- Salford City have scored 1.19 goals per game on average and conceded 1.24 per game on the road in League Two this season
- Oldham Athletic have scored 26 goals in 21 home League Two games this season
- Both teams have shown a tendency to be solid at the back, with recent fixtures featuring few goals
Salford and Oldham look set to be cagey
Salford City beat Oldham 1-0 when these sides met in League Two five months ago and a similar outcome could unfold when they face off on Saturday in a cagey encounter.
Both Salford and Oldham have endured mixed form recently and may have to settle for half of the prize in a closely fought contest.
Oldham Athletic have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five League Two matches, while Salford have won two, drawn one and lost two of their past five.
Oldham tough to break down
Karl Robinson’s Salford City occupy sixth place in the table on 74 points from 43 games, while Oldham are 11th with 65 points from 42 fixtures.
Robinson’s Salford have won 10 away in 2025-2026, but they have also lost 10 on the road, including defeats in their last two away from home.
Micky Mellon’s Oldham Athletic, who he guided to promotion last season, have been solid at home all season with nine wins, eight draws and only four losses in 21 games.
Mellon’s men have been pragmatists for the most part, morphing their shape and approach as required to stay solid at the back and frustrate opponents with a controlled tempo and counter-attacking style.
They have been difficult to break down in recent weeks with a compact back four and quick transitions from the wide areas, making this a tough test for Salford.
Wing-backs key for visitors
The visitors can set up in either a 3-5-2 or 3-1-4-2 system, with the wing-backs used to overload the flanks and create set-piece opportunities.
They will press high in certain situations, but are also set up to be wide open on the counter when they cannot win the ball back in those instances.
Oldham have plenty of experience in forward areas with players like Kane Drummond in good form, having scored 3 of the team's last 8 goals in the past 5 matches.
Ryan Graydon leads their scoring with 11 goals in 43 League Two games this term and can be a focal point for this match, while Matt Butcher has been their spark recently with two goals in the past five games.
Oldham can edge it
Although they are not prolific goalscorers, Oldham have a steady strike force at Boundary Park in Mike Fondop-Talum, who has eight in 38 games this term.
The oddsmakers seem to have got their fingers burned by these two teams this year and have set the odds for an Oldham win at 3/2, while Under 2.5 goals is 17/20 and Both Teams to Score - No is 1/1.
The hosts should have the edge in this one based on their home form and Salford’s recent away defeats, but it is likely to be a cagey affair where goals are scarce.
