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Rovers take on Carlisle United on the Wirral who, after a shocking start to the season which saw the departure of manager John Ward, come to Prenton Park with some form behind them following recent wins over Leeds United and MK Dons.
Carilsle United team profile:
Formed: 1904
Ground:
Manager: Greg Abbott
Nickname: The Blues
Season Finish 2006/07: 4th (Coca-Cola League One)
Previous Meetings:
In shocking weather conditions that saw torrential rain and howling winds through-out the match, Tranmere put in argueably their best performance of the season to date as they beat Carlisle 2-1 at Brunton Park in October.
Tranmere took the lead after just one minute as they had the best possible start to the match, with Ian Moore netting on the turn from the edge of the area, hit his shot into the ground and watching it bounce past the 'keeper and into the net.
From then on, Ronnie Moore's side completely dominated, as they put in a superb performance, with Tranmere's midfield in particular standing out as they played a 4-5-1 formation.
Rovers had plenty of chances to increase their lead, with Antony Kay and Gareth Edds all forcing saves out of 'keeper Williams but it wasn't until the 80th minute when Tranmere doubled their lead, as Ryan Shotton get the slightest touch on an Ian Moore cross as he flicked the ball over the 'keeper and into the net.
Carlisle grabbed nothing more than a concelation goal in the 90th minute when Danny Graham tapped home into an empty net after Livesey's header had hit the post and bounced out to the former Middlesbrough attacker.
Vital Stats:
Tranmere have won their last three games against Carlisle and are looking to complete a second successive double against the Cumbrian team
In 37 home games against Carlisle, Tranmere have picked up twenty wins and six draws
Between January 1997 and December 2005, all of the five meetings between the two sides were in cup competitions
In the last ten meetings between the two sides, at least one side has kept a clean sheet on eight occasions
Tranmere have scored 80 goals compared to Carlisle's 40 in the 37 meetings at Prenton Park between the two sides
On This Day:
2004: A late Mickey Mellon wonder goal guides Tranmere to a 1-0 F.A. Cup fourth round win over Luton Town
1998: In front of over 14,000 fans at Prenton Park, John Aldridge's Tranmere beat Sunderland 1-0 in the F.A. Cup
1992: John King's Tranmere draw 1-1 with Watford in Division Two at Prenton Park
Tranmere have played thirteen games on this day, picking up six wins, two draws and five defeats. In these thirteen games they have both scored and conceded twenty goals.
The Form Book:
Tranmere last six home games: WWLWWD
Carlisle last six away games: WDLDWL
Tranmere's home form this season has been almost faultless, with the Prenton Park side coming into this game with six wins in their last seven home league matches.
Ronnie Moore's side started their six match sequence with a 2-2 draw against Southend United in an outstanding game of football that sadly saw Tranmere twice pulled back by the visiters from being a goal ahead.
Rovers then beat Scunthorpe United 2-0 at Prenton Park thanks to strikes from Sonko and Shotton, before coming from 1-0 down to beat Leeds United thanks to goals from Kay and Ian Moore in their next home match.
An F.A. Cup Second Round replay against Peterborough United was next up for Tranmere, but with the game finishing 1-1 in the 90 minutes, Peterborough netting their equaliser with almost the last kick of the game, Rovers lost the game 2-1 thanks to another late strike from the Posh.
Tranmere have had two wins in their last two home games though, with Antony Kay the hero in both games as he scored injury time winners against firstly Brighton in a 1-0 win and then in a 2-1 victory over Walsall in Tranmere's last home game.
Other notable home results for Tranmere this season include defeats of Hartlepool United (1-0), Northampton Town (4-1) and Crewe Alexandra (2-0).
Tranmere have played thirteen home league games so far this season, picking up 25 points from an available 39, thanks to eight wins, a draw and three defeats. They have also won four out of five home cup matches.
Impressive away results for Tranmere include wins over Leyton Orient (1-0), Carlisle United (2-1) and Huddersfield Town (2-1).
Rovers come into this game in tenth place in the League One table, having picked up 37 an available 72 points in their 24 games, thanks to eleven wins, four draws and eight defeats.
Carlisle United's away form has been poor this season, with the Cumbrian side struggling up until the sacking of John Ward towards the back end of 2008.
They started their six match sequence with a 1-0 defeat at the New Den against Millwall, the same result as Tranmere suffered last weekend, before beating none League side Grays 2-0 in the F.A. Cup.
A late Paul Thirwell strike then earned Carlisle a point in a 1-1 draw against Swindon Town at The County Ground before they suffered another 1-0 defeat on their travels, this time at Northampton Town.
Since though, Carlisle have picked up four of an available six points on the road, firstly picking up a decent 0-0 draw with Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park before first half goals from Danny Graham and Michael Bridges, against his former club, earned The Blues a 2-0 win at Leeds United.
Goalscoring though has most definately been the problem for Carlisle on their travels this season, much like it has been for Tranmere. They have failed to score in seven of their away league games whilst they have netted just nine times on the road all season.
Other notable away results for the Cumbrians include a 3-2 opening day win at Bristol Rovers as well as a 1-0 League Cup first round win at Shrewbury Town.
From twelve home league games this season, Carlisle have picked up 22 of an available 36 points, thanks to seven wins, one draw and four defeats.
