South East Wales

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Newport County manager Hayden Mullins expects another demanding afternoon when his side host Tranmere Rovers on Saturday (15:00 BST), warning that "no game will be easy" in League Two this season.

The Exiles return to Rodney Parade looking to bounce back from last weekend's entertaining 5-3 Severnside derby defeat at Bristol Rovers, a match Mullins felt provided plenty of encouragement despite the result.

"It was a real derby atmosphere. The game had everything really," said Mullins.

"I thoroughly enjoyed the game. I enjoyed our performance, our character, our energy and our threat to their goal.

"What I asked the boys to do, I saw for large periods of the game."

Newport have made a positive start under Mullins, who has quickly established consistency by naming the same starting XI in all three competitive fixtures to date.

That cohesion has been reflected in attack, with County scoring six goals in their past two matches after often struggling to find the target last term.

The Exiles were ahead after just 15 seconds at the Memorial Stadium before ultimately falling short, and Mullins wants another fast start at Rodney Parade.

"Come Saturday at three o'clock, we've got to start right, start fast and hopefully we're positive and can get the crowd with us," he said.

The fixture also provides a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change.

When the sides met at Rodney Parade in March, Newport climbed out of the League Two relegation zone for the first time in 151 days, a result that proved pivotal in their eventual survival.

Last term Newport won just six times at home, but having secured a 3-0 win to Rochdale on the opening day, the mood is now considerably brighter.

But Mullins does not expect it to be easy for the visit of a Tranmere side showing signs of improvement under manager Darrell Clarke.

Before Clarke's arrival earlier this summer, Rovers won just one of their final 12 league matches of last season as they finished two points behind the Exiles.

However, they have opened the new campaign unbeaten with four points from their first two League Two games and sit fourth.

"I've watched their two games and they work incredibly hard," said Mullins on the test ahead of his side.

"They've got a bit of quality in their team as well, so we understand the threats they pose.

"Darrell Clarke's teams are never easy to play against, and I'm sure he'll have his team well drilled and well versed on us."

Former Newport striker Courtney Baker-Richardson could also feature against his old club.

The forward scored four goals last season for County and made his first Tranmere appearance off the bench on the opening weekend of the campaign.

Newport midfielder Cole Jarvis, who played alongside Baker-Richardson last season, is anticipating a physical encounter.

"We've gone through some bits, and they seem a physical side," said Jarvis.

"But I have no fear in us getting the three points."

Cardiff City are hoping to end a run of six successive defeats by Sheffield United when the sides meet on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Blades are yet to score a league goal so far this season.

• Cardiff City have lost each of their past three home league games against Sheffield United, as many defeats as across their prior 12 matches on home soil combined between 1979 and 2017.

• Sheffield United have won each of their past six league games against Cardiff City since December 2021, it is the Blades' longest ongoing winning run against any current Championship outfit.

• Cardiff are unbeaten across their past eight league games against Yorkshire opposition (W6 D2), since a 3-1 home defeat to Bradford City in September last year.

• Both of Sheffield United's two league games this season finished with goalless draws, they have not played three successive 0-0 draws since April 1971.

• Sheffield United are winless across their past four league games against newly promoted opposition (D1 L3), last enduring a longer run between May 2015 and March 2016 (eight games).

Wrexham and Birmingham City have opened the Championship season with two draws apiece.

It is 47 years since Wrexham have managed a league win against Blues.

• Wrexham are winless in all four of their meetings with Birmingham City since their most recent promotion to the Football League (D2 L2), despite going 1-0 ahead in three of those games.

• Birmingham City are unbeaten in each of their past seven league games against Wrexham (W4 D3), since losing their first ever Football League match against the Dragons in October 1979 (0-1 away).

• Wrexham are unbeaten across their past six home league games played on a Friday since their return to the Football League in 2023-24 (W4 D2), though did draw 1-1 with Birmingham during that run in October last year.

• Birmingham are unbeaten across their past seven Championship matches (W3 D4), drawing their past three in succession - not since February 2020 have the Blues drawn four matches in a row.

• Jay Stansfield has recorded three goal contributions across four league games against Wrexham while playing for Birmingham (two goals, one assist) – his joint-most against any side for Blues.