League Two meets League One at the Peninsula Stadium on Saturday afternoon as Salford City play host to Shrewsbury Town in the first round of the FA Cup.
While the Ammies have won four of their last six games on home soil, the Shrews have only won one of their last 11 matches on the road.
Match preview
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Since losing 2-1 at home to Grimsby Town in mid-October, Salford have picked up eight points from a four-game unbeaten run in League Two, including back-to-back wins over Swindon Town and Colchester United.
The Ammies were unable to make it three wins in a row away against Fleetwood Town on Tuesday night, but they did snatch a point at the death, with substitute Francis Okoronkwo scoring a dramatic 98th-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw.
Karl Robinson felt that his side got what they deserved following a "brilliant" second-half display, and he now sees his side sitting 12th in the fourth-tier table, a comfortable 12 points clear of the relegation zone and only two points behind the playoffs.
Salford, who have alternated between victory and defeat in their last five home games, are now bidding to progress from the first round of the FA Cup at the third time of asking having previously been eliminated at this stage by League One side Peterborough United in the last two seasons.
The Ammies also suffered a first-round exit in the 2018-19 campaign to Saturday's opponents Shrewsbury Town, who prevailed 3-1 in a replay away from home after drawing the initial contest 1-1.
Shrewsbury have endured a difficult 2024-25 campaign thus far, having won two, drawn two and lost 10 of their 14 League One matches, and they subsequently sit 23rd in the table, three points adrift of safety having played a game more than 20th-placed Leyton Orient.
Only Peterborough (26) have conceded more third-tier goals than Shrewsbury (25), who suffered their third consecutive loss without reply at the hands of Barnsley (2-0) last weekend.
The pressure is beginning to mount on head coach Paul Hurst, who has encouraged his struggling side to show more "fight" and "belief" if they wish to turn their fortunes around.
Before facing League One basement club Burton Albion next week, Shrewsbury will turn their attention to the FA Cup and will endeavour to progress beyond the first round for the 11th successive season - in the last four years they have been knocked out in the third round.
Team News
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Salford are set to be without Kevin Berkoe, James Chester, Ryan Watson, Dan Chesters and Hakeeb Adelakun, while Conor McAleny is also unlikely to feature.
Cole Stockton and Kylian Kouassi have only scored three goals between them so far this season, but they could retain their places up front, with ex-Liverpool youngster Ben Woodburn - who scored against Fleetwood in midweek - set to provide support in behind.
As for Shrewsbury, they are still having to cope without injured duo Jordan Shipley and Joshua Kayode, while Aaron Pierre was taken off in the first half against Barnsley and is unlikely to be involved this weekend.
Josh Feeney could therefore take the place of Pierre and join Morgan Feeney and Aristote Nsiala in a back three, while the likes of Jordan Rossiter, Funso Ojo, Alex Gilliead and George Lloyd, who has three goals to his name this term, could all keep their places in the starting lineup.
Salford City possible starting lineup:
Jones; Edwards, Negru, Tilt; Taylor, Ashley, Fornah, N'Mai; Woodburn; Stockton, Kouassi
Shrewsbury Town possible starting lineup:
Savin; Nsiala, M. Feeney, J. Feeney; Gilliead, Rossiter, Ojo, Perry, Nurse; Lloyd, Marquis
We say: Salford City 2-1 Shrewsbury Town
Both teams will view Saturday's fixture as a good opportunity to come out on top and progress to the next round. Although Shrewsbury are a division above Salford, the League One outfit are in a spell of poor form at present and the Ammies could capitalise on that in front of their own supporters.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
