vs Prediction, probable lineups, recent form & season stats

Port Vale have won just one of their last five games: one draw, three defeats and one win. The last round ended in a 1-1 draw away to Chesterfield, preceded by a 0-2 defeat away to Walsall; before that a 1-0 win over Exeter City, a 0-1 defeat away to Salford City and, further back, a 1-3 defeat away to Swindon Town. Mansfield Town have won one game in their last five, with two draws and two defeats. Their most recent game finished 2-2 away to Burton Albion, preceded by a 0-0 draw with Huddersfield; before that a 0-1 defeat away to Bradford, a 0-5 defeat away to Reading and, further back, a 5-2 win over Luton. In their recent meetings Port Vale have won four of the five games, the latest on their own ground 2-1; Mansfield Town's only win in the sequence came last January, 3-0 at home. The prediction may change in the hours before kick-off. Confirmed line-ups, late injuries, suspensions, rotation ahead of other fixtures and the state of the pitch and the weather can all alter the picture described above. In those cases the selection may be reviewed and updated within 12 to 24 hours of the match: this happens rarely, but when it does, the version published on this page is always the current one. The data and assessments here are provided for information and statistical purposes.