Preview: Wycombe Wanderers vs. Shrewsbury Town - prediction, team news, lineups

After suffering consecutive defeats, Gareth Ainsworth will be looking for a response from his Wycombe Wanderers players when they face Shrewsbury Town in League One on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Shrews are slipping towards the relegation zone after failing to win in any of their last five league games.

Match preview

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On January 21, the Chairboys sat at the top of the League One summit, but they now find themselves in sixth position.

Due to the close nature of League One, back-to-back defeats has forced Wycombe to turn their attention from a potential promotion challenge and focus upon clinching a playoff place.

With no game at the weekend due to Cambridge United's FA Cup involvement, Ainsworth will be hoping that the 10-day break between matches will help his side rediscover the form that saw them suffer just one defeat in 10 games before their loss to MK Dons on January 22.

Despite those recent defeats, Wycombe will be hopeful of a positive result on Tuesday especially as they have lost only three times at home in the league this term.

Ahead of the midweek fixture, Ainsworth will be reminding his players about the 2-1 victory that they achieved against Shrewsbury in September.

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Meanwhile, the visitors are winless in their last six games in all competitions, but it has been a run of draws rather than losses that has been the Shrews downfall.

Four of their last five league fixtures have ended level, including their last three League One games, and it is a run of results that has left Steve Cotterill's side four points above the relegation zone.

On Saturday, Shrewsbury played host to Fleetwood Town and it was the visitors who took the lead through Anthony Pilkington, but the home side restored parity just after half time thanks to Luke Leahy's spot kick and with neither side able to find an elusive winner, they both had to settle for a point apiece.

Cotterill's men have been dependent on their home form this term, having picked up just five of their 33 points on the road this season.

The Shrews are one of three sides in League One that have won just once on their travels, and their away-day blues need to be addressed if they are to avoid a relegation battle.

Team News

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With no game at the weekend, Wycombe's players will be well-rested ahead of the midweek encounter.

On transfer deadline day, Lewis Wing and Jack Young joined the Chairboys on loan and the former could come into the starting lineup to make his debut, while Young may have to settle for a place on the bench.

Ainsworth could bring Sam Vokes into the starting lineup, with the Welshman looking to add to the eight goals that he has scored in the league this season.

As for Shrewsbury, January additions Matthew Bondswell and Tom Flanagan were both unused substitutes on Saturday, and they may have to wait a little longer for their debuts with the pair expected to be on the bench once again on Tuesday.

Following a solid performance at the weekend, the Shrews could name an unchanged lineup for the Wycombe clash.

With 14 goals between them in League One this term, the strike partnership of Ryan Bowman and Daniel Udoh will pose Shrewsbury's main goal threat.

Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Stockdale; Stewart, Tafazolli, Jacobson; Grimmer, Mehmeti, Wing, Obita; McCleary, Hanlan, Vokes

Shrewsbury Town possible starting lineup:
Marosi; Pennington, Ebanks-Landell, Nurse; Bennett, Fornah, Davis, Vela, Leahy; Bowman, Udoh

We say: Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Shrewsbury Town

Despite failing to win any of their last five league fixtures, four draws in that period suggest that Shrewsbury are a tough team to beat and with Wycombe's form dipping in recent weeks, we think that Tuesday's contest will also end all square.

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