Two out-of-form League One teams meet at The Valley on Saturday afternoon as Charlton Athletic play host to Mansfield Town.
While the Addicks have won just one of their last eight third-tier matches, the Stags have failed to win any of their last six league games.
Match preview
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Competing in League One for the fifth straight season, Charlton Athletic currently sit 12th in the table after winning six, drawing five and losing seven of their 18 matches, scoring 18 goals and conceding 19 in the process.
The Addicks have struggled for consistency throughout this season and they have won just two of their last 12 third-tier matches since the end of September, including a slender 1-0 away success at relegation-threatened Burton Albion at the end of last month.
Nathan Jones's side have since failed to win their last two league fixtures, including a goalless stalemate at Lincoln City last weekend, while they also suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Leyton Orient in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, conceding both goals in the 93rd and 95th minutes.
A somewhat favourable trio of fixtures against Mansfield, Northampton Town and Cambridge United are up next for Charlton, and they will be targeting an upturn in form during the festive period before ending 2024 with a home encounter against league leaders Wycombe Wanderers.
Charlton have won all six League One games in which they have scored first this season, so a fast start in front of The Valley faithful could be crucial if they are to pick up maximum points against Mansfield this weekend.
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Mansfield made a superb start to their first League One campaign in 22 years and were fourth in the table at the end of October after losing just two of their opening 11 matches.
However, the Stags have since endured a six-game winless run, losing each of their last five league games, with 1-0 defeats to Wrexham, Bristol Rovers and Wycombe followed by a 3-1 loss at Bolton Wanderers and last weekend's 2-1 home defeat to Huddersfield Town.
Now sitting 10th in the League One standings and seven points behind the playoffs, Mansfield will stick to their playing principles and will not get "too down" over a run of five successive defeats according to head coach Nigel Clough.
Mansfield will endeavour to avoid losing six games in a row for the first time since November 2013 when they face a Charlton side whom they have only previously played against twice in the league, drawing 2-2 at The Valley and losing 3-0 on home soil as a second-tier club back in 1977-78.
The Stags, who have picked up as many points at home as they have away so far this season (12 each) travel to Charlton on Saturday having won just two of their last 10 away league fixtures against teams from London (D3 L5), keeping only two clean sheets during this run.
Team News
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Charlton quartet Kayne Ramsay, Chuks Aneke and Zach Mitchell and Conor Coventry have all been nursing injuries and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
After making nine changes in midweek, Jones is expected to revert to a stronger starting lineup on Saturday, with the likes of Macaulay Gillesphey, Terry Taylor, Tyreece Campbell, Daniel Kanu and Matt Godden all hoping to force their way back into the first XI.
Twenty-year-old Jamaica international Kaheim Dixon was handed his first start for the Addicks last time out, but the midfielder could make way for either Taylor or Luke Berry.
As for Mansfield, they will be without top scorer Lee Gregory (knee) and Ben Quinn (shoulder) due to injury, but Hiram Boateng is available for selection after serving a suspension.
Boateng and Stephen Quinn will both be pushing to start in midfield ahead of Aaron Lewis, while Will Evans could once again be supported in attack by George Maris, who is yet to score in 11 appearances this term.
Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:
Maynard-Brewer; Edmonds-Green, Mitchell, Gillesphey, Edwards; Taylor, Docherty, Anderson; Godden; Kanu, Ahadme
Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:
Pym; Oshilaja, Flint, Cargill; Hewitt, Baccus, Reed, S. Quinn, Blake-Tracy; Maris; Evans
We say: Charlton Athletic 1-1 Mansfield Town
Neither side enter Saturday's contest in good form, but they will back themselves to end their poor runs of form with a victory here. Charlton will arguably be regarded as slight favourites on home soil, but we are backing Mansfield to end their losing streak and share the spoils with the Addicks.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
