Exeter City are on the hunt for some much-needed points when they welcome AFC Wimbledon to St James Park for a big League One fixture.
The Grecians are currently flirting with the relegation zone, while the Dons have lost serious ground in the promotion race owing to a four-match winless run in the competition.
Match preview
We might be in the festive football period, but there is certainly nothing merry about Exeter City’s form, nor their current standing in the table.
Having picked up one win from their last six League One matches, the Grecians find themselves just one point above the bottom three, indicating they may have a survival battle on their hands this season.
One obvious area of concern for Gary Caldwell’s men has been their toothless attack, with the team rattling the net 16 times in 17 League One fixtures.
Three of their last four defeats in the league have been to nil, including their 1-0 loss away at Bradford City over a week ago.
Thankfully for the Grecians, the team appear to have released the handbrake over the weekend, scoring four goals in a dominant 4-0 victory over Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup.
Time will tell whether that was the start of an actual turnaround or whether it was simply the magic of the cup.
© Imago
Exeter are not the only ones who are experiencing a tough run of form in League One at the moment, with Wimbledon in the midst of a four-match winless run in the competition.
Just a few weeks ago, the Dons had just extended their unbeaten run to six straight games with a 2-1 victory over Plymouth Argyle and even moved within a point of league leaders Cardiff City.
Things suddenly took a turn for the worse, with Wimbledon’s FA Cup exit against Gateshead being sandwiched by three consecutive League One defeats.
Johnnie Jackson’s men eventually ended the rot with a thrilling 3-3 draw away at Huddersfield Town – a result which keeps them within two points of the top six.
Exeter City League One form:
D L W D L L
Exeter City form (all competitions):
D W L L L W
AFC Wimbledon League One form:
D W L L L D
AFC Wimbledon form (all competitions):
L L W L D W
Team News
© Imago
Scottish forward Jack Aitchison managed to end his poor run of form by bagging a couple of goals against Wycombe on Saturday in the FA Cup.
Striker Jayden Wareham also scored in that game, taking his tally to five goals in eight appearances. Both he and Aitchison are expected to lead the frontline over the weekend.
In terms of injuries, Exeter are still missing Pedro Borges and Carlos Mendes, with the pair absent through knee and muscle injuries.
Danilo Orsi-Dadomo ended his seven-match goalless run with a strike against Huddersfield, and he will now be looking to score in consecutive league games.
There is no major concern on the injury front for the Dons, but they will be missing Ryan Johnson due to a suspension.
Exeter City possible starting lineup:
Whitworth; Turns, Fitzwater, Sweeney; Andrew, Brierley, McMillan, Niskanen; Aitchison, Oakes; Wareham
AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:
Bishop; Harbottle, Lewis, Ogundere; Seddon, Reeves, Smith, Sasu; Browne, Hippolyte; Orsi-Dadomo
We say: Exeter City 1-1 AFC Wimbledon
Exeter impressed in the FA Cup over the weekend, and they will be full of confidence ahead of their meeting with Wimbledon.
With both teams in desperate need of league points, we are backing both to score in a tight draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
