Cambridge United can put some more distance between themselves and the League One relegation zone with a victory on Saturday versus Charlton Athletic at Abbey Stadium.
Following a 1-0 defeat to Blackpool last weekend, Cambridge are just five points clear of the relegation zone in 19th, while the Addicks are five places above them, having claimed a 2-2 draw with Wigan Athletic in their previous encounter.
Match preview
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For a second successive campaign, Cambridge United are flirting with relegation, currently on 45 points with five matches remaining.
Last Saturday, Garry Monk's men saw their two-match domestic winning run end, failing to score for the fifth time in their last six league contests away from home.
The U's won at home in league play for the second time this year at the beginning of April (3-1 over Wigan Athletic), as they remain unbeaten domestically in 2023-24 when netting multiple times.
While they have a decent cushion in their quest to remain in this competition for a fourth successive campaign, Cambridge could come back to rue their missed opportunities from earlier this season, dropping seven points when leading at half time, which could have them a point above Charlton at the moment.
Four of their remaining five domestic fixtures this season will be against sides currently above them in the table, with Port Vale being the only exception.
It has been over 44 years since they last defeated Charlton in a competitive fixture at Abbey Stadium, coming away with a 1-0 triumph in February 1980, when this competition was known as the Second Division.
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Charlton extended their unbeaten run in this competition to a dozen games this week, claiming at least a point for the sixth time in league play this year when conceding the opening goal.
After a dismal end to 2023 and a rough start in 2024, claiming just two points from 10 league fixtures between Boxing Day of last year and February 10 of this year, they have been a lot more consistent of late, claiming at least a point in every domestic encounter since then.
Nathan Jones's men are unbeaten in their last six domestic contests away from home, despite conceding first on three of those occasions.
On their current unbeaten run, the Valiants have been strong on the counter, while creating plenty of scoring opportunities thanks to their individual quality.
That said, they have not been all that impressive along the back end lately, conceding in nine of their last 10 matches in this competition, only managing to hold Barnsley off the scoresheet (0-0) over that stretch.
The Addicks are unbeaten in their last six meetings with Cambridge in all competitions, winning consecutive League One encounters against them.
Team News
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In their defeat to Blackpool, Monk used the same starting 11 that had begun their previous encounter with Wigan Athletic, but he introduced three new players off the bench, including Zeno Ibsen Rossi, Adam May and Macauley Bonne.
A brace from Gassan Ahadme in their previous encounter with Charlton this season enabled them to salvage a 2-2 draw after being down by two goals with fewer than five minutes remaining.
On Tuesday, Charlton were missing Miles Leaburn because of a hamstring strain, Lloyd Jones was not on the team sheet but is available and Connor Wickham returned from an injury, coming on for Karoy Anderson for the final few minutes.
An own goal from Charlie Hughes gave them an early lead against Wigan, though it was a 79th-minute strike by Chuks Aneke which enabled them to claim a point.
Cambridge United possible starting lineup:
Mannion; Rossi, R. Bennett, Andrew; L. Bennett, Digby, Cousins, Gibbons; Kaikai, Brophy; Ahadme
Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:
Isted; Thomas, Hector, Gillesphey; LuaLua, Dobson, Coventry, Small; Anderson; May, Aneke
We say: Cambridge United 1-2 Charlton Athletic
Traditionally, when these teams face each other, it is a very close game, and we expect that will be the case once again this weekend.
In the end, we believe the presence of the top goalscorer in League One, Alfie May, will tip the scales in favour of Charlton, as Cambridge do not possess a striker with his quality or consistency.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
