Sutton United take on Notts County at the VBS Community Stadium in their opening game of the League Two season on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts finished 15th in League Two in the 2022-23 campaign, while the visitors won promotion from the National League at Wembley in dramatic fashion, and they are set to play their first EFL game in over four years.
Match preview
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Sutton United had a solid, if not spectacular 2022-23 season, finishing in mid-table after never really managing to put a consistent run of form together, but they were never drawn into the relegation battle.
That said, the U's' end to the season may be of some concern to manager Matt Gray, as they failed to win any of their final 11 League Two games, losing six of the last seven before drawing against promotion-winning Carlisle United on the final day.
If Sutton are to compete near the top end of the table in the upcoming campaign, they will need to perform far better than they did last season, and Gray has brought in a number of new players, while also letting some key players leave.
The likes of Omar Bugiel, Enzio Boldewijn, Will Randall and Alistair Smith have all moved on, and there have been several new arrivals, including Scott Kashket, Omari Patrick and Harry Smith, with the latter arriving on a free transfer from 2022-23 League Two winners Leyton Orient.
The U's got off to a very good start in pre-season, winning their first two games, but they have struggled since then, losing against National League sides Woking and Aldershot in their final two matches ahead of the new campaign.
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It is fair to say Sutton do not have much momentum heading into the 2023-24 season, although Notts County should be riding the crest of the wave after their fantastic 2022-23 National League campaign, in which they amassed 107 points.
The Magpies were unable to win the league title, with Wrexham ultimately coming out on top, but they still managed to secure promotion in dramatic style, overcoming a two-goal deficit to defeat Boreham Wood in the semi-final at Meadow Lane.
Luke Williams's side went behind twice against Chesterfield in the playoff final at Wembley, but they held their nerve in the penalty shootout to return to the EFL for the first time since 2019, and the manager has since strengthened their squad ahead of the new season.
Veteran striker David McGoldrick is one of Williams's more high-profile additions to the squad, but he has also done some savvy business by bringing in some proven EFL players, such as Randall, who played for Sutton last season, as well as Dan Crowley and Jodi Jones.
Notts County have faced some tough opposition in pre-season, losing against Stoke City and Nottingham Forest, but they have performed very well in their most recent games, defeating Alfreton Town 5-0 and drawing 1-1 against League One side Shrewsbury Town.
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Team News
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Gray is likely to hand a first start to new arrival Smith in attack, where he could be accompanied by Patrick, who played a key role for Carlisle United in their promotion-winning 2022-23 campaign, making 32 league appearances.
Goalkeeper Jack Rose has been given the nod over Steve Arnold between the sticks in the pre-season matches against Woking and Millwall, but it is unclear whether he is the preferred option, despite making 37 league appearances for the U's last term.
As for Notts County, Randall missed the final pre-season game against Shrewsbury due to a minor injury, so he may not be risked against his former club, while Macaulay Langstaff was also unavailable for selection, and he may not play the season opener.
It would be a real blow for the Magpies if Langstaff is not available, considering he scored 42 goals last season, but Williams does have some other quality attacking options at his disposal, including Cedwyn Scott and McGoldrick.
Sutton United possible starting lineup:
Arnold; Jackson, Kizzi, Sowunmi, Beautyman; Coley, Eastmond, Milsom, Kashket; Patrick, Smith
Notts County possible starting lineup:
Stone; Rawlinson, Brindley, Chicksen, Bajrami; Bostock, Crowley, Palmer, Nemane; McGoldrick, Langstaff
We say: Sutton United 0-2 Notts County
Notts County racked up an incredible 107 points in the National League last season, and fifth-tier sides have a history of adapting well to life in League Two, with the likes of Tranmere Rovers and Bristol Rovers achieving back-to-back promotions in recent years.
Williams has also strengthened his squad considerably with some high-profile signings, so we expect them to get their season off to the perfect start against a Sutton United side that was very poor at the back end of the previous season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Dominic Lund
