Bristol Rovers predicted line-up vs Walsall: key change made from win over Salford City

Bristol Rovers are back in League Two action this weekend. They face an away trip to Walsall to play Darrell Clarke’s former club. The Gas were relegated from League One last season along with Crawley Town, Cambridge United and Shrewsbury Town.

The Pirates are currently positioned in 7th place in the table after their first 10 fixtures. They are inside the play-offs along with Salford City, Grimsby Town and Chesterfield. Clarke’s men are one point inside the top seven above Crewe Alexandra in 8th.

Bristol Rovers predicted XI vs Salford City: goalkeeper and defence

Bristol Rovers goalkeeper Luke Southwood has been their number one so far in this campaign. He has played for Reading, Cheltenham Town and Bolton Wanderers in the past. The stopper has made nine appearances in all competitions since his summer switch.

Right wing-back Macauley South-Hales has made a positive impression since his transfer. He knows what it takes to get out of the fourth tier having done it in the past with Stockport County. The Welshman likes to get up and down the flank of defence, with Jack Sparkes doing the same on the other flank.

In the heart of defence, Taylor Moore, Alfie Kilgour and Clinton Mola should get the nod again after the victory over Salford. The trio will be looking to keep a clean sheet against Walsall. The Saddlers are top of the table and have 22 points on the board already under Mat Sadler.

Bristol Rovers predicted XI vs Salford City: midfield and attack

Bristol Rovers could bring Kamil Conteh back into the starting XI in place of Swansea City loanee Joel Cotterill. That would help freshen things up in the middle of the park. Conteh, 22, has been playing his football at the Memorial Ground since 2024 following his switch from Grimsby Town and has enjoyed plenty of game time since then.

The Gas took a gamble on Alfie Chang in the last window. He is in line to play against his former team Walsall after his loan spell with the Saddlers from Birmingham City last term. The 23-year-old has had injury issues so far in his career and is looking to find his feet under Clarke now.

Josh McEachran was snapped up in June and penned a two-year deal, having previously been at Oxford United in the Championship. He has made a positive impression so far and is a calming presence in the heart of the pitch. The ex-Chelsea man injects valuable experience into the Pirates’ squad and he will be a useful person to have in and around the dressing room.

Further up the pitch, Ellis Harrison will be pushing to start from the off again for Bristol Rovers. He managed to get himself on the score sheet against Salford and has three goals to his name so far this term. The former Wales youth international re-joined the club in July. Like Chang, he also had a stint at Walsall earlier this year.

Fabrizio Cavegn has done well with the Gas so far. The Swiss striker has found the net on three occasions and is becoming a popular figure. He spent the last two years at FC Vaduz in his native country and has adapted well to life in England.

Bristol Rovers predicted XI vs Walsall in full: Southwood; Southam-Hales, Moore, Kilgour, Mola, Sparkes; Conteh, McEachran, Chang; Harrison, Cavegn.