Two teams hoping to challenge for promotion to the Championship from League One meet on New Years Day, as Fleetwood host Sunderland at Highbury Stadium.
Fleetwood are currently just a point outside the play-off spots in the third tier, but crucially have games in-hand on the teams around them in the table. A run of just one win in their last five league matches has rather dented Town’s chances of promotion this season.
However, a goalless draw against Bristol Rovers last time out means that the home side is unbeaten in four League One games.
The draw against Rovers brought a much-needed clean sheet, as Fleetwood had conceded in their previous six league outings. Their poor defensive displays have contributed to both teams scoring in six of their last seven league matches.
Fleetwood have been hard to beat on home soil of late, as they have suffered just one defeat on home soil in their last 17 outings in League One.
Town are currently on a five-game unbeaten run on home soil. Their recent home matches have been relatively tight of late in League One, as three of their last four games have produced under 2.5 goals.
Sunderland are currently five points off the play-off spots in League One, after an inconsistent recent run of form in the third tier.
A 2-1 win at Doncaster in their last league outing means that the Black Cats ended a five-match winless run in League One. In fact, the team from the north east are also unbeaten in their last three games. The visitors recent league outings have been low-scoring affairs, with under 2.5 goals scored in six of their last eight matches.
Forebet predicts that this game will finish in a low-scoring draw, denting the home sides hopes of moving into the play-off spots, for now anyway.