Newport County return to Sky Bet League Two action as they make the trip to Prenton Park to face Tranmere Rovers on Saturday afternoon (3pm).
The Exiles will be looking to bounce back from their FA Cup exit, having been defeated 4-2 at home by Peterborough United in the first round.
A win against the Rovers could see County rise back into the top ten and extend their unbeaten run in the league to three matches.
Pre-Match Views
Speaking ahead of tomorrow's fixture, Nelson Jardim said: “Tomorrow is all about bouncing back from last weekend’s FA Cup defeat. It’s always tough when you don’t get the result you want, but we’ve had a good week of training and the players are ready to go.
“We know that Tranmere are a big club, a good club with big crowds.
“They have got a good manager with a great CV as well. I met him when he was at Scunthorpe and since then he has done very well in his career.
“I think Tranmere are also in a similar transition to us, new players and trying to find a way to be successful in League Two."
Watch his full pre-match press conference HERE.
Opposition Form
Tranmere Rovers, under the management of Nigel Adkins, currently sit in 19th place with 14 points, having struggled with consistency this season. The Merseysiders have won just three of their opening 13 matches, drawing five and losing five.
One key area of concern for Tranmere has been their lack of firepower, with the lowest goals-per-game ratio in the league (0.6) and the fewest big chances created (13).
However, one bright spot has been Omari Patrick, who has quickly made his mark since joining from Sutton United in the summer. The striker is Tranmere’s top scorer, with four goals to his name, including a brace in a 2-1 win at Carlisle.
Previous Encounter
A trip to Prenton Park in 2023 was a memorable one for the Exiles, as they triumphed 3-1. Goals from Aaron Wildig, Charlie McNeill, and Callum Kavanagh sealed the victory for Newport.
Meet The Officials
Martin Coy will have the whistle when Newport County travel to Tranmere Rovers on Saturday afternoon (3pm).
The experienced referee regularly oversees games in both League One and League Two and is set to officiate his first County match of the season.
Read more about tomorrow's officials HERE.
Shared Shirts
Several players have represented both Newport County and Tranmere Rovers, creating a bond between the two clubs.
Kyle Jameson joined Newport in the summer of 2023 after making 14 appearances for Tranmere. Since his move, Jameson has been a regular in the County lineup, making 34 appearances.
Cameron Norman, now with Tranmere, made over 100 appearances for Newport between 2021 and 2023. After a brief stint at MK Dons, Norman joined Rovers in the summer.
John Aldridge, a legend at both clubs, made his name at Newport in the 1980s, scoring 70 goals in 170 appearances. He went on to become a true icon at Tranmere, scoring 138 goals in 243 games.
Head-to-Head
Newport County and Tranmere Rovers have met 35 times in their history, with the first encounter taking place in 1959, when County won 3-0 at home. The Exiles have won three of the last five meetings between the sides.
However, Tranmere triumphed in the last two encounters, both of which came last season. In their last six visits to Birkenhead, Newport have won three and drawn one, while losing two.
Key Stats
- Both Newport County and Tranmere Rovers have won one, drawn one, and lost three of their last five league matches.
- Tranmere won both of their league encounters with Newport last season, having won just one of the previous ten matches against the Exiles (D3 L6).
- Newport have won three of their last five away league games at Prenton Park (L2), with just one match in that run in which they failed to score.
- Tranmere, meanwhile, have lost their last two home league games and will be looking to avoid a third consecutive defeat at Prenton Park, a feat they haven’t experienced since February 2020.
- Newport County have struggled on the road recently, losing nine of their last 11 away league games (W2). They’ve failed to score in five of those matches, and have netted more than one goal in only two of them.
