With just three games remaining in the League One season, Wycombe Wanderers host Charlton Athletic on Monday in a clash that could shape the race for automatic promotion.
The Chairboys sit second with 84 points, one above Wrexham and five clear of their visitors, and while a win would not mathematically seal promotion, it would go a long way in tightening their grip on a top-two finish.
Match preview
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Wycombe have pieced together a timely run when it matters most, with three straight wins to their name, buoyed by a solid defence, having not conceded in any of those encounters.
Their most recent outing was a 2-0 victory at Bolton Wanderers, and it was the first time in six matches that Mike Dodds's side had managed to score twice, suggesting they may be finding their cutting edge again just as the pressure begins to mount.
Home comforts have also played their part in the Blues' promotion push, with five wins and just one loss from their last nine outings at Adams Park, where they have racked up an impressive seven clean sheets across that run.
Indeed, Wycombe have let in only 11 goals in the league at the ground all season — the joint fewest in the division — and their haul of 42 points from a possible 63 at home places them as the sixth-best side on their own turf.
The Blues also claimed a narrow 1-0 win when Charlton last visited Buckinghamshire, and given their recent defensive solidity and the pressure-cooked scenario, they will believe another disciplined display could see them over the line.
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The visitors arrive in buoyant mood, having won 14 of their last 19 matches, with four coming in the most recent five — a surge that has hauled Nathan Jones's side into the promotion conversation.
The Red Robins's latest success came in a hard-fought 2-1 win over Northampton Town, which moved them to 79 points and kept alive the possibility of snatching second place.
Charlton's form on the road has improved considerably in recent weeks, with four wins in their last six such encounters — just one short of the total they managed in the previous 15 — and the Valiants head into this one sitting eighth in the away table with 31 points.
A key part of that turnaround has been their defensive shape, with four clean sheets across those last six trips – a quality they will look to rely on to take valuable points this weekend.
Team News
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Wycombe emerged from their win over Bolton unscathed, and manager Dodds is unlikely to alter a winning side.
Richard Kone, the Chairboys' top scorer with 18 league goals — tied for the second most in League One this season — is expected to lead the line once again.
Shamal George and Daniel Harvie remain sidelined as they continue their respective injury recoveries.
Charlton are also expected to name an unchanged lineup after their victory over Northampton, meaning Matt Godden, who scored in that match, should continue up front, supported by Luke Berry, who also found the net.
Godden has netted 15 times this season, including a league-leading eight opening goals and will aim to add to that tally here.
Daniel Kanu and Miles Leaburn remain unavailable for this clash as they continue their recovery from injury.
Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Norris; Leahy, Taylor, Bradley, Grimmer, Onyedinma; Udoh, Simons, Scowen, Humphreys; Kone
Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:
Mannion; Ramsay, Jones, Mclntyre, Edwards; Coventry, Docherty; Small, Berry, Campbell; Godden
We say: Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Charlton Athletic
Both teams are in strong form and have been tight at the back, and with so much at stake, this could end in a cagey draw that keeps the automatic race alive heading into the final two matchdays.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
