Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s League One clash between Wycombe Wanderers and Barnsley, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Two teams battling for promotion to the Championship will lock horns on Tuesday evening, as Wycombe Wanderers welcome Barnsley for what is shaping up to be an intriguing battle in England’s third tier.
Wycombe are currently second in the League One table, picking up 55 points from their opening 27 matches of the campaign, while Barnsley are sixth, boasting 42 points from their first 27 games of the 2024-25 season.
Match preview
© Imago
Wycombe have finished ninth and 10th in their last two League One seasons, but the team are very much in the playoff mix at this stage of the campaign, sitting second in the table, only two points behind the leaders Birmingham City.
The Blues have won 16, drawn seven and lost four of their 27 league matches this season to collect 55 points, which has left them three points ahead of third-placed Wrexham, while they are just two points off the summit, but Birmingham have two games in hand.
Sam Grace’s side have picked up four points from their last two league matches, beating Mansfield Town 2-1 before drawing 0-0 with Northampton Town on Saturday afternoon.
Wycombe have been in impressive form in front of their own fans this season, picking up 25 points from 13 matches, but they will be welcoming a Barnsley outfit with the third-best away record in League One this term.
© Imago
Barnsley have actually won three of their last four League One matches against Wycombe, but the points were shared in a 2-2 draw when the two teams locked horns for the reverse match earlier this season.
The Reds have eight wins from their 13 away League One fixtures this term, scoring 20 times in the process, and their challenge for promotion this term has been built on a strong away record, as their home form has been disappointing.
Darrell Clarke’s side will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Stevenage, which made it back-to-back losses in League One, having also suffered a 3-1 reverse to Bristol Rovers on January 18.
Barnsley are sixth in the League One table, boasting a record of 12 wins, six draws and nine defeats from 27 matches, and they are now just one point ahead of seventh-placed Leyton Orient, who have a game in hand.
The Reds are in their third straight season in League One after their relegation from the Championship in 2021-22, but they have made the playoffs in their last two campaigns, losing in the semi-finals last term.
Wycombe Wanderers League One form:
Wycombe Wanderers form (all competitions):
Barnsley League One form:
© Imago
Wycombe caretaker manager Grace is confident that Richard Kone will remain at the club beyond the end of the January transfer window amid suggestions that Luton Town are keen on his services.
The 21-year-old started on the bench against Northampton on Saturday, but he is set to be back in the starting side here, and the striker will be bidding to add to the 17 goals that he has scored in all competitions this season.
Grace is unlikely to make many changes from the side that started against Northampton, and there is set to be another spot down the right for Garath McCleary, who has found the back of the net on three occasions in League One this term.
Barnsley, meanwhile, are set to again have Davis Keillor-Dunn at the tip of their attack; the 27-year-old has scored 10 times in 25 appearances this season, and he is a certain starter for the visitors here.
Adam Phillips has been another standout performer, scoring eight goals and registering five assists in 26 appearances, while Max Watters, who has netted five times this term, is also set to be in the XI.
The visitors have not reported any fresh injury problems from their clash with Stevenage, with the three substitutions that occurred during the second period of that contest proving to be tactical calls by head coach Clarke.
Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Ravizzoli; Kodua, Low, Bradley, Harvie; Scone, Leahy; McCleary, Humphreys, Lusaka; Kone
Barnsley possible starting lineup:
Killip; McCarthy, Roberts, Earl; O’Keeffe, Phillips, Nwakali, Connell, Farrugia; Watters, Keillor-Dunn
We say: Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Barnsley
Barnsley have been excellent on their travels this season, but Wycombe have only lost two of their 13 league matches in front of their own supporters; we are expecting a tight match on Tuesday night, with the points potentially being shared in the promotion six-pointer.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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