Charlton will be seeking a return to winning ways when they welcome AFC Wimbledon to The Valley for a South London derby on Saturday afternoon (3pm).
Lee Bowyer will be after a reaction from his players after a disappointing 1-1 draw at Montgomery Waters Meadow against League One strugglers Shrewsbury Town on Saturday.
The Addicks remain in the play-off places and are currently sixth in the league table, with games in hand on Peterborough, Portsmouth and Ipswich Town.
Wimbledon come into this weekend’s derby on the back of a 4-2 defeat against Bristol Rovers in their last league outing. Glyn Hodges’ side sit in 14th position, with 20 points from their 15 games.
Team News
Deji Oshilaja is set to return to the Addicks squad to face his former side after returning to training following his self-isolation period. Marcus Maddison missed Saturday’s trip to Shropshire with illness but is expected to make the matchday 18.
Bowyer will have to make a late call on Andrew Shinnie. The Luton Town loanee hasn’t featured since his half-time withdrawal against MK Dons with a tight thigh.
Dylan Levitt remains unavailable as he continues to struggle with the after-effects of COVID-19, while Paul Smyth is scheduled to return in the new year.
Ryan Inniss (quad) and Alfie Doughty (hamstring) remain the Addicks’ long-term absentees.
The visitors will be without right-back Luke O’Neill and Brentford loanee Jaakko Oksanen. The duo haven’t featured for the Wombles since October with ankle injuries.
Two Familiar Faces
There will be two familiar faces returning when the Dons arrive in SE7.
Joe Pigott
A Charlton academy graduate, Pigott enjoyed a four-year stay with the Addicks after being awarded his first professional contract in 2012 as an 18-year-old. The Maidstone-born forward made 16 appearances, scoring once as he featured 12 times in the Championship and had four outings across the League Cup and FA Cup.
After short spells at Cambridge United and Maidstone United, the 27-year-old was signed by Wimbledon in January 2018. The striker has thrived since arriving in southwest London, netting 35 goals in all competitions.
Pigott is the joint second top-scorer in League One this season with eight goals, a tally only eclipsed by Portsmouth’s prolific John Marquis who is on nine.
Terell Thomas
Another product of Charlