Draw specialists Burton Albion welcome Barnsley to the Pirelli Stadium in League One on Saturday, when they will look to extend their unbeaten run to six games in all competitions.
It has been a week to forget for the visitors though, with Barnsley having shipped 10 goals in back-to-back league and cup defeats.
Match preview
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Burton most certainly are the draw specialists of the English game at present, having shared the spoils in four of their five league games so far this season.
Unlike Saturday's opponents, The Brewers have had a full week to prepare for this game after drawing 2-2 away at Rotherham United last weekend, when goals from Danilo Orsi and Jack Love earned Mark Robinson's side yet another point.
Despite a couple of 0-0 draws against Northampton Town and Stevenage, back in August Burton played out a pulsating 3-3 draw against Mansfield Town and they also lost late on at home to Lincoln City in a 3-2 defeat.
In fact, Burton's only win this season was against Leicester City's Under-21s last month, when goals from Mason Bennett, Ryan Sweeney and Orsi handed them a 3-1 victory in the EFL Trophy.
Burton have been in League One since 2018, and although they finished ninth in their first season they have never since finished higher than 12th and they came perilously close to being relegated last season as they ended the season on 46 points; one place and two points ahead of Cheltenham Town.
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Barnsley meanwhile come into Saturday's game wanting to erase the memory of the 7-0 thumping they received against Manchester United on Tuesday evening, with goals from Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Christian Eriksen and Antony.
It was the first time they have conceded seven goals in a game since their 7-0 defeat against West Bromwich Albion in 2007, but it was the second time in Barnsley's history that they lost to Manchester United by seven goals to nil; the first coming all the way back in October 1997 in the Premier League.
Back on the League One front, despite making a solid enough start and entering last weekend's game against Stevenage on a four-game unbeaten run, the Tykes lost 3-0 at the Lamex Stadium, courtesy of Carl Piergianni and an Elliott List brace.
While this result leaves Barnsley in seventh, they have finished in the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and under their new manager Darrell Clarke for the 2024-25 season, the expectations will be no less demanding.
Despite Barnsley's miserable week on the road, they do have away wins against Lincoln City and Crawley Town so far this campaign, and with the level of quality in their side – particularly in midfield with the likes of Adam Phillips and Luca Connell – the Tykes can be confident of once again putting together a promotion push this season.
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Team News
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Barnsley did make a host of changes in midweek's defeat to Manchester United, so Clarke could veer more towards the side that he picked in last weekend's league defeat away to Stevenage.
Phillips and Connell are likely to be joined in the midfield by Matthew Craig, and Sam Cosgrove will be the prime candidate to start in attack and replace Max Watters who started the League Cup game in midweek.
There is mixed news on the injury front for Burton, with Charlie Webster and Jason Sraha potentially being available to return this weekend, but Billy Boden and Bennett are ruled out for the Brewers here.
Ronnie Stutter also missed the Rotherham game after picking up a groin injury in training, and the Chelsea loanee is expected to once again miss out here, but forward Julian Larsson could return to the bench to provide Robinson with some more options in attack.
Burton Albion possible starting lineup:
Crocombe; Vancooten, Sweeney, Armer; Godwin-Malife, Chauke, Watt, Williams; Kalinauskas, Love; Orsi
Barnsley possible starting lineup:
Slonina; de Gevigney, Pines, Roberts, Earl; Craig, Phillips, Connell; Cotter, Keillor-Dunn; Cosgrove
We say: Burton Albion 0-1 Barnsley
While recent results suggest that Barnsley might have taken a hit to their confidence after what was a solid enough start to the season, Robinson will be hoping for a response from his players as they look to keep up with the leading pack in League One.
Burton have a proclivity for drawing games at present, but with a few key players still absent for the Brewers, we expect the away side to narrowly take all three points on Saturday.
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