- Oldham Athletic are unbeaten in their last two home games, having drawn 1-1 with Milton Keynes Dons and won the previous fixture.
- Salford City have won two, drawn one, and lost two of their last five, and have lost their last two away games to nil.
- Salford City average 1.19 goals per game scored and 1.24 goals per game conceded away from home in League Two this season.
Salford to suffer a close defeat at Oldham
Salford City’s 1-0 victory over Oldham Athletic in League Two five months ago was an excellent demonstration of Karl Robinson’s tactical nous, but our Oldham Athletic vs Salford City prediction suggests a similar result may be out of reach for the Ammies on Saturday. Salford have lost their last two league games away from home, and now face an Oldham team who are a very different proposition to the one they met in May.
Micky Mellon took over at Oldham towards the end of last season and led the Latics to promotion, and this season in League Two he has installed an equally pragmatic, shape-shifting approach to the game. On any given day, Oldham can play with a compact back four, a back three, a diamond, or a flat midfield, and their games are often tense, cagey affairs, where Oldham’s control of the tempo and ability to counter quickly wins the day.
At home, Oldham have won nine, drawn eight and lost only four of their 21 League Two matches, and are unbeaten in their last two. Mellon’s men currently sit in 11th, on 65 points from 42 games, while Salford are 6th, having amassed 74 points from 43. This Oldham Athletic vs Salford City preview highlights the crucial implications for both teams’ playoff ambitions.
Back-to-back defeats should keep Salford honest
A compact home defence and quick players to get forward on the counter from wide areas have made Oldham a difficult team to break down, and Salford’s recent away form shows they could be in trouble here. However, Salford have suffered back-to-back away defeats to nil, and a 1-0 win for Oldham looks a decent value option at 2.5.
This Oldham Athletic vs Salford City prediction also points to Salford’s recent away form making the Under 2.5 goals option at 1.85 and Both Teams to Score - No at 2.0 look attractive alternatives, as Salford are averaging just 1.19 goals scored and 1.24 conceded per away game this season. For those looking for additional pointers, our Oldham Athletic vs Salford City betting tips could provide valuable insight.
Both teams in solid form up front
Ryan Graydon is Salford’s most reliable attacker, with 11 goals in 43 League Two appearances, but Matt Butcher has been the Ammies’ spark recently, scoring two of their three goals in their last five matches. For Oldham, Mike Fondop-Talum is a consistent threat up front, netting eight in 38 matches, while Kane Drummond has found his scoring boots recently, netting three of Oldham’s eight goals in their last five matches.
When considering the Oldham Athletic vs Salford City prediction, Salford’s system, which uses wing-backs to overload the flanks and create set-piece chances in Robinson’s 3-5-2 or 3-1-4-2, should be well-suited to creating chances at Boundary Park. However, Oldham’s compact defence and ability to hit Salford on the break means that wide areas will be key - and Oldham’s wingers could have the edge, as Salford’s back three, while strong, have looked vulnerable to transitions recently.
