League 1 Weekend Preview

Although every team is in action this week there are not many mouth-watering fixtures as most of the top six face teams in the lower half of the division. However, Peterborough will be looking to end their dreadful run of five straight defeats against in-form Wolves who travel to London road on Saturday afternoon.

Leyton Orient vs Sheffield United

Sky Sports
Sky Sports

Russell Slade was left frustrated on Tuesday night as his side twice threw away the lead away at strugglers Bristol City. Orient slipped to second in the week but will be confident they can return to winning ways at Brisbane road on Saturday. Dave Mooney has netted four goals in as many games and is currently the league’s top scorer with 13 goals. Orient will be hoping he can continue his rich vein of form and put pressure on league leaders Wolves. Sheffield picked up a massive win away at Bristol last weekend and followed that up with a point against Walsall. They are still dangerously positioned in the bottom four but will want to build on the form shown in their last two outings. Goals have been a real struggle for the Blades who have only managed 16 this season, Harry Maguire netting four of these. Marlon King scored 13 goals in just 27 games in the championship last season but has struggled to recreate this form and continues to create headlines off the football pitch.

Sheffield are definitely improving but this will be too much of a test for them and I’m sure Orient will return to winning ways this weekend.

Prediction: Leyton Orient 3-1 Sheffield United

Peterborough United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

Guardian
Guardian

The Posh suffered their fifth straight defeat on Tuesday night in a 5-goal-thriller at Griffin Park which led to some heated outbursts from chairman Darren MacAnthony. “My patience is thin with this pathetic run we are on,” The Irish business man took to twitter to let his feelings known and in my opinion put some unneeded pressure on Darren Ferguson. Peterborough will be without captain Tommy Rowe, Craig Alcock, Joe Newell and Danny Kearns who are all ruled out through injury. Top scorer and record signing Britt Assombalonga is also ruled out through suspension in one of their toughest fixtures of the season. Wolves on the other hand will be buoyed by arguably their best performance of the season last time out against Tranmere where they ran out comfortable winners. They finished up 2-0 winners but on reflection it should have been many more with a dominant display from the new-boy Michael Jacobs. He has bedded in well to this young Wolves side and will continue to develop whilst winger James Henry remains side-lined through injury.

Wolves go into the game unbeaten in their last eleven and will look to take advantage of Peterborough’s poor form and absentees, I’m going for an away win.

Peterborough United 1-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Preston North End vs Bristol City

Getty Images
Getty Images

As I have mentioned before, Preston are quietly going about their business in league one and currently find themselves just eight points off the automatic promotion places. The Lilywhites are currently on a seven-match unbeaten run and will be expecting to pile more misery on Bristol. However, they will be without hit-man Joe Garner who has netted seven times in his last five games who will face a three-match ban following the altercation with midfielder Anthony Griffith. Bristol have announced today the sacking of manager Sean O’Driscoll who has only managed to win two of Bristol’s 18 games this season. They were tipped by many to return to the championship immediately but the overhaul of players has seen them slump towards the bottom and they currently sit just four points above Notts County. The sacking it at a very strange time as it is the last day of the loan window which I’m sure you are aware is the last chance for clubs to bolster their squads until January. John Pemberton will take charge of the first team on Saturday in what will be a tough test for this out of form Bristol side.

Preston have been in good form and even without their leading scorer will expect to win this clash at Deepdale on Saturday.

Prediction: Preston North End 2-0 Bristol City

Stevenage vs Shrewsbury Town

Getty Images
Getty Images

Last weekend Stevenage produced a fantastic display at London road but followed it up with a defeat to Gillingham on Tuesday night highlighting their inconsistent nature. The Boro have only managed 18 goals this season but will be targeting a win this weekend which would see them leapfrog their opponents and put some breathing space between themselves and the bottom four. It’s been a similar story for Shrewsbury who are currently two points better off, they have played well against Swindon, Wolves and others but have struggled to put a string of results together. Graham Turner has a wealth of experience in football management and has bolstered his squad with two loan signings in Tom Eaves and Cameron Gayle both of which have played here before in previous loan spells. This may not have the appeal of some of the leagues fixtures but it will be a game that many clubs near the wrong end of the table will have their eye on.

I think this will be an even contest with both sides cancelling each other out, I’m going for a score draw.

Stevenage 1-1 Shrewsbury Town

 

Remaining Fixtures:

Crewe Alexandra 1-1 Crawley Town

MK Dons 2-2 Coventry City

Notts County 1-3 Brentford

Rotherham United 2-1 Gillingham

Swindon Town 2-0 Carlisle United

Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Colchester United

Walsall 2-1 Port Vale

Oldham Athletic 1-1 Bradford City (Sunday)

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