Preview: Bradford City vs. Chesterfield - prediction, team news, lineups

With conscionable 3 points separating them, Bradford City volition purpose to gully level with Chesterfield – and perchance leapfrog them successful the League Two standings – erstwhile the 2 sides conscionable astatine Northern Commercials Stadium connected Sunday.

Both teams get astatine this fixture successful contrasting signifier – the hosts person claimed 2 wins successful their past 3 League Two matches, portion the visitors are looking to retrieve aft their three-match winning streak was abruptly halted connected Boxing Day.

Match preview

© Imago

Bradford City stayed wrong touching region of the last playoff spot aft securing a 2-1 triumph implicit Port Vale connected Boxing Day, courtesy of an Andy Cook brace, scored either broadside of Antwoine Hackford's extremity for the Valiants.

Cook continues to play a pivotal relation for the Bantams this play – the 34-year-old English striker has been progressive successful astir fractional of Bradford's 26 league goals, with his tally of 12 making him the joint-top scorer successful League Two.

Thanks to his goals, the squad bounced backmost from their decision to Notts County, climbing 2 places to 10th successful the array with 31 points from 21 matches.

Bradford, present boasting the third-best location grounds successful the league with 21 points from 10 games, volition look to support their beardown signifier astatine Northern Commercials Stadium erstwhile they invited Chesterfield connected Sunday.

Adding to their assurance is their ascendant grounds against Sunday's opponents, having won 9 of their 13 location matches against the visitors, and emerging victorious successful the past six competitory meetings.

© Imago

Chesterfield's instrumentality to the Football League has been mostly positive, but the Spireites suffered a setback connected Boxing Day, falling 2-0 distant to Fleetwood, ending their three-match winning streak.

The 2023-24 National League champions slipped to sixth spot pursuing the defeat, with 34 points from 22 matches, and present beryllium conscionable 2 points down third-placed Doncaster, who inhabit the last automatic promotion spot.

Paul Cook's men are tied connected points with Wimbledon, Notts County, and Grimsby Town, edging the second lone connected extremity difference, knowing that immoderate unsmooth spot could spot them autumn disconnected the pack.

However, things are not looking promising for the Spireites heading into their last crippled of the twelvemonth – portion Chesterfield person the sixth-best distant grounds successful the division, their caller signifier connected the roadworthy has been little than inspiring, with 3 defeats successful their past 4 league games distant from home.

Bradford City League Two form:

Bradford City signifier (all competitions):

Chesterfield League Two form:

Chesterfield signifier (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Bradford City person conscionable 1 wounded interest up of this clash, with right-back Callum Johnson inactive sidelined and expected to stay retired for the foreseeable future.

Graham Alexander is apt to instrumentality with the aforesaid line-up that secured triumph implicit Port Vale, featuring Bobby Pointon and Calum Kavanagh supporting the in-form striker Cook.

Chesterfield, meanwhile, person seen their wounded woes deepen, with Ryan Colclough and apical scorer Will Grigg joining an already extended casualty list.

Grigg's lack paved the mode for 16-year-old striker Gunner Elliott to marque his elder debut during the last 5 minutes of the decision to Fleetwood.

Kane Drummond, who was tasked with starring the enactment successful that match, is expected to clasp his relation for Sunday's encounter.

Bradford City imaginable starting lineup:
Walker; Kelly, Huntington, Baldwin; Halliday, Sarcevic, Smallwood, Richards; Kavanagh, Pointon; Cook

We say: Bradford City 2-1 Chesterfield

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