Both Mansfield Town and Oxford United made slow starts in League One but are now recovering and climbing the table ahead of their meeting at Field Mill.
Aaron Ramsey's visiting U's have won four of their last six League One matches and could go second with a win here.
The Stags, though, are unbeaten in four League One matches at Field Mill this term and are unbeaten in three in the league.
Mansfield Town v Oxford United Prediction Tips Summary
Best Bet - Draw @ 5/2
Alternative Bet - Michael Smith over 1.5 shots on target @ 7/4
Bet Builder - Both teams to score, Mark Harris to score or assist, Michael Smith 1+ shots on target & Over 3 cards @ 23/4
Mansfield Town v Oxford United Prediction
Best Bet: Draw @ 5/2
Both sides have reasons for positivity ahead of this showdown at Field Mill. Mansfield are unbeaten here on league duty this season and have gone three games without defeat (D2) after a slow start.
Boss Nigel Clough will hope to maintain that momentum, but must be wary of a U's side that dropped down to this level from the Championship last season and could go second with a win here.
Ramsey's side have picked up 10 points from their last four games but have perhaps outperformed expected outcomes along the way. They were clinging on against Notts County for long spells of the second half last Saturday.
These sides are facing each other on league duty for the first time in a decade.
Both meetings in the 2015-16 season ended all square and a similar outcome is forecast now as the sides look evenly matched on paper and both come into this contest with momentum.
Alternative Bet: Michael Smith Over 1.5 Shots on Target @ 7/4
Michael Smith will turn 35 this weekend and the Mansfield forward is in good shape. He has scored two League One goals in his last six and provided the key assist for Saturday's match-winning goal against Bromley here.
Smith signed from Preston in the summer and had already managed 16 shots in the third tier. He is averaging 2.63 efforts on goal in League One this term and can prove a threat to a visiting side that has conceded nine goals in six away games.
Mansfield Town v Oxford United Prediction Bet Builder Tip
Both teams to score
Mark Harris to score or assist
Michael Smith 1+ shots on target
Over 3 cards
Pays 23/4
Both teams to find the net appeals after obliging in the previous four League One games featuring either of these clubs.
Both teams have scored in three of Mansfield's four home league games already, with the same number applying to Oxford's road games.
The form of Stags forward Smith has been outlined already and he should at least fire one shot on target.
Oxford's Mark Harris has either scored or assisted in three of his last four games and the Welshman can remain in that groove for a visiting side that has scored 15 goals in seven league games.
The card count should also be decent. There have been four or more cards in the U's' last three games, while Town have collected nine yellow cards and one red in their three more recent League One outings.
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Key Match Stats
Oxford were relegated from the Championship last season, while Mansfield finished 10th in League One
Mansfield have taken 10 points from 12 on offer at Field Mill in League One, conceding just four goals
Oxford have returned from three of their four league games this season with victory
The last competitive meetings between these clubs have ended level
Each of Oxford's last three matches has produced at least four cards, with nine in last Saturday's win over Notts County
Town forward Michael Smith is averaging 2.63 efforts on goal in League One games this season
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
