Notts County will host Solihull Moors on Saturday in the National League in what promises to be a closely-fought game between two clubs who sit in playoff positions.
Both teams were able to earn replays in the FA Cup last weekend against opposition in higher leagues, therefore they will each head into this fixture with confidence.
Match preview
Ian Burchnall has witnessed his team make an impressive start to their league campaign so far, with his squad having won half of their matches.
Notts County currently sit seventh in the division and considering they are only four points behind league leaders Boreham Wood, they are very much in the mix for promotion.
A victory for the Magpies would see them overtake their opponents in the table, with just a single point separating the two at the moment, which is something Burchnall will be hoping to achieve.
Offensively, Notts County have been the stronger of the two, while Solihull Moors have been better defensively, which will mean this fixture provides a stern test to both of their strengths.
However, with the Magpies currently enjoying a seven-match unbeaten run in all competitions, there shall be no shortage of confidence within the squad right now.
The visitors are also in fine form at the moment though, having gone eight games without a defeat and as they sit one place higher, there is a chance for Solihull to extend the gap at the weekend.
Neal Ardley saw his team hold Wigan Athletic to a goalless draw away from home last weekend in the FA Cup, forcing a replay, which will take place next week.
This was the second match in a row that the Moors have seen that scoreline take place, with some added pressure going to the attackers on Saturday.
Solihull have only lost twice all season, but the last time that took place it was away from home, and the club will be keen not to extend that record.
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Team News
Sam Slocombe could be in line to make his first appearance since September at the weekend, as he was able to feature on the bench in the recent FA Cup game, with his return to action coming closer.
The Magpies are slated to have a fully-fit squad available for this fixture, providing Burchnall with plenty of headaches when it comes to selecting his starting XI.
The visitors shall be without Jordan Cranston on Saturday as he received a straight red card during Solihull Moors's most recent league performance against Yeovil Town.
After two goalless games in a row, Adam Rooney could be somebody that Ardley looks to for his experience and aerial threat in the final third.
Notts County possible starting lineup:
Slocombe; Brindley, Cameron, Chicksen; Taylor, O'Brien, Palmer, Roberts, Evans; Wootton, Rodrigues
Solihull Moors possible starting lineup:
Booth; Williams, Gudger, Howe, Boyes; Maycock, Maynard; Sbarra, Osborne, Donawa; Rooney
We say: Notts County 2-1 Solihull Moors
This is sure to be a closely-contested match due to the excellent run that both teams are currently enjoying, especially considering how close they are to the top of the league.
However, Notts County have a fully-fit squad heading into Saturday and their goalscoring ability should just give them the edge.
Top tip
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Notts County win with a probability of 45.77%. A win for Solihull Moors had a probability of 29.01% and a draw had a probability of 25.2%.
The most likely scoreline for a Notts County win was 1-0 with a probability of 10.18%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (9.23%) and 2-0 (7.85%). The likeliest Solihull Moors win was 0-1 (7.76%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (11.96%). The actual scoreline of 2-0 was predicted with a 7.9% likelihood. Our data analysis correctly predicted that Notts County would win this match.
