One of League One's most interesting rivalries in recent years will be renewed, as Barnsley host Burton in Round 2 of the new season. With both teams starting the campaign with big results, this could be one of the highlights of the round.
Barnsley welcomed Plymouth to League One with a heavy beating, crushing them 3-1 away from home in the season opener. The Tykes had some luck in the early minutes after Brendan Wiredu scored an own goal in the 13th minute, but then doubled their lead a few minutes later. Even Shepherd's red card in the 63th minute didn't stop them from scoring a third goal in the 86th minute, securing the three points.
On the other end, Burton overcame Mansfield in their opening match after a masterclass from young Charlie Webster. It was an intense match and Mansfield had more than enough chances to equalize, but the Brewers' defence held firm. This was a huge result for the team, as they escaped relegation by one point in the previous campaign.
How the bookies view it: The Tykes to continue winning
Bookmakers expect a fairly one-sided clash, giving Barnsley a solid betting advantage at 7/10. Burton are available at 15/4 and the draw is also an option at 14/5.
Recent head to head: An uneventful 0-0
Barnsley and Burton have rich history between them from the past decade, as the teams spent seven seasons together in League One and the Championship. Barnsley hold the all-time lead with seven wins to three, while five meetings ended level. Most importantly, Burton's last trip to the Oakwell in February produced a 0-0 draw.
Players to watch: New striker McGoldrick to score on his home debut?
Both clubs were very active on the transfer market and it shows. For this clash, we'd like to highlight the arrival of David McGoldrick, who joined Barnsley from Notts County. The striker played another phenomenal season last year, scoring 17 league goals for the Magpies. We expect great things from him and he will be eager to put his name on the scoresheet in his debut at the Oakwell.
Alternatively, watch out for Kyran Lofthouse, who joined Burton from Barnsley in the winter transfer window. This will be his first match against his former club and given Barnsley's firepower, he will be have a busy day in defence.
Probable line-ups
Barnsley: Cooper, de Gevigney, Roberts, Shepherd, Earl, Phillips, Connell, Yoganathan, Vickers, McGoldrick, Keillor-Dunn
Burton: Amissah, Godwin-Malife, Moon, Sibbick, Lofthouse, Chauke, Webster, Armer, McKiernan, Beesley, Tavares
Anything else catch the eye?
Take a look at the previous League One campaign and you'll find that Barnsley produced the highest amount of overs in the entire league. With an average of 3.1 goals per game, the Tykes had 32 games with 3+ goals in 46 rounds. Alternatively, Burton had 24/46 and an average of 2.7 goals per match.
And while the last match at this stadium produced zero goals, both teams have changed a lot since then and look far more dangerous in the final third. We expect to see action on both ends and at least three goals. Barnsley looked a bit more prepared in the opening round, so we will also back them for a narrow win on Saturday.
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