Two sides moving in opposite directions in the League One table will meet in an important contest on Saturday, as Mansfield Town welcome Rotherham United to the One Call Stadium.
The hosts have dropped down to 11th spot in the midst of a seven-match winless streak, while their visitors have climbed within touching distance of the top half with back-to-back wins.
Match preview
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Mansfield Town return to the One Call Stadium on Saturday aiming to end their slide down the League One table, having endured a dismal run of form in recent months.
After winning promotion from League Two last time around, the Stags enjoyed an eye-catching start to life in England's third tier, amassing 23 points from their first 11 games to sit among the frontrunners, including picking up six victories from a seven-match span across September and October.
They have since failed to add another notch to their wins column in seven further attempts, though, beginning with a creditable draw at home to Birmingham City only to suffer five straight defeats, leaving empty-handed from meetings with Wrexham, Bristol Rovers, Wycombe Wanderers, Bolton Wanderers and Huddersfield Town.
Aiming to end that losing streak and begin climbing back towards the top six, Nigel Clough's side most recently faced a tough trip to Charlton Athletic on Saturday, and they were at least able to take a share of the spoils as the contest ended goalless at The Valley.
Now sitting 11th in League One despite their rapid start, trailing the playoff spots by six points and only leading 17th place by two, Mansfield Town will be desperate to correct their form and make a return to winning ways to stop their slide on Saturday.
![Rotherham United manager Steve Evans during the EFL Sky Bet League 1 match between Wycombe Wanderers and Rotherham United at Adams Park, High Wycombe, England, on 24 August 2024. [on August 25, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/34/steve-evans.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Rotherham United manager Steve Evans during the EFL Sky Bet League 1 match between Wycombe Wanderers and Rotherham United at Adams Park, High Wycombe, England, on 24 August 2024. [on August 25, 2024]")
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They face another tricky test, though, as the visitors arrive aiming to extend an upturn in form and leapfrog the Stags at the weekend.
The 2024-25 season is also Rotherham United's first back in League One after suffering relegation from the Championship last time around, but they had to endure a poor start in their bid to win an immediate promotion back to the second tier.
After suffering four league defeats in a five-match span across October and November, Steve Evans's side sat deep in the bottom half on just 17 points from 16 outings, but they appear to have turned a corner since with consecutive third-tier wins for just the second time this term.
The Millers returned to winning ways by beating Lincoln City 2-1 on home turf, and after scraping past Tranmere Rovers in the EFL Trophy, they most recently hosted Northampton Town on Saturday and dished out a 3-0 beating thanks to Jonson Clarke-Harris's first-half brace and an Andre Green goal.
Having now rebuilt a degree of confidence with three victories on the bounce and moved within two points of League One's top half and three points of the top 10, Rotherham United will aim to continue their improvement with another triumph at the weekend when Evans visits the side he managed between 2016 and 2018.
Team News
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Mansfield Town head into the weekend without winger Ben Quinn and top scorer Lee Gregory due to ongoing injury issues.
In the absence of the latter, who has netted seven goals in 12 League One games this term, Will Evans and Lucas Akins will hope to lead the attack again, although George Maris will compete to return in an advanced midfield role.
Keanu Baccus, Louis Reed and Aaron Lewis will hope to keep their places in the midfield despite competition from Hiram Boateng, while Jordan Bowery, Baily Cargill and Adedeji Oshilaja will continue in a back three after their clean sheet against Charlton Athletic last time out.
Steve Evans should field an unchanged Rotherham United starting XI from last week's 3-0 win over Northampton Town, if defender Sean Raggett remains sidelined by an injury.
In his likely absence, Hakeem Odoffin will again deputise alongside Zak Jules in the middle of a back four, leaving Joe Powell to partner Christ Tiehi in the engine room.
After netting his first goal of the season last time out after a long injury layoff, Andre Green will again join Sam Nombe and Mallik Wilks in support of front man Jonson Clarke-Harris, who moved onto seven goals for the campaign with his brace in last Saturday's win.
Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:
Pym; Bowery, Oshilaja, Cargill; Hewitt, Lewis, Reed, Baccus, Blake-Tracy; Maris; Evans
Rotherham United possible starting lineup:
Phillips; Rafferty, Odoffin, Jules, James; Powell, Tiehi; Wilks, Nombe, Green; Clarke-Harris
We say: Mansfield Town 1-2 Rotherham United
Rotherham United appear to be hitting their stride and showing their quality after a tough start, while Mansfield Town are quickly sliding down the League One table, and we back the Millers to prevail at the weekend as a result and continue their climb.
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Sam Varley
