Burton Albion vs Mansfield Town Prediction, Betting Tips & Preview

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Burton Albion

vs

Mansfield Town

KickoffSaturday 19 September 2026, 12:30pm

VenuePirelli Stadium

CompetitionEnglish League 1

TV ChannelSky Sports+

There is something quietly compelling about a Midlands derby in League One on a Saturday lunchtime. Burton and Mansfield are not clubs that make the front pages, but they are exactly the kind of fixture that genuinely means something to the people who follow them. Both sides are chasing a third win of the season, both come into this with a point to prove, and the form lines heading into this one make it far more interesting than the table positions might suggest.

Gary Bowyer has Burton quietly believing they can push up the table after years of mid to lower half mediocrity. Nigel Clough has Mansfield carrying the momentum of that stunning Luton demolition but also the hangover of a grim September. Something has to give at the Pirelli Stadium.

Burton Albion vs Mansfield Town Match Details

The fixture takes place at the Pirelli Stadium in Burton upon Trent, with both clubs competing in League One, the third tier of English football. Burton are the home side looking to build on a strong record at their own ground, while Mansfield make the trip across from Nottinghamshire seeking to arrest a worrying run of away form in the league.

Team News

Both managers have selection decisions to make, though Mansfield are the side dealing with the more significant absentee heading into this one.

• Jack Armer was substituted at half time during the Oxford defeat and is unlikely to be risked from the start here
• Harvey Araujo came on for the second half at Oxford and is pushing for his first League One start of the campaign
• Caylan Vickers has started two games running without troubling the scorer, so Kain Adom could come into the attack in his place
• Owen Dodgson is serving a three match suspension after his straight red card against Huddersfield, a significant loss for Mansfield in midfield
• Dodgson’s ban opens the door for Lucas Akins and Luke Bolton to see more minutes in the middle of the park

Predicted Lineups

Burton look likely to set up in a shape that uses wing backs, with Araujo slotting in for Armer on one flank. If Bowyer does pull the trigger on dropping Vickers, Adom gives him something a bit different up top alongside the attacking midfielders behind him. Finn Delap remains absent but his form before injury showed exactly what this team is capable of in the final third.

Mansfield are expected to line up without the suspended Dodgson, with Akins coming in to provide experience and cover in the middle. Clough will likely keep faith with the same defensive unit and ask his front players to do more with less service than they have been getting lately.

• Burton Albion: Addai; Sibbick, Lewis, Tilt; Lofthouse, Collar, Chauke, Araujo; Webster, Rodrigues, Adom
• Mansfield Town: Roberts; Hewitt, Oshilaja, Sweeney; Moriah-Welsh, Maris, Thompson, Akins; McGoldrick, Smith

Recent Form

Burton go into this on the back of a chastening afternoon at Oxford, where they were beaten 3-0 in a game that got away from them in the second half. Goals from Siriki Dembele, Louie Sibley and Gatlin O’Donkor made it look more comfortable than it probably was for large parts of the game, but the Brewers were well beaten and did not register a single goal, which had not happened once in the league this season before that result. Still, eight points from six games has them sitting 11th, which for a club that has spent six straight campaigns in the bottom half of this division is genuine progress. The Pirelli is a tough place to visit and their home form has been notably better than what they have shown on the road.

Mansfield were flying in August. That 5-2 win over Luton had people wondering whether Clough had built something special this time around. September has been the antidote to that optimism. They were hammered 5-0 at Reading, lost 1-0 at Bradford, and then scraped a draw at home to Huddersfield after having Owen Dodgson sent off just two minutes into the second half. To hold on with ten men against an in-form Huddersfield side was impressive in isolation, but the bigger picture is stark: one win from six, no goals in three matches, and a travelling record this season that reads three games, three defeats, eight goals conceded and only one scored.

Form is cyclical and Mansfield are clearly a better side than their September numbers suggest, but momentum matters and right now Burton have more of it heading into a home fixture they will be desperate to capitalise on.

Head-to-Head Record

The recent history between these two clubs very much favours Burton when it comes to competitive football. The Brewers are unbeaten in their last five meetings with Mansfield, picking up two wins and drawing three, which tells you this is a side Mansfield have found particularly difficult to beat regardless of how either team has been playing heading into the fixture.

The last time Mansfield actually won a competitive game against Burton was back in November 2019, and that came in the group stage of the EFL Trophy rather than a league contest. If you are looking for reasons why Clough will be wary of this trip regardless of how the table looks, that head to head record is probably the biggest one.

Key Stats

• Burton are unbeaten in five straight meetings with Mansfield, winning two and drawing three
• Mansfield have conceded eight goals in three away League One games this season, scoring just once on the road
• Burton have not lost a home League One fixture since March 17, making the Pirelli a genuine fortress in the third tier
• Mansfield are without a goal in three consecutive matches across all competitions

Burton Albion vs Mansfield Town Betting Tips

The form points in one direction here and that is towards Burton. Mansfield are going through a rough patch on the road, they are missing a key midfielder, they have not scored in three games, and they are visiting a ground where the home side has not lost in the league since mid-March. That is a lot of boxes ticking in Burton’s favour, and the value lies in backing the Brewers to take care of business in front of their own supporters.

First Goalscorer Prediction

Kain Adom looks likely to come into the starting lineup after Vickers failed to score in his last two starts, and if he does get the nod, a hungry young striker with something to prove in a favourable home fixture is exactly the kind of player who can pop up with the opener. Worth a look in the first goalscorer market at a price.

Correct Score Prediction

Burton controlling this one at home and edging it 2-1 feels like the most natural outcome. Mansfield have enough quality to nick a goal even when they are struggling, but the Brewers shutting this out entirely feels unlikely given their own defensive record. A 2-1 home win covers both teams finding the net while still reflecting Burton’s superiority on the day.

Over and Under Goals Prediction

Under 2.5 goals is worth considering given Mansfield’s complete lack of attacking output over the past three matches and Burton’s tendency to keep things tight at home, but the 2-1 predicted scoreline tips this just over that line. Under 3.5 goals looks the safer and more profitable angle, with this feeling like a tight and fairly scrappy affair rather than an open goalfest.

Cards Prediction

A local derby with both sides needing points and a bit of needle in the head to head history suggests the referee will have work to do. Mansfield are already feeling the pinch from Dodgson’s red card last week and their players will be walking a tightrope. Over 3.5 cards in this one is a reasonable shout, with the midfield battle likely to be competitive and physical from the first whistle.

Bet Builder Tip

Burton winning while both sides find the net fits the predicted 2-1 scoreline perfectly, and the cards selection adds value given the derby nature of the occasion and the combative midfield battle we are expecting.

Final Match Prediction

Burton Albion are the right side to be on here. They are at home, they have recent history on their side, their opponents are misfiring in front of goal and have a key suspension to contend with, and the Pirelli has been a genuinely difficult place for visiting sides to get anything from over the past several months. Mansfield will not roll over because Clough sides rarely do, and there should be a goal for the visitors somewhere in this, but the Brewers have too many factors working in their favour for this one to slip away.

Burton Albion 2-1 Mansfield Town.

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