Our League 1 & 2 Tips for the Weekend - 12/02/22

Struggling Sunderland need to turn their form around fast as they head to London on Saturday to face relegation-threatened AFC Wimbledon. After sacking Lee Johnson following their 6-0 thumping at Bolton, it went from bad to worse for Sunderland, with two 2-1 defeats at home to first Doncaster, and then away to Cheltenham.

With only one win in their last seven, the Black Cats’ form looks more of that of a team fighting relegation and not one trying to achieve promotion. Wimbledon, like Sunderland, know what a bad run of form is like having not won one of their last 11 league games.

Mark Robinson’s side’s home form is in fact the joint worst in the league, winning just two at Plough Lane all season. Having never won a game against Sunderland, Wimbledon will find it hard to stop their rotten run here.

Resurgent Ipswich Town will look to continue their charge towards the play-offs on Saturday, but face a tough test against third-placed MK Dons. Kieran McKenna has had a brilliant start to his first job in management, winning six of his first eight games in charge of the Tractor Men. Ipswich’s form against the top seven away from home, however, it's far from perfect, winning just one of four against their play-off rivals.

MK Dons are unbeaten in their last four league games with a 1-0 win away at promotion rivals Wycombe Wanderers being a highlight in that run. However, their home form will need to improve if a return to the Championship is desired, only having the ninth-best home record in League One. With both teams needing a win, the chances of each cancelling each other out are high.

A huge relegation six-pointer is taking place at the Mazuma stadium on Saturday as 21st placed Morecambe host 22nd-placed Gillingham. Morecambe’s last home game brought heartbreak for the Shrimps, as a 104th-minute equaliser for Bolton denied Morecambe the opportunity to move back out of the bottom four.

Their last game away at Sincil bank saw Morecambe fail to come back from a slow start, as they lost 2-1 to Lincoln City. Gillingham’s season looked all but over when they sacked Steve Evens, having not won any of their previous 14 and were humiliated 7-2 at home to Oxford United.

The Gills, however, under the helm of former Millwall manager Neil Harris, have won two of their last three and are now only five points from safety. Gillingham have won their last two against Morecambe 2-1, and a third result of the same scoreline could be on the cards here.

Wigan will look to close the gap on current runaway leaders Rotherham United, as they welcome Charlton to the DW Stadium. Wigan were looking a certainty for automatic promotion in League One, winning four on the bounce between the 18th December and the 22nd January, and having up to four games in hand on their promotion rivals.

However, being winless in their last three and losing last time out (1-0 to Sheffield Wednesday) has left the Latics looking over their shoulders. Jonnie Jackson has stopped the fans at the Valley worrying about a disastrous relegation to League Two, winning three of their last four games.

A 2-1 win away at Bolton in midweek ended any lingering hopes of a late dash for a play-off spot. Winning their last game 1-0 at the DW, another Charlton win away at Wigan may be on the cards.

Forest Green could all but cement their place as a League One side for next season, as they look to stretch the gap between them and fourth-placed Sutton to 19 points. and Forest Green really are edging closer to promotion to the third tier of English football for the first time in their history.

Vital wins against promotion rivals Tranmere Rover and Newport County (4-0 and 2-0, respectively) in their last five games, leave Rovers 10 points clear at the top. Sutton United’s incredible first season in League Two shows no sign of slowing down, being unbeaten in their last nine and just two points off an automatic promotion spot.

Drawing their last three games at Gander Green Lane however, will have to be halted if the top three are the London side’s desire. With Forest Green Rovers having not lost an away game in 10 months, another away victory seems on the cards.