Preview: Northampton Town vs. Barnsley - prediction, team news, lineups

On Saturday, Northampton Town are acceptable to big an in-form, promotion-chasing Barnsley astatine Sixfields Stadium successful League One.

Both sides travel into the clash unbeaten successful 2025 truthful far, though the visitors person won 4 successful a enactment up of this weekend.

Match preview

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Kevin Nolan's Northampton are presently 18th successful League One, having earned 26 points from their 25 matches this term.

The Cobblers brag took implicit conscionable earlier Christmas aft erstwhile manager Jon Brady resigned successful aboriginal December, and has overseen a agelong of 4 games that includes 1 win, 2 draws and 1 loss.

Those 4 results are mixed, but they correspond a marked betterment implicit the six games anterior that featured 5 losses and conscionable 1 victory.

Last clip out, Nolan's broadside bushed bottom-of-the-table Burton Albion 1-0 connected the road, though it took a late, deflected onslaught from Sam Hoskins to unafraid each 3 points.

That effect took Northampton to 3 games unbeaten - the archetypal specified tally for the Cobblers since October - and means that the nine are present six points supra Crawley Town successful the relegation zone.

On Saturday, the hosts volition beryllium looking to physique much assurance and information successful their presumption arsenic a League One squad by proving their capableness against 1 of the division's champion sides, though fixed their opponents' form, avoiding decision volition beryllium a large challenge.

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Meanwhile, Darrell Clarke's Barnsley are 5th successful the array with 42 points from their 25 third-tier games this season.

In the hunt for promotion, the Tykes are successful a beardown presumption wrong the playoff spots - 4 points supra seventh-placed Stockport County.

Last clip out, Barnsley bushed relegation-threatened Crawley 3-0, pursuing connected from different triumph against title-chasing Wrexham connected New Year's Day.

Those 2 results came arsenic portion of a tally of 4 wins successful a enactment and 5 from Clarke's side's past six matches, an exceptional spell of signifier that exists successful stark opposition to their six-game winless streak betwixt mid-November and aboriginal December.

This weekend, Barnsley volition look different broadside debased down successful the table, though the information that the Tykes person kept conscionable 1 cleanable expanse from their past 8 matches means that their forwards volition apt request to person their shooting boots connected if they are to grounds a 5th consecutive win.

Northampton Town League One form:

Northampton Town signifier (all competitions):

Barnsley League One form:

Team News

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Northampton brag Nolan is acceptable to beryllium without left-flank regular Nesta Guinness-Walker erstwhile again, truthful expect Mitchell Pinnock to beryllium shifted implicit to the near and Liam Shaw to commencement successful midfield.

Similarly, attacking midfielder Cameron McGeehan volition not beryllium available, and Samy Chouchane should presume his spot successful the XI this weekend.

As for Barnsley, Clarke's broadside were bolstered by the instrumentality of defenders Marc Roberts and Josh Earl past clip out, truthful expect the duo to commencement astatine the backmost alongside Mael de Gevigney.

Elsewhere, Clarke has mentioned that the Tykes person emerged from the festive play comparatively unscathed, though determination is simply a bout of unwellness successful the campy that could interaction the players connected Saturday.

Barnsley person besides signed the versatile Neil Farrugia from Shamrock Rovers successful the January transportation window, and helium could diagnostic connected the bench.

On the different hand, loanee Matty Craig returned to genitor nine Tottenham Hotspur and was sent connected indebtedness to Mansfield Town.

Northampton Town imaginable starting lineup:
Tzanev; McGowan, Willis, Eyoma; Odimayo, Shaw, Hondermarck, Pinnock; Chouchane, Eaves, Hoskins

We say: Northampton Town 1-3 Barnsley

Both sides are connected unbeaten runs astatine the moment, though Barnsley person faced tougher absorption and won 4 consecutive matches, portion Northampton person simply avoided defeat.

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