Our prediction for this League 2 match:
Rochdale and Northampton go head to head at Spotland Stadium in what is a match of big importance for both sides. The rock-bottom hosts are desperate to put an end to their four-game losing run, and they are likely to fight tooth and nail against the Cobblers. Abraham Odoh is likely to be recalled to the starting XI, while fellow midfielder Liam Kelly has overcome his injury.
Northampton Town, on the other hand, aim to climb to automatic promotion berth, and we predict that they will take advantage of Rochdale’s poor form in 2023. In the first half of the season the Saddlers outplayed the Dale 3-0, and we predict that history is going to repeat itself. As for the visiting side, Ali Koiki serves a one-game ban, but there are no fresh injury worries in the away team.
Highlighted Player (Liam Kelly):
Born in Newport Pagnell, England Liam Kelly is a right-footed midfielder who plays for Coventry City in the League One. Kelly is a product of Milton Keynes Dons football school, but he did not play for the club at senior level. The English footballer started his senior career at Scottish club Kilmarnock, but after making 100 appearances in the league for the Killie, he moved to England, signing a three-and-a-half-year deal with Bristol City.
The English footballer played for the likes of Oldaham Athletic and Leyton Orient as well before joining Coventry City in the summer of 2017. His main position is central midfielder, but he is capable of playing as both defensive and right midfielder as well.
His preferred foot is right. He made his league debut with Coventry City on August 5, 2017 in a 3-0 win over Notts County, while scoring his first goal for the club in a 3-1 win over Stevenage in April, 2018.
Highlighted Team (Northampton):
Northampton are a professional football club that compete in the League Two, the English fourth tier. The Cobblers play their home matches at Sixfields Stadium, the venue that has a capacity of 7,798. Northampton Town are well known for their claret and white home kit, while black is the dominant colour of their away jersey.
Northampton did well to make it to the Charity Shield final in 1909, with the team suffering a 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in the title game. The Cobblers are holding the record for the shortest time taken to secure promotion from the bottom tier to the top flight and relegated back down to the bottom again. Northampton Town managed to do so in only nine years.
Peterborough united are regarded as the club’s main rivals, with other significant rivalries including the likes of Oxford United, Milton Keynes Dons, Cambridge United, Coventry City, and Rushden & Diamonds.