Aiming to end the campaign on a high note, already-relegated Cambridge United host league winners Birmingham City at Abbey Stadium on Saturday afternoon in League One.
The U’s have lost back-to-back matches ahead of the meeting with record-breaking Blues, who will reach 111 points should they win this weekend.
Match preview
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After a respectable four-year stay, Cambridge United’s time in League One will come to a saddening end on Saturday afternoon at Abbey Stadium, with this weekend’s hosts having no chance of avoiding a bottom-four finish before the curtain falls on another third-tier campaign.
Consecutive defeats to Leyton Orient and fellow strugglers Burton Albion put the final nail in the coffin of the U’s, who were denied a point late on at the Pirelli Stadium last weekend, when 21-year-old Dylan Williams scored an added-time winners for the Brewers.
Losing three of their most recent quartet of third-tier contests, Cambridge are languishing down in 23rd position in the League One rankings with just three points left to fight for, a mammoth nine points behind the aforementioned Burton in the relative comfort of 20th.
The U’s are winless across their last six matches at Abbey Stadium ahead of this weekend’s visit of the record-smashing champions, with Neil Harris‘s men last enjoying success on home soil in late February, when a brace from Bristol City loanee Josh Stokes secured three points over third-placed Stockport County.
Unsurprisingly, Cambridge had little joy during the reverse fixture a few months ago at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park, failing to register a shot on target in the Second City, with Jay Stansfield amongst the goalscorers for Birmingham during the most routine of 4-0 victories.
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Since the EFL Trophy final loss to Peterborough United at Wembley, Birmingham have returned to their consistent selves in League One, enjoying a five-game unbeaten streak which has allowed them to break a number of division and English records as they canter towards the Championship.
Goals either side of the half-time whistle from right-back Ethan Laird and marksman Alfie May secured a 2-0 win at Blackpool on Wednesday night, when Blues smashed the EFL points record by reaching 108 points, two more than Reading title-winning crop of 2005-2006 under Steve Coppell.
Losing just three league matches all season, Chris Davies‘s men are a staggering 19 points ahead of second-placed Wrexham and 24 points ahead of Stockport in third, meaning that Saturday’s trip to Abbey Stadium will be a time for celebration.
Whilst managing to go the entire season unbeaten in the Second City, Birmingham are beatable on the road, losing to Charlton Athletic, Shrewsbury Town and most recently Bolton Wanderers, giving Cambridge a slither of hope ahead of this weekend’s meeting.
Trips to stadiums of just under 8,000 will become a thing of the past for Blues following the conclusion of this season, with the American-owned club reportedly possessing the financial power to compete with smaller Premier League clubs for players during the upcoming transfer window.
Team News
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Cambridge are unable to call upon the talents of attacker Ryan Loft, who was sent off for the U’s during their defeat at Burton last time out.
As a result, the hosts are short on options at the top end of the pitch, with Pirelli goalscorer Elias Kachunga and Shayne Lavery expected to come into the XI.
Birmingham boss Davies should rotate his side once again from the success in Blackpool, with Stansfield and Paik Seung-ho set for starts.
Emil Hansson made the matchday squad at Bloomfield Road following an injury lay-off, and the Swedish winger could earn some minutes this weekend.
Blues remain without the services of Lyndon Dykes and Scott Wright, with the Scottish pair both occupying spots in the champions’ medical room.
Cambridge United possible starting lineup:
Bishop; Bennett, Morrison, Watts, Gibbons; Digby, Stevenson, Lavery, Kachunga, Kaikai; Ballard
Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Allsop; Laird, Klarer, Hanley, Cochrane; Leonard, Paik, Dowell, Harris, Anderson; Stansfield
We say: Cambridge United 0-3 Birmingham City
With their minds already plotting League Two success, Cambridge should be swept aside by record-breaking Birmingham at Abbey Stadium this weekend.
Blues are set to dominate final-day proceedings and bring the curtain down on a memorable campaign with their 34th victory of the League One campaign.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
