Don't forget to join us across our social media channels where we'll bring you all the matchday build-up, in-game updates, and post-match reaction as the Saddlers visit the University of Bradford Stadium.
PRE-MATCH NEWS & VIEWS
The table-topping Saddlers made it nine league wins in as many games last weekend as they defeated Milton Keynes Dons 4-2 at the Poundland Bescot Stadium.
Goals from David Okagbue, Liam Gordon, Harry Williams, and Albert Adomah saw Mat Sadler's men bounce back from a midweek EFL Trophy defeat to Peterborough United in style.
Swiftly moving on from the loan recall of Stoke City striker Nathan Lowe, the sight of four different players hitting the back of the net should be enough to end the silly claims of Walsall being a 'one man club' to an end once and for all.
Opponents Bradford City sit just outside the Play-Off places, and were also in action last weekend as Calum Kavanagh's second-half goal saw them squeeze past bottom side Carlisle United.
The Bantams are also in fine form, winning four of their last five, they have lost just one of their last ten league games and will provide a tough test for the Saddlers as they look to continue their recent run.
Former Saddlers Andy Cook will not be in action this weekend after he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during City's New Year's Day draw with Barrow.
WALSALL TEAM NEWS
Priestley Farquharson (thigh); Donervon Daniels (calf) Jack Earing (ankle), George Hall (hamstring), and Ronan Maher (ankle) are all ruled out.
FORM IN FIVE
Here is how the Saddlers and their opponents Bradford City have fared in their last five Sky Bet League Two games.
BANTAMS
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WALSALL |
WWDWW
| WWWWW
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HEAD-TO-HEAD
The Saddlers and Bantams have met on fifty-nine previous occasions, and it's Bradford who hold an overall lead having won twenty times compared to Walsall's sixteen.
There have also been twenty-three draws over the history of the fixture, a history which began at Fellows Park on Saturday, 7th January 1922 as the two sides faced off in an FA Cup - First Round clash. This would ultimately end in a draw and force a replay just three days later.
The original fixture produced six goals but still couldn't separate the sides, however, the replay saw four goals scored with a clear gap between the two as the Bantams eased through to the Second Round, winning by four-goals-to-nil.
THE LAST TIME WE MET
The most recent meeting, a League Two clash, took place at the Poundland Bescot Stadium on Saturday, 14th September 2024, and saw the Saddlers win 2-1.
The first goal of the contest arrived near the midway point in the half after Charlie Lakin was felled by Richie Smallwood in the area, leading to a penalty that Taylor Allen was only too happy to convert.
The Bantams went on to level the scores around seven minutes before the break as Jamie Walker took advantage of Allen's loss in concentration to take the ball before finding Olly Sanderson in space, the forward then slotted past Tommy Simkin into the back of the net.
Walsall retook the lead with just a couple of minutes of normal time remaining as second-half substitute Danny Johnson opened his account for the season as he headed home from an Albert Adomah cross, with the crowd going wild in WS1!
MATCH OFFICIALS
The EFL has confirmed that Jacob Miles who is based in Sussex will take charge of the match with Wayne Grunnill and Jack Forder-Hay being named as assistant referees, whilst Simon Mather has been selected as Fourth Official.
GAMES OFFICIATED
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22
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YELLOW
CARDS |
RED
CARDS |
83
| 3
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PENALTIES AWARDED
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4
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