There is a full programme in Sky Bet League One this weekend to enjoy. Here’s our preview of the action…
Equals at odds
Oakwell stages one of Saturday’s most intriguing fixtures when Barnsley welcome Walsall; both sides currently occupying a play-off spot and share an identical record of four wins, two draws and no losses so far this season.
The last time the Tykes met the Saddlers was in 2016 for the League One play-off semi-finals. Barnsley won the two legs outright, running out 6-1 victors on aggregate, before convincingly sealing promotion to the Sky Bet Championship at Wembley.
With Barnsley now back in League One after relegation in May, Walsall will look to make amends for those play-off defeats. However, it will not be an easy task with the hosts sharing the division’s best goal difference record with Peterborough United.
Come 5pm on Saturday, another unbeaten run could be extinguished, and depending on results elsewhere, one of these sides could leapfrog their way to the top of the table.
Sunday spectacular
Once all the drama has unravelled on Saturday, there is still a mouth-watering Sunday lunchtime kick-off to look forward to, live on Sky Sports, between two teams who have picked up maximum points just once this season.
Oxford United and Coventry City have met just four times since the turn of the millennium, with three matches coming in the 2016/17 season – including the Sky Blues’ Checkatrade Trophy Final success.
In the previous four encounters between these sides – the last coming as recently as last month, in the Carabao Cup – both teams have won two games apiece and a total of 13 goals were scored.
You have to go back as far as January 1986 to find the last time the home team failed to claim victory – that's good news for the U's if history is maintained.
Around the grounds
There are five teams in Sky Bet League One still to taste defeat. Peterborough United, Portsmouth and Sunderland are the other three, and together they have dropped just eight points since the start of the season.
Out of these sides, only the Posh are on the road as they travel to Southend United, with Pompey welcoming the winless Shrewsbury Town and the Black Cats entertaining Fleetwood Town.
A mid-table Blackpool, who have conceded just three times this season, host Bradford City. Luton Town travel to seventh-placed Doncaster Rovers who have not won in six matches in all competitions, while Rochdale visit Scunthorpe United and Charlton Athletic welcome Wycombe Wanderers.
The League One action starts a little earlier than usual on Saturday, with winless Plymouth Argyle’s trip to Bristol Rovers kicking-off a busy afternoon of action.
Saturday 8 September 2018 (3pm kick-off unless stated)
Bristol Rovers v Plymouth Argyle (1:30pm)
Accrington Stanley v Burton Albion
Barnsley v Walsall
Blackpool v Bradford City
Charlton Athletic v Wycombe Wanderers
Doncaster Rovers v Luton Town
Gillingham v AFC Wimbledon
Portsmouth v Shrewsbury Town
Scunthorpe United v Rochdale
Southend United v Peterborough United
Sunderland v Fleetwood Town
Sunday 9 September 2018
Oxford United v Coventry City (12pm – live on Sky Sports)