University College Dublin will be bidding to end a run of six straight defeats in the League of Ireland Premier Division when they travel to Dundalk on Monday evening.
The visitors are currently rock bottom of the table, picking up only six points from their opening 18 matches, while Dundalk sit sixth, collecting 26 points from their 19 league games this term.
Match preview
Dundalk have won the League of Ireland Premier Division on 14 occasions, with their last success coming in 2019, while they finished third in the top tier last season.
The Lilywhites are currently down in sixth position, though, boasting 26 points from their opening 19 matches, which has left them seven points behind third-placed Bohemians.
Dundalk won four straight league games between April 28 and May 12, but they have only picked up one point from their last four matches during a disappointing run, drawing with Bohemians, in addition to losing to Derry City, St Patrick's Athletic and Shamrock Rovers.
Stephen O'Donnell's side will view this match as the ideal opportunity to return to winning ways, and they boast a strong record over UCD, winning 26 of their 41 games with Monday's opponents, suffering just eight losses.
The two teams have already locked horns twice this term, with the points being shared on the opening matchday of the season, before Dundalk ran out 2-0 winners in their last match on May 1.
University College Dublin sit at the bottom of the table, boasting a record of one win, three draws and 14 defeats from 18 matches, which has brought them only six points.
The Students are 12 points behind ninth-placed Cork City and 14 points behind Drogheda United in eighth, so they are already in a very difficult position in the division.
Andrew Myler's side finished ninth in the League of Ireland Premier League Division last season, ultimately beating Waterford in the relegation playoffs to keep their spot in the top flight.
The visitors will enter this match off the back of six straight defeats, including a 3-1 loss at home to St Patrick's Athletic on Friday, while they have picked up just one point from their last eight games during a disappointing run of form.
Team News
Dundalk will be missing Robbie Benson and John Mountney through injury on Monday, but the home side have no fresh fitness concerns for the contest.
Head coach O'Donnell is expected to make a couple of changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Shamrock Rovers, with Alfie Lewis and Keith Ward potentially coming into the side.
Rayhaan Tulloch is the team's leading goalscorer this season with five, and the 22-year-old will again feature in the final third of the field, while Patrick Hoban should lead the line.
As for UCD, head coach Myler is expected to have a full squad available for this match, with the team not reporting any injury concerns in the build-up.
It seems likely that there will be changes from the side that started the 3-1 home loss to St Patrick's Athletic, with Michael Gallagher and Luke O'Regan in line for spots in the XI.
Danu Kinsella Bishop scored his third goal of the campaign off the bench on Friday, meanwhile, and the 21-year-old could potentially replace Jake Doyle in the final third of the field.
Dundalk possible starting lineup:
Shepperd; Davies, Muller, Boyle, Leahy; Lewis, Ward; Kelly, Malley, Tulloch; Hoban
University College Dublin possible starting lineup:
Healy; Babb, Wells, Gallagher, Osam; Keane, Barr, O'Regan; Behan, Kinsella-Bishop, Norris
We say: Dundalk 2-0 University College Dublin
UCD are a difficult team to back at the moment, and it is tough to know where their next win is coming from. Dundalk's recent form has also been disappointing, but we are expecting the home side to claim an important three points on Monday night.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
