Two teams with something to play for in the latter stages of the 2024-25 League One campaign will lock horns at One Call Stadium on Tuesday night, with Mansfield Town welcoming Leyton Orient.
Mansfield are currently 17th in the League One table, eight points ahead of the relegation zone entering the final straight, while Orient sit up in ninth position, six points off the playoff positions in England's second tier.
Match preview
© Imago
Mansfield have had an unhappy start to April, suffering back-to-back defeats to Charlton Athletic and Huddersfield Town, which has left them in 17th spot in the table, eight points clear of the relegation zone.
The Stags were promoted from League Two last season, and despite Wrexham's heroics this term, their main ambition for the 2024-25 campaign would have been to secure another campaign in the third tier.
Nigel Clough's side are in a strong position to achieve their goal, but there is still work to do late in the season.
Mansfield have found it difficult to show consistency at home this term, only picking up 22 points from their 19 matches in front of their own supporters, which is among the worst records in the division.
Orient, meanwhile, have also been a mixed bag on their travels, winning eight, drawing two and losing nine of their 19 games.
© Imago
The visitors will enter this match off the back of a goalless draw with Wigan Athletic, with the result leaving them ninth in the table, boasting a record of 60 points from their 40 league matches this term.
Orient are six points behind sixth-placed Bolton Wanderers, so there is work for them to do late in the campaign, but there is certainly an opportunity for them to potentially sneak into the playoff spots.
The O's finished 11th in League One last season, and they have never played in the Championship, so it would be some story if the club could secure a spot in the second tier for the 2025-26 campaign.
Orient are actually on a three-game winning run against Mansfield, including a 3-0 success in the reverse match in February, while they recorded a 2-1 victory on their last trip to Tuesday's opponents in April 2023.
Team News
© Imago
Mansfield head coach Clough could name an unchanged side from the one that took to the field against Huddersfield.
There are not expected to be any surprises when it comes to the formation, with a 4-4-2 set-up likely to be selected, and there are again set to be positions in the final third of the field for both Caylan Vickers and Will Evans.
Evans has been in strong form this term, scoring 12 times in League One, while Vickers has two goals in 13 league outings.
As for Orient, head coach Richie Wellens could make a couple of changes from Saturday's goalless draw with Wigan, with Jordan Brown potentially being introduced into the team.
Charlie Kelman is also pushing to be involved from the first whistle, and he could operate in a slighter wider position.
The visitors should again line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, including another start for Dilan Markanday, who arrived at the club on loan from Blackburn Rovers during the January transfer window.
Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:
Pym; Bowery, Hewitt, Williams, Cargill; Akins, Baccus, Reed, Craig; Evans, Vickers
Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:
Keeley; Brown, Cooper, Happe, Currie; Clare, Galbraith; Williams, Markanday, Kelman; Abdulai
We say: Mansfield Town 1-2 Leyton Orient
This should be an interesting watch, as both sides have something to play for late in the campaign; Orient really need a win to boost their playoff hopes, though, and we are backing them to navigate their way to all three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
