Still seeking their first win of the 2024-25 League One season, Cambridge United will travel to the Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon to face Bristol Rovers.
The hosts are 14th in the table with four points from their opening three games, while the visitors are 20th with one point from their first three fixtures.
Match preview
© Reuters
Since earning fantastic back-to-back promotions from the National League and League Two in 2014-15 and 2015-16, Bristol Rovers have struggled to adapt to life in League One.
Their best finish came in the first year following those promotions as they finished 10th in 2016-17, but they soon found themselves slipping down the table until a relegation back into the fourth tier in 2020-21.
Bristol Rovers narrowly secured an instant promotion in the subsequent season, beating Northampton Town to third place on goal difference after finishing joint on 80 points, and have gone on to slowly climb the League One standings.
2022-23 saw Bristol Rovers place 17th, eight points above 21st-placed Milton Keynes Dons, followed by placing 15th last year with 57 points from 46 games, four points more than the prior campaign.
Matt Taylor, who has been in charge since December 2023, would have been aiming for yet another improvement up the table this term, but his side have struggled in their opening matches.
They did manage to kickstart the campaign with a 1-0 win against Northampton thanks to a 92nd-minute winner from Bryant Akono Bilongo, but have failed to win any of their next four games.
Their only goals since that opening-day victory have come against Tottenham Hotspur's under 21's side in a 3-3 draw in the EFL Cup, where they lost 6-5 on penalties, leaving them three games without scoring against senior teams.
Taylor will fancy his team's chances of putting an end to that poor run on Saturday, with Cambridge currently without a victory from their first four matches across all competitions, drawing one and losing three.
That start to the season suggests Garry Monk's men will be embroiled in yet another relegation battle in League One, having fought against the drop in both 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Cambridge did manage to earn their first result of the campaign last time out, drawing 4-4 with Blackpool, a result that could build confidence throughout the squad after coming from 4-1 behind to earn their first point.
The visitors have struggled in this fixture in recent years, only managing a single victory in the last seven meetings with Bristol Rovers across all competitions.
- W
- D
- L
- L
- L
- D
Team News
© Imago
Taylor has made several changes to his side in recent matches as he looks to bring an end to their winless run, and he could opt to revert to the team that won 1-0 against Northampton on the opening day for this one.
Bilongo is the only player to have scored for Bristol Rovers on the league this season, leaving Taylor likely to rotate his attacking options in search of a second league goal.
Mamadou Jobe is the only injury absence from the Cambridge side after the defender suffered a severe knee injury prior to their pre-season campaign.
Shayne Lavery scored two and assisted one against Blackpool last time out, and the striker is likely to start alongside Sullay Kaikai and Daniel Barton in attack.
Bristol Rovers possible starting lineup:
Griffiths; Moore, Wilson, Mola; Thomas, Conteh, Hutchinson, Ward, Bilongo; Sinclair, Martin
Cambridge United possible starting lineup:
Reyes; O'Riordan, Rossi, Andrew; Bennett, Digby, Stokes, Brophy; Kaikai, Barton; Lavery
We say: Bristol Rovers 1-0 Cambridge United
While Bristol Rovers have struggled in front of goal in the league, Cambridge are yet to win in League One and have conceded seven times in three games, suggesting the hosts could win this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
