- St Patrick's Athletic have won two and lost just one of their last three home games.
- Sligo Rovers FC have won just one of their last five games, losing three.
- The away side has scored only four goals in their last five away matches in all competitions.
Tactical chess match likely in Ireland
St Patrick's Athletic and Sligo Rovers FC should have an exciting and engaging game when they face off at Richmond Park on Friday, as the contrasting styles of Stephen Kenny and John Russell look set to produce a tactical chess fixture.
Kenny, of course, is a man of process, a manager who sets up his team to control the game, play it vertically and counter-press in a structured way. St Pat's line up in a 4-3-3, are disciplined in their positions, and are a hard team to break down at home. They have won four, drawn three, and lost three of their last ten games across all competitions, a mixed run, but they are competing well.
Sligo, meanwhile, play at a very high tempo, with Russell using his high energy and tactical flexibility to press teams and turn the ball over. It has produced some good results, but a couple of blunders have left them on a two-game losing run heading into this game, the most recent of which was a 4-0 thrashing away to Waterford FC last time out.
St Pat's should maintain discipline and outplay visitors
Sligo Rovers FC are a very attack-minded team, but when they don't have space to move, they can be left exposed, as we saw in their defeat to Waterford. This will be a clash between a team that likes to control the ball and another that plays on the turn, and whichever team shows the most discipline should get the upper hand.
The Saints should be able to hold on to their structure, and their 4-3-5 should be good enough to contain Rovers' main attacking threat, William Fitzgerald, who has three Premier Division 2026 goals in 20 appearances.
Our main selection for this game will be St Pats to win and both teams not to score, as Sligo's attacking threat is stifled by the hosts' ability to keep the game flowing in a controlled manner. St. Pats are available at 29/100 to win and Both Teams to Score - No at 63/100.
