Cambridge United vs Mansfield Town Predictions

• 58% of Cambridge’s points have come on home soil.
• Mansfield have failed to win in their last eight matches.
• Just 40% of Mansfield’s goals have been scored away from home.

Mid-table mediocrity

As 2019 comes to an end, fans of Cambridge United will be pretty satisfied with where their side is at the moment as they are comfortably in mid-table and looking extremely unlikely to be dragged into the race to stay in the Football League before the end of the season. Given that this decade has seen the side spend time in non-league football, it is a position of comfort which the U’s will take solace in.

However, there is always going to be that feeling of wanting more and United go into the fixture on New Years Day knowing that if they are able to earn three points, then they are not too far away from the top seven. The hosts are pretty much middle of the table in all key factors, such as home form, goals scored and goals conceded, but success in previous years has come on the back of making the Abbey Stadium a hard place to visit and it is a factor which they will be determined to reintroduce in 2020.

New manager, new direction?

Mansfield Town have not been shy about splashing the cash in recent years as they bid to climb the football pyramid, but while they have somewhat stagnated in League Two this term, their ambition remains without doubt. That ambition was underlined when they convinced Graham Coughlan to leave his post as Manager of League One club Bristol Rovers and join the side in the division below.

He joined the club with the Stags in the midst of a tricky run and although he has not yet found the winning formula, Mansfield fans will hope it is just a matter of time. The visitors are without a win in their last eight league matches and following Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at the hands of Bradford City, they are currently fifth from bottom with 24 points from their 24 games.

It may take some time

It is clear that the issues surrounding Mansfield are far from an easy fix and given that the Stags are second from bottom in terms of points gained from their last eight games, it may take some time for them to come around. Although their hosts may not be the most in form side in the division, it is hard to look past them given the troubles of the opposition. However, the new manager bounce could kick in at any stage, so adding the safety net of the ‘Draw – No Bet’ clause looks to be a wise move to make.

In terms of a correct score tip, neither of these sides are particularly well known for their abilities in front of goal at the moment and we think that goals could prove to come at a bit of a premium. The hosts average 1.33 goals per game and have kept a clean sheet in 42% of their home matches this term. Meanwhile the visitors average just a goal per game on the road but have failed to score in 42% of their away matches. All of this leads us to believe that backing a 1-0 home win is the way to go.