Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s League One clash between Cambridge United and Bolton Wanderers, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Cambridge United will host Bolton Wanderers at Abbey Stadium in a rescheduled round five League One fixture on Tuesday night.
The hosts will be looking to end a four-match winless streak across all competitions, three of which have come in the league.
Match preview
Cambridge have had a rollercoaster 2024-25 campaign so far, and it started off without a win in their opening 12 matches across all competitions, losing 11 times and drawing one.
The U’s appeared to have put the poor start behind them, going on a five-match winning streak across all competitions, with the run including three League One victories against Wigan, Stevenage, and Burton.
However, Garry Monk‘s side are now in another rough patch, having failed to win any of their last three games, losing 6-1 to Peterborough United, drawing 1-1 against Barnsley before a goalless draw with Northampton Town in their most recent league game.
The U’s remain 22nd in the League One table and just four points adrift of safety, though they have played two fewer games than 20th-placed Crawley Town.
Cambridge head into Tuesday’s contest with Bolton hoping to make one of those extra games count, and their recent performances at home could leave them confident of getting something from this game, having not lost in their last four home matches across all competitions.
However, the U’s are on a five-match winless streak against the Trotters, losing three and drawing two – having lost the most recent two, the hosts will be seeking to avoid losing three in a row against the visitors for the first time.
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Healing from the loss in last season’s playoff final, Bolton failed to hit the ground running in League One this season, recording mixed results in their opening 12 matches.
However, the Trotters have now won four of their last six league games, which suggests that they are getting close to the levels that earned them a top-six finish last season.
Ian Evatt‘s side have bounced back well from a 5-0 thrashing against Stockport County, winning 2-1 against Fleetwood Town in the EFL Trophy and against Blackpool in their last League One game.
Bolton have climbed to ninth place, level on 26 points with the teams from fifth to eighth, only behind due to an inferior goal difference, having played one fewer game than sixth-placed Barnsley and seventh-placed Lincoln City.
The Trotters will head to Abbey Stadium hoping to end a two-match away losing streak across all competitions, while hoping to win two straight matches in that ground for the first time ever.
Cambridge United League One form:
Cambridge United form (all competitions):
Bolton Wanderers League One form:
Bolton Wanderers form (all competitions):
Team News
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Cambridge will remain without 26-year-old full-back James Gibbons who is ruled out for several weeks with a knee injury.
Josh Stokes and Paul Digby are also set to remain sidelined with respective knee and calf problems, ruling them out of this clash.
Monk is expected to stick with Dan Nlundulu and Brandon Njoku in attack, with Elias Kachunga providing creative support behind both strikers.
Bolton will remain without Kyle Dempsey who has a knee injury, as well as Eoin Toal and Chris Forino who are also sidelined with injuries.
Evatt is likely to stick with the same line-up from Bolton’s win over Blackpool, with Aaron Collins – who scored a stoppage-time winner in the game – retaining his spot in attack.
George Thomason was also on target, and he is expected to play in the pivot alongside Josh Sheehan in a four-man midfield.
Cambridge United possible starting lineup:
Stevens; Okedina, Morrison, Andrew; Bennett, Cousins, Smith, Brophy; Kachunga; Njoku, Nlundulu
Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Baxter; Jones, Santos, Johnston; Cogley, Thomason, Sheehan, Schon; Charles, Collins, McAtee
We say: Cambridge United 1-2 Bolton Wanderers
Bolton are yet to record a draw on the road in League One this season, and we believe that this record will be maintained on Tuesday, as we are tipping the Trotters to maintain their good run against a Cambridge side that are not looking good at the moment.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
