Salford City travel to Merseyside on Saturday to play Tranmere Rovers, a team they have never beaten in league competition.
The Ammies are winless in six attempts against Tranmere losing both fixtures 1-0 last season in partly undeserving fashion having dominated large parts of those games.
Salford’s only ever win in professional football against Tranmere Rovers came in their very first meeting in 2019 with a 2-0 win in the EFL Trophy.
The Ammies come into this match on divided form, splitting a win, draw and a loss out of their first three games.
Their most recent being the disappointing 2-0 loss to Grimsby Town on Tuesday night that saw Salford down to 10 men after Ossama Ashley was sent off in the 49th minute for a second yellow.
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The loss against the Mariners will have dampened Salford spirits, but the team can take solace in their constant involvement in games and a huge coup against Championship side Preston in the EFL Cup.
The season is still young, but Neil Wood’s men have yet to reach the heights of last season seeing significantly less attempts on goal per ninety with an expected goals of 0.72 compared to 1.59 last year.
However once again these statistics, just like the season, remain in their infancy.
Tranmere on the other hand come into this game on the high of their first win of the season after beating Harrogate convincingly 3-0 in midweek.
The Rovers have struggled in the early stages, but equally boast a win over superior league opposition defeating Barnsley of League one in the EFL Cup on penalties like Salford.
Salford, on paper, should find Tranmere a comfortable opponent, finishing 17 points higher than the rovers in 12th place last season.
However, as we all know, football is not played on paper, but rather on grass and with the Ammies’ underwhelming head-to-head with Tranmere this game will be difficult for even the most psychic of punters to call.
The importance of such a match is not to be underestimated.
A win for either team will firmly help to put them on the right track towards the upper echelons of the table, while a loss could mean being left behind by the promotion-chasing pack.
Salford will play Tranmere at 3pm on the 19 August at Prenton Park.
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