League Two basement boys Carlisle United will travel to face Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park in their gameweek 25 fixture on Saturday.
The hosts have amassed 22 points from the same number of matches, leaving them two points above the relegation zone, while the visitors are firmly rooted to the bottom with 18 points from 23 matches.
Match preview
Tranmere Rovers extended their winless run in League Two to three matches when they suffered a 2-0 loss at the hands of Morecambe on New Year's Day.
The Rovers held their own in the first 45 minutes, but they were undone by two second-half goals from Yann Songo'o and Jamie Stott in the 72nd and 84th minutes respectively.
With that result, the Birkenhead-based team now have only one win in their last nine matches in all competitions, their last victory being a 2-1 triumph over Harrogate Town on December 14.
A solitary triumph in eight League Two outings (one win, two draws and five losses) leaves them occupying 21st place in the table, only two points and two places above the relegation zone.
While Tranmere's poor away form is well documented, their home record is not significantly better, as they have only managed three wins in 11 fixtures on their turf.
However, a win for Nigel Adkins's team on Saturday could see the Rovers move to 19th position in the table, provided both Swindon Town and Accrington Stanley drop points in their respective matches.
Meanwhile, in a closely-fought encounter, Carlisle United suffered a 3-2 loss to Crewe Alexandra at the Mornflake Stadium in gameweek 24.
Despite leading 2-1, the Blues conceded two goals in stoppage time, scored by Omar Bogle and Jack Lankester in the 93rd and 98th minutes respectively, ultimately losing 3-2 to Crewe.
The Cumbrians are now rock bottom in the League Two table, with 18 points accrued from 23 league engagements, leaving them four points from safety.
Having been relegated from League One last term, the Cumbria outfit have struggled significantly in the current campaign, with their lack of goalscoring prowess a major factor in their disappointing performances, as evidenced by their paltry total of 19 league goals this season.
Although there is a silver lining on that front, they have bagged two goals in both of their last two league outings.
The visitors' away form is also a cause for concern, with two wins, three draws and six losses recorded on the road this term; however, the hosts are unbeaten in their last two trips to Prenton Park, offering some optimism ahead of Saturday's encounter.
Team News
For the hosts, Saidou Khan and Brad Walker returned from spells on the sidelines with substitute appearances in the loss at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium on New Year's Day, meaning they will both be available for selection on Saturday.
Connor Jennings is expected to lead the line, supported by Harvey Saunders, Sol Solomon and Omari Patrick, who is Tranmere's top scorer in the league with six goals.
However, this fixture may come too soon for Regan Hendry and Luke Norris, who are still on the sidelines.
For Carlisle, Samuel Lavelle, Jon Mellish and Ben Barclay formed the back three in their last outing at the Mornflake Stadium, and they are expected to keep their places.
Luke Armstrong, who has four goal involvements so far, should start up front for the visitors, keen to be decisive for the visiting club.
Tranmere Rovers possible starting lineup:
McGee; O'Connor, Davies, Turnbull, Bradshaw; Finley, Morris; Saunders, Solomon, Patrick; Jennings
Carlisle United possible starting lineup:
Breeze; Mellish, Barclay, Lavelle; Biggins, Harper, Ellis, Sadi; Neal, Adu-Adjei; Armstrong
We say: Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Carlisle United
This weekend's match between Tranmere and Carlisle features two teams who have both struggled with consistency this season.
While the home side might expect a comfortable encounter against the team currently bottom of the table, the visitors are unbeaten in their last two matches against Tranmere, suggesting that Saturday's fixture could end in a score draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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