The top two teams in League Two will face off on New Year's Day when Notts County welcome Walsall to Meadow Lane on Wednesday evening.
The visitors, who are top of the summit, are 12 points ahead of the hosts, who currently sit in second place with 37 points thanks to a superior goal difference over Doncaster Rovers, Port Vale and Grimsby Town who occupy the next three spots.
Match preview
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Notts County find themselves embroiled in a tight race for the automatic promotion spots in League Two, bolstered by a three-match winning streak that followed a frustrating five-match winless run.
From early November to mid-December, Stuart Maynard's side endured a difficult period, managing just one win in seven matches across all competitions, a spell that saw them record two draws and suffer three league defeats, raising concerns about their promotion ambitions.
It seemed the Magpies' season was at risk of derailing until a resounding 3-0 win over Bradford City on December 21 halted their slump and sparked a remarkable turnaround – this victory paved the way for a 2-0 triumph over MK Dons and, most recently, an exhilarating 5-3 win against Cheltenham Town on Sunday.
The key to Notts County's resurgence has been their reinvigorated attack, which has produced 10 goals in their last three matches – a stark contrast to the mere three goals scored in the preceding five.
However, the Magpies have shown greater attacking efficiency away from home, averaging 1.69 goals per game compared to 1.44 at Meadow Lane, and this relative lack of cutting edge at home could prove costly against league leaders Walsall, who have triumphed in two of the last three meetings between the sides, including their most recent visit to Meadow Lane.
Despite this, Notts County can take solace in their robust home defence – they have conceded only five goals in 13 home matches this season and have kept clean sheets in their last four games at Meadow Lane, earning three wins and a draw in the process.
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Yet, if any team is capable of breaching the Magpies' impressive home defence, it is league leaders Walsall, who boast the division's most potent attack, having scored 41 goals in 22 matches.
The Saddlers are enjoying a remarkable campaign, a stark contrast to their 11th-place finish last season, with Mat Sadler's men on track to securing the league title, thanks to a stunning 13-match unbeaten streak in the league, including six consecutive victories, and even more impressively, they have kept clean sheets in their last five games.
Walsall will look to carry their red-hot form into the new year and will aim to extend their seven-match unbeaten run on the road – their away form has been exceptional, with 20 points from 10 games – averaging from points on opposition ground than any other team in the league.
Even more remarkable is that the visitors have not conceded a goal in their last four away matches, while they are unbeaten in the last seven, with five wins and two draws.
Team News
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Jodi Jones returned to the Notts County squad during the win over Cheltenham after recovering from injury and will be eager to get more minutes in this match, having only featured as a substitute last time out.
Alassana Jatta, who netted twice in the previous game, took his league tally to 11 goals in 17 appearances – the highest in the team, and he will look to add to his impressive total as he leads the line once again.
Walsall will remain without Priestley Farquharson, who suffered a setback in his recovery from the injury sustained against Tranmere Rovers in August, while 18-year-old midfielder Dylan Thomas is also sidelined due to injury.
Brandon Comley is set to miss his eighth consecutive game as he continues his recovery from a fractured cheekbone, while experienced forward Joshua Gordon remains out with a long-term hamstring injury.
Nathan Lowe, who scored twice in the victory over Newport, now leads the League Two scoring charts with 13 goals, and the Saddlers' striker, who has found the net in three consecutive matches, will aim to extend his streak to four games.
Notts County possible starting lineup:
Bass; Ness, Platt, Bedeau; Austin, Abbott, Hinchy, Martin; Crowley, Palmer, Jatta
Walsall possible starting lineup:
Simkin; Okagbue, Williams, Allen; Barrett, Jellis, Stirk, Lakin, Gordon; Matt, Lowe
We say: Notts County 1-2 Walsall
Two solid defences will collide, but we believe Notts County's backline is more likely to be breached multiple times, given Walsall boast the league's best attack, leading us to predict a narrow victory for the visitors.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
