- Port Vale form: Port Vale have won their last 2 matches, beating Manchester City U21 5-0 in the EFL Trophy and Rochdale 4-2 in League Two.
- Scunthorpe form: Scunthorpe United have lost their last 2, going down 2-3 to Woking in the National League at home and 4-1 at Tamworth.
Valiants and Iron to meet in FA Cup encounter
Hosts' tactics
Port Vale and Scunthorpe United will face off at Vale Park on Saturday in the FA Cup and there are enough contrasting styles on show to make this a fascinating watch.
The hosts play a pragmatic game with wing-backs either side of a compact central midfield. The Vale squeeze the play in the middle third and then press in the defensive third rather than trying to overwhelm the opposition in a chaotic press.
Manager and home form
Jon Brady has certainly done a decent job since taking charge of the Valiants on 6 January 2026 and they look a sharp and tough to crack side at home.
They are undefeated in all 6 home games this term, winning 6 of them, and have only conceded 2 goals in that time.
Opposition style
Scunthorpe United are having a tougher time of it, and Andy Butler, who took charge on 3 May 2024, leans into the higher-tempo, forward-leaning 4-3-3 style.
They try to press centrally and turn opposition errors into opportunities to counter and attack, but it's just not coming off at the moment.
Port Vale to win and both teams to score looks the safest play
Port Vale are the clear favourites in the bookmakers at 1.57, with Scunthorpe United 5.33 and the draw 4.0.
Given the odds-on price on the home side and the fact that they are in better form, the safest option here has to be to take Port Vale to get all 3 points with both teams to find the net. The Iron, despite their struggles, are always on the front foot and that should lead to chances at both ends of the pitch. A Port Vale win with goals looks the play in this cup match, with the Over 2.5 goals at 1.66 also indicating a decent chance of a few goals being scored.
- The visitors have won 3 of their last 10 and lost 7, so they are hardly in good form for this encounter.
- Port Vale are 3 from 3 in their most recent run of home matches and they have been bossing games at Vale Park.
- Scunthorpe United have just 1 win in their last 4 away matches and are susceptible on the counterattack, so the home advantage looks to be with the favourites here.
