League One strugglers Burton Albion welcome fellow bottom-half side Bristol Rovers to the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Brewers did the double over the Pirates last season, including a 4-1 home win in October 2023.
Match preview
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Burton Albion are one of only five teams in the entire EFL, and one of only two teams in League One - along with basement club Cambridge United - who are still searching for their first victory of the 2024-25 season.
Four draws and four defeats have been posted by the Brewers in their opening eight league fixtures and they enter Saturday's contest on the back of three successive defeats to Barnsley, Blackpool and Reading.
Mark Robinson's side suffered a 3-1 away defeat to Reading on Tuesday night, with Danilo Orsi netting a consolation strike six minutes from time, and they have subsequently slipped to 22nd in the table, already four points adrift from safety and nine points behind the top half.
Burton have won just two of their last 22 league games and have concede two or more goals in 14 separate matches during this run. However, they have won each of their three league meetings with Bristol Rovers which bodes well ahead of this weekend's fixture.
While the pressure is mounting on Robinson to turn Burton's fortunes around, Matt Taylor was able to heave a huge sigh of relief after his Bristol Rovers side ended a four-match losing streak on Tuesday night.
The Pirates shipped 11 goals in defeats to Barnsley, Wigan Athletic, Peterborough United and Wycombe Wanderers, and they conceded two more against Charlton Athletic, but strikes from Scott Sinclair, Jamie Lindsay and James Wilson secured a much-needed 3-2 home victory over the Addicks.
Competing in League One for the third consecutive season, Taylor's men now have 10 points on the board after nine matches and have climbed up to 18th in the third-tier standings, four points clear of Saturday's opponents Burton in the relegation zone.
Bristol Rovers' away record against Burton leaves a little to be desired as they have only won one of their last eight league visits to the Pirelli Stadium (D1 L6). They also head into this weekend's clash seeking to avoid losing four away league games in a row for the first time since August 2021.
Team News
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Burton's Charlie Webster remains sidelined due to injury and is yet to make his debut for the club since joining from Chelsea in the summer, while Geraldo Bajrami, Jack Hazlehurst and Mason Bennett are also set to miss out this weekend.
Billy Bodin, who has scored three goals in five appearances this term, is also in the treatment room, so Jack Cooper-Love and Ben Whitfield are set to support Danilo Orsi in attack.
As for Bristol Rovers, they are still having to cope without Chris Martin and Joel Senior, who are both facing lengthy spells on the sidelines.
However, Taylor Moore is available for selection after serving a three-match ban and he could return to the first XI to link up with James Wilson and Clinton Mola in central defence, with Connor Taylor making way.
Ruel Sotiriou has not scored in his last four starts, but he is expected to continue up front alongside Promise Omochere, with 35-year-old Scott Sinclair providing support in the final third.
Burton Albion possible starting lineup:
Crocombe; Sweeney, Armer, Vancooten; Godwin-Malife, Watt, Chauke, Williams; Cooper-Love, Whitfield, Orsi
Bristol Rovers possible starting lineup:
Griffiths; Wilson, Moore, Mola; Hunt, Lindsay, Conteh, Bilongo; Sinclair; Sotiriou, Omochere
We say: Burton Albion 1-2 Bristol Rovers
At least three goals have been scored in each of Burton's and Bristol Rovers' last five league games, so another entertaining contest with plenty of goalmouth action could be on the cards this weekend.
Although the Pirates have picked up nine of their 10 points on home soil so far this season, we are backing them to secure all three on the road against an out-of-sorts Brewers outfit this time around.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
