AFC Wimbledon take on Sutton United in League Two action at Plough Lane on Saturday.
The home side are currently 17th in the table, with the visitors just two places higher, in 15th.
Match preview
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Having been relegated from League One last season, Wimbledon fans would have wanted to make a better start to this campaign, having acquired just 12 points from their opening 12 matches.
Inconsistent form means they are already nine points away from the playoff places, so far unable to win two consecutive League Two games this season.
A major thorn in the side of The Dons has been their defensive record, conceding 19 league goals this campaign, the third-worst record in the entire league.
This was underpinned last time out away at Walsall, with Johnnie Jackson's side falling to a 3-1 defeat at the Poundland Stadium, slumping to just four points above the relegation zone in the process.
Despite a slow start to the season, Saturday's game gives The Dons a chance to get back on track against a team who have been out-of-sorts in recent matches.
Indeed, Sutton are on a terrible run of form, losing their last four consecutive matches, and failing to score in the most recent three of those.
Most recently, Matt Gray's side came unstuck at home to Tranmere Rovers, losing 2-0 after first-half goals from Kane Hemmings and Paul Lewis.
With just one shot on target in the whole match, it never felt likely that The U's would get anything from the game, and they are now seven points adrift of the playoff places.
The U's had looked impressive earlier on in the season, notching good home wins against Mansfield Town and Barrow, but have since fallen down the table significantly.
To make matters worse heading into Saturday's game, Sutton have the worst away record in the league, only managing to get one point from six games on their travels so far this season.
Team News
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Nathan Young-Coombes is set to miss out for Wimbledon, with the striker currently unavailable after suffering a knee injury at the end of September.
Captain Alex Woodyard is now back in action after returning after a spell on the sidelines, playing eight minutes last time out against Walsall and being poised to get more on Saturday.
Forward Josh Davison has chimed in with four goals and two assists so far this season and is likely to get the nod up front, scoring a brace in his side's last home game, against Colchester.
The visitors have some injury concerns of their own, with Aaron Pierre and Louis John being withdrawn early against Tranmere, and looking unlikely to return in time.
Two defenders being injured in one game may force Matt Gray to re-jig his backline, with Joe Kizzi likely to slot in at centre-back and Enzio Boldewijn coming in at right-back, an unfamiliar position for the winger.
AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:
Tzanev; Brown, Kalambayi, Gunter; Ogundere, Pell, Towler, Chislett, Currie; Assal, Davison
Sutton United possible starting lineup:
Ward; Boldewijn, Kizzi, Rowe, Milsom; Neufville, Eastmond, Lovatt, Randall; Kendall, Bugiel
We say: AFC Wimbledon 2-0 Sutton United
Although Wimbledon have not been in great form recently, they should have enough about them to beat Sutton. The visitors have really struggled for goals recently, and this is also coupled with the worst away record in the division.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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