Preview: Tranmere Rovers vs. Sutton United - prediction, team news, lineups

Sutton United will continue their impressive start to their maiden League Two campaign when they travel North to face Tranmere Rovers on Saturday afternoon.

The visitors are one of five teams between sixth and 10th on 23 points, with Tranmere currently sitting on 22 points in 11th.

Match preview

Since earning promotion from the National League as champions last season, Sutton have taken to life in the fourth tier very quickly, winning seven of their opening 15 games.

Just two defeats from their first seven games had the South London side well placed in mid-table, before they embarked on a run of four straight wins between late September and October which pushed them up into the automatic promotion spaces.

Unfortunately for the Yellows, their recent form has seen them plummet down the table, having lost two of their previous three league games.

Despite the defeats, they have managed to maintain their impressive scoring record, having netted in each match of this season bar two – only six sides in the division have found the net on more occasions this season than Sutton.

Unlike their opponents on Saturday, Tranmere have struggled to put together a consistent scoring run this season, having failed to net more than two goals in a singular match in any game this season.

Additionally, Rovers have only netted 11 goals so far in League Two, while conceding 10, leaving them with a goal difference of +1.

Tranmere will be looking to catch Sutton whilst they are struggling with a bad run of form, and they will be confident of getting a result at Prenton Park.

Five of Tranmere's six wins this season have come at home, while they have lost just two of their Prenton Park encounters, and Sutton have won just three of their eight matches on the road.

The pair have not met since they were both non-league sides, with Tranmere winning the pair's last meeting in December 2017.

Sutton picked up one win at Prenton Park during their time as a National League side and another three points in Merseyside on Saturday could see the Yellows move into the playoff spaces.

Team News

Such is Tranmere's woes in front of goal this season their top goalscorer is currently centre-back Peter Clarke, who has netted three times so far.

Two of those goals came in one game and Rovers will need to find a sustainable source of goals if they are to challenge for the playoffs this season, with Keiron Morris the only other Tranmere player to have scored more than once.

Morris netted the last time that Tranmere took points this season, scoring the equaliser for Rovers as they came from behind to take a point away to Harrogate Town.

Nathaniel Knight-Percival returned from suspension for their recent FA Cup win against Crawley Town, providing some much needed steel in the Tranmere defence and the 34-year-old will likely partner veteran Clarke at the back.

One man looking to avoid suspension will be Jay Spearing, who has already accumulated four yellow cards in the league and would be forced to sit out a match if he got another.

David Ajiboye, Donovan Wilson and Alistair Smith have all netted three goals this season for Sutton, with the Yellows having found a way to share the goals around.

However, perhaps Sutton's strongest performer this season has been left-back Rob Milsom, who has scored twice and assisted a further four, making the defender one of their biggest creative threats.

The visitors will be without a trio of first-team players, with Louis John, Harry Beautyman and Craig Eastwood all missing for Matt Gray's side.

Tranmere Rovers possible starting lineup:
Doohan; Cogley, Knight-Percival, Clarke, MacDonald; McManaman, Morris, Spearing, Foley, Feeney; Dieseruvwe

Sutton United possible starting lineup:
Bouzanis; Kizzi, Goodliffe, Rowe, Wyatt; Ajiboye, Smith, Milsom, Randall; Olaofe, Bugiel

We say: Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Sutton United

Sutton have impressed since promotion and will be hoping to put an end to their stuttering form with a statement win away to Tranmere this weekend.

The hosts have enjoyed their best form this season at home, making Sutton's job a tough one, with the points likely to be shared.

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