In their final home fixture of 2022, Salford City will welcome Barrow to Peninsula Stadium in Greater Manchester on Boxing Day.
Coming into this clash on Monday, the Ammies find themselves three points behind the Bluebirds for a place in the League Two promotional playoff round.
Match preview
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It was a rough month and a half for Salford from October until mid-November, but they seem to have got through it and are looking much stronger in recent outings.
They won only two domestic fixtures over that stretch, but the side from Greater Manchester have won their previous three matches played in all competitions and failed to concede in any of those encounters.
Neil Wood was delighted with what he saw from his players on Tuesday, and for a good reason, as the Ammies went ahead after 10 minutes and never took their foot off the gas.
They hit the woodwork four times, defeating League One side Port Vale 1-0, advancing to the quarter-finals of the Football League Trophy for the first time since winning that competition in 2019-20.
Throughout the 2022-23 domestic campaign, Wood has been able to count on a well-organized backline who have not been easy to penetrate, conceding the fourth-fewest goals in the league so far (18), and posting four clean sheets on home soil.
Over the past few seasons, they have ended a year well, losing just one December fixture in each of their previous two league campaigns, and they have not lost a match on Boxing Day since 2018-19.
Salford have only conceded one goal in the opening half at home since November and have not lost a league fixture at Peninsula Stadium all season when scoring first.
For Barrow, December has not been easy as they failed to deliver last Saturday at home to Swindon Town, losing 1-0 as they have been outscored 6-0 in their two league fixtures this month.
The Ziggers did not register a shot on target in either of those outings and are winless in five successive road games in League Two, going goalless in three of those encounters.
As a result, Pete Wild's men find themselves just a point above the playoff line and eight points behind Northampton Town for third and an automatic place in League One next season.
It is not only their struggles in the attacking third which are concerning, but also the difficulty they have had on the road versus some of the weaker sides, collecting just a single point combined versus Crawley Town, Gillingham and Rochdale respectively.
In four previous meetings with Salford City in League Two, Barrow have never won, while they have also lost both of their prior domestic encounters against them at Peninsula Stadium.
Some of their struggles away from home this year can be attributed to the fact that they have found themselves behind early on, conceding within the opening 10 minutes in their two previous road matches.
Team News
Tom King has not conceded in two of his last three games in goal for Salford City, Jacob Chapman collected the clean sheet in their cup tie on Tuesday, Matt Smith had the lone goal in that victory over Port Vale, while Callum Hendry, Ryan Watson and Theo Vassell each found the back of the net in their previous league victory over Gillingham (3-0).
The last time they took on Barrow, Watson scored the opener for the Ammies, while an 89th-minute strike from their former attacker Ian Henderson helped them earn a 2-2 draw.
Besides the change in goal on Tuesday, Salford added several other newcomers, bringing Jason Lowe, Ryan Leak, Ethan Galbraith, Matty Lund and Conor McAleny into the starting 11.
The last goals scored by Barrow came in their second-round Football League Trophy tie at Bolton Wanderers when Niall Canavan and Josh Kay found the back of the net in a 3-2 defeat.
Josh Gordon and former striker Aaron Amadi-Holloway had the only goals for them in their 2-2 draw at Salford City last season.
Wild made two changes to his starting 11 versus Swindon Town as Sam Foley and Jordan Stevens replaced Tom White and Kay, who both began their match against Stevenage, which they lost 5-0.
Salford City possible starting lineup:
King; Touray, Nartey, Vassell, Bolton; Watt, Watson; Galbraith, Hendry, Jenkins; Smith
Barrow possible starting lineup:
Farman; Warren, Ray, Canavan, Brough; Neal, White; Stevens, Waters, Whitfield; Gordon
We say: Salford City 2-0 Barrow
Barrow look a little unhinged at the moment and are having a hard time creating much when in possession, while their opponents on Boxing Day are in form, full of confidence and finding ways to win.
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Top tip
Joel Lefevre
