Bradford City will be bidding to make it five straight wins in all competitions when they host Morecambe on Tuesday night.
The home side are currently seventh in the League Two table, two points ahead of eighth-placed Salford City, while Morecambe are rock bottom of the division, picking up only 20 points from their opening 26 matches of the campaign.
Match preview
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Bradford will bring a four-game winning run into this contest, including their last three in League Two, beating Grimsby Town, Carlisle United and Walsall to rise up the table into seventh spot, two points ahead of eighth-placed Salford.
Graham Alexander's side finished ninth in League Two last season, but they will be aiming to make at least the playoffs this term, while the team are now very close to the automatic spots due to their recent impressive form.
Indeed, Bradford are only two points behind both third-placed Doncaster Rovers and second-placed Crewe Alexandra, while they are now level on points with both sixth-placed Notts County and fifth-placed AFC Wimbledon.
The Paraders have the second-best home record in England's fourth tier this season, picking up 30 points from 13 matches, recording nine wins in the process, but Morecambe have actually been stronger away than at home this term.
Bradford are actually winless in their last five matches against Morecambe, with two of those encounters taking place this season - a 1-1 draw in the league back in October and a 1-0 defeat in the FA Cup in November.
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Morecambe can take heart from their recent matches against Bradford, triumphing in three of their last five encounters, and they have picked up 14 of their 20 points during the 2024-25 League Two campaign on their travels.
The Shrimps have a record of five wins, five draws and 16 defeats from their 26 league matches this season, which has left them bottom of the division on 20 points, but it is not quite the time to hit the panic button.
Indeed, Derek Adams's side are only six points behind 22nd-placed Tranmere Rovers, and there is plenty of football left to play this term.
Morecambe were relegated from League One at the end of the 2022-23 campaign, and they finished 15th in the fourth tier last season, but they are now facing dropping down to the National League for 2025-26.
Team News
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Bradford were impressive against Walsall on Saturday afternoon, scoring three unanswered goals, and head coach Alexander could name an unchanged side for the contest with Morecambe.
Andy Cook is a major absentee for the home side due to a serious knee injury, with the 24-year-old scoring 15 times in all competitions during the 2024-25 campaign, and he will be out for the remainder of the campaign.
Calum Kavanagh has scored six times and registered four assists in 27 appearances this season, and he will again be in the XI.
As for Morecambe, Lee Angol is unavailable for selection due to the red card that he picked up against Colchester on Saturday afternoon.
Angol's absence is expected to open the door for Ben Tollitt to start, with the 30-year-old bidding to add to the eight goals that he has scored during the 2024-25 campaign.
Head coach Adams could otherwise name an unchanged side, including a start for Rhys Williams in the middle of the defence.
Bradford City possible starting lineup:
Walker; Baldwin, Shepherd, Kelly; Halliday, Pattison, Smallwood, Richards; Sarcevic, Kavanagh, Pointon
Morecambe possible starting lineup:
Burgoyne; Hendrie, Williams, Stott, Tutonda; Songo'o, White; Lewis, Cooke, Edwards; Tollitt
We say: Bradford City 2-0 Morecambe
Morecambe have been stronger on the road than in front of their own supporters this season, but Bradford's home form has been excellent during the 2024-25 campaign, and we are fully expecting Alexander's side to emerge victorious on Tuesday night.
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Matt Law
