to 2025-26, eventually finishing five points above the drop zone, Burton Albion have enjoyed a pleasing start to the new term, earning 12 points from their first nine matches.

While Gary Bowyer's men have conceded 15 goals in those games, their tally of 14 goals is only topped by two teams, having only failed to score once in the league this term.

After an impressive 1-0 away victory over Plymouth Argyle, the Brewers hosted Huddersfield Town last weekend but came away empty-handed, despite levelling in the first half through Finn Delap, as Bali Mumba and Ashley Fletcher went on to score in a 3-1 away win.

Now on the back of a goalless draw and penalty shootout win over fourth-tier Grimsby Town in the EFL Trophy, Burton Albion turn their focus back to League One and will bid to get back to winning ways with a chance to move into the playoff places.

Doncaster Rovers League One form:

Doncaster Rovers form (all competitions):

Burton Albion League One form:

Burton Albion form (all competitions):

Team News

Doncaster Rovers will likely remain without Jamie Sterry, Matty Pearson, Francis Okoronkwo and James Collins on Saturday due to ongoing injury issues.

McCann will field a similar starting XI from their league victory over Peterborough before the break, but Hutchinson has a strong claim to come in from the outset after his goal off the bench.

He may line up in support of May, who scored his second league goal of the season last time out, while Owen Bailey will lend further attacking support from midfield ahead of Robbie Gotts and George Broadbent.

Burton Albion are still unable to call on Mark O'Mahony and Gbemi Arubi, who is yet to feature in a competitive game since his summer signing.

Jack Armer has scored three league goals from a wing-back role this season, while Curtis Tilt, George Evans and Finn Delap are bound to reform a back three after their midweek rotation.

Matthew Dennis will compete to displace Kain Adom and lead the line with support from Caylan Vickers and key man Charlie Webster.

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:

Simkin; Grehan, Byrne, Husband; Ayinde, Broadbent, Gotts, Senior; Bailey, May, Hutchinson

Burton Albion possible starting lineup:

Addai; Delap, Evans, Tilt; Borges Rodrigues, Chauke, Collar, Armer; Webster, Vickers; Dennis

We say: Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Burton Albion

Doncaster Rovers will hope to kick on after scoring a first league win of the season away from home last time out, but they meet a resilient Burton Albion side, and we do not see anything splitting them at the weekend.

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