Tranmere vs Shrewsbury Predictions

• Fewer than three goals have been scored in nine of Tranmere’s last 14 league matches
• Fewer than three goals have been scored in eight of Shrewsbury’s last 13 league games
• Shrewsbury’s xG of 0.3 was the second-lowest in League Two’s opening round of fixtures

Goals could be scarce at Prenton Park

Goals may be hard to come by when Tranmere Rovers host Shrewsbury Town in League Two this weekend. Both sides are coming off campaigns where their matches have rarely become goalfests.

Tranmere, who spent most of last season locked in a relegation fight, relied on a solid defensive approach to secure survival. They finished the campaign with several tight results—a 2-0 win over Crewe Alexandra and a 0-0 at Barrow in late April ensuring their safety.

Despite the odd high-scoring anomaly, such as a commanding 4-0 victory over Chesterfield, Andy Crosby’s side have generally kept things compact and restricted scoring opportunities at both ends.

Shrews struggled to create against Bromley

Shrewsbury’s games have also been short of fireworks. The Shropshire side suffered relegation to League Two in part due to a chronic shortage of goals, having netted only 37 times in 42 league games last term—only Wigan scored fewer in League One.

And they produced very little in an atatcking sense in their 0-0 draw at home to Bromley last weekend, recording the second-lowest expected goals (xG) in League Two’s opening round of fixtures

Tranmere’s pragmatic formula at Prenton Park, combined with Shrewsbury’s ongoing struggles in attack, means another cagey affair looks likely. Backing fewer than three goals to be scored could provide a solid base for those seeking a low-risk angle in the market.