Impressive home results for Carlisle this season include wins over MK Dons (3-2), Yeovil Town (4-1), Crewe Alexandra (4-2) and Huddersfield (3-0).
United are in fourteenth place in the League One table with 31 of an available 75 points from their 25 games. They have achieved this thanks to nine wins, four draws and twelve defeats.
Double Hit:
Defender David Raven represented Tranmere during the 2005/06 season before joining Carlisle United, then in their first season in League One.
Raven started his career with Tranmere Rovers a youngster before joining Liverpool at the age of 14. Originally an attacker, Raven converted to a defender whilst at Anfield and he made four appearances for the Reds in his time there.
Whilst at Anfield, Raven was also the reserve and youth team captain, winning a number of trophies for his club as well as international honours at school boy level for England.
In January 2006, Raven fulfilled a life long dream as the former Tranmere Rovers season ticket holder joined the club on loan and made his debut in a 1-0 defeat at home to Barnsley.
Raven went on to make eleven appearances for Tranmere, all in the league, under manager Brian Little before returning to Liverpool at the end of the season when his loan spell expired.
As Brian Little left the club, his chances of signing for Rovers permanently appeared to dissapear and in July 2006, having been released by Liverpool, he signed for Carlisle United on a free transfer.
The 23 year old has now made 117 appearance for the Cumbrian side, scoring just the once. Playing at either centre back or right-back, Raven is still with Carlisle and has been a solid, consistent performer for the club through-out his time at Brunton Park.
One To Watch: Danny Graham
Former Middlesborough striker Danny Graham joined Carlisle part way through the 2006/07 season and has been a key player ever since.
Starting his career with the Teeside club, Graham struggled to get an run in the side and made just twenty-one appearances, scoring twice, over a four year stint with the club, that also included loan spells with Darlington, Derby, Leeds and Blackpool, where he also failed to impress.
However, when Carlisle picked up Graham on January 1st 2007, things suddenly clicked for the striker, and he started scoring goals and putting in performances of good quality.
In eleven appearances during his loan spell with the club, he netted seven times, impressing players, management and fans alike, so much so that he joined the club permanently on a free-transfer that summer.
Last season, Graham forged a hugely successful and prosperous partnership with ex-Blackburn man Joe Garner, who has since joined Nottingham Forest for over £1,000,000, with Graham netting seventeen and Garner fourteen goals through the season.
However, the loss of Garner has not effected Graham, who has started this season on fire also, netting seven goals in his first ten games, including a hatrick in the 4-1 win over Yeovil Town in August., and three in his last four.
Graham has scored fifteen goals this season, whilst in 94 games for Carlisle, the Carlisle number nine has scored 39 goals, not bad for somebody who was picked up on a free-transfer.
Standing at just under six foot, Graham is a player who is very good in the penalty area and cannot be afforded too much time nor space when shooting.
Around League One:
As ever, there are plenty of fixtures in League One to look forward to this weekend, although there are only ten fixtures in League One to be played this Saturday due to teams involvement in the F.A. Cup.
One of the most interesting fixtures of the weekend takes place at Boundary Park in a Lancashire derby game between Oldham and play-off chasing Stockport, but the biggest fixture of the weekend is at Elland Road where Leeds United who have slipped to ninth place in the table take on third placed Peterborough United.
Leicester City, who are first and now six points clear of second placed MK Dons, host Huddersfield Town whilst the Dons, who drew 0-0 with Peterborough in midweek, don't have a game due to the F.A. Cup.
Fourth placed Millwall are also without a game but sixth placed Scunthorpe host managerless Leyton Orient and can move above Millwall with a win.
A victory for Tranmere against Carlisle could move them up to eighth in the table, ahead of Leeds and Huddersfield, should results go their way, whilst Carlisle could end the day in twelfth.
Elsewhere, struggling Brighton are away to Cheltenham Town and both teams could be in the relegation zone by 5pm on Saturday.
Team News:
Tranmere will once again be without strikers Craig Curran (stomach) and Chris Greenacre (ankle), whilst Bas Savage sits out a one match ban for picking up five yellow cards. This means Ian Moore is set to start up front for Rovers, and he could be partnered by Terry Gornell, should the striker shake off a knock picked up in training this week. The availability of George O'Callaghan is also in doubt again.
Jones' Prediction: Tranmere 2-1 Carlisle United
This will be a very tough game for Tranmere against a side who are definately improving under new manager Greg Abbott. However, Tranmere's home form this season has been outstanding and they will be coming into this game confident of picking up three crucial points.
What is a worry for manager Ronnie Moore though is the lack of striking options available for him ahead of the match. WIth Greenacre, Curran and Savage all missing, as well as Terry Gornell being a doubt, Tranmere could be forced to play Ian Moore up front, either in a 4-5-1 formation or partnered by Shuker or Sonko, with Aaron Cresswell starting on the wing.
Rovers will be hopefull that Gornell can shake off his knock and start the match as the striker has put in some good starts for Rovers so far and will be keen to bag his first Tranmere goal, whilst Rovers also look much more comfortable in a 4-4-2 formation at Prenton Park.
They will however have to defend well against a Carlisle side who have some excellent striking options available to them, in particular former Middlesbrough front man Danny Graham.
Ben Chorley and Ian Goodison will need to keep an eye (or two) on the striker through-out the game and ensure that he isn't left unmarked inside the penalty area at any time.