Preview: Salford City vs. Walsall - prediction, team news, lineups

Since this article was published, this game has been postponed.

Salford City face Walsall at the Peninsula Stadium on Saturday, with both sides narrowly outside the playoff positions.

Walsall are unbeaten in eight matches across all competitions, dating back to the middle of October, while Salford have been victorious in three of the last four head-to-head encounters.

Match preview

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Spending their fourth season in League Two, Salford City's Project 92 owners have seen the Ammies disappointingly struggle in recent weeks.

Sitting in eighth position only two points behind Mansfield Town, who occupy the final playoff position, Neil Wood's side will be leapfrogged by Walsall if they suffer defeat at the Peninsula Stadium.

Before successive victories, Salford's majority shareholders, which include Manchester United legends David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville, witnessed the Ammies without a victory in six matches.

A comfortable 3-0 victory against Gillingham, courtesy of goals from Theo Vassell, Ryan Watson and Callum Hendry, saw the Ammies register their first victory in four league matches.

A 1-0 success over Bradford City in the Football League Trophy, thanks to Lorent Tolaj's first-half strike, registered a much-needed confidence boost ahead of a potentially tricky encounter against one of the league's most in-form sides.

Languishing in League Two for as long as Salford have resided in League Two, Walsall have registered an impressive 20 points from their last nine matches.

Sitting only one point behind Saturday's hosts, Walsall have been flying high in recent weeks, most recently beating Doncaster Rovers 2-0.

Before victory at the Eco-Power Stadium, the Saddlers progressed to the third round of the FA Cup, coming from behind to defeat Carlisle United 2-1 after late goals in the second half from Andy Williams and Douglas James-Taylor.

Since being relegated from League One in the 2018-19 season, it might be a surprise that Walsall has never graced the presence of the playoffs in the fourth tier of English football.

If results were to go their way, Walsall could end the weekend in the top seven of the League Two standings.

Team News

Salford City manager Neil Wood could field the same starting lineup as against Gillingham with no new injury worries ahead of the clash with Walsall.

Struggling in the goalscoring department since the departure of Brandon Thomas-Asante to West Bromwich Albion at the end of August, Ryan Watson and Callum Hendry are the Ammies' joint-top scorers with only four goals in all competitions.

Expected to again lead the line for Walsall, Danny Johnson has already scored 13 times this campaign, with only Sam Hoskins and Andy Cook finding the back of the net on more occasions in the league than the on-loan Mansfield Town striker this season.

Similarly to Salford, not many changes will be expected from Wood's managerial counterpart, Michael Flynn, as Walsall look to continue in their determined pursuit of an overdue return to League One.

Salford City possible starting lineup:
King; Bolton, Vassell, Nartley, Touray; Watson, Watt, Tolaj; Hendry, Bailey, Smith

Walsall possible starting lineup:
Evans; White, Daniels, Monthe; Bennett, Kinsella, Earing, Gordon; Hutchinson, Johnson, Knowles

We say: Salford City 1-2 Walsall

Hoping to avenge their 2-1 defeat against Salford City last season, Walsall should have enough firepower in the final third to register another victory.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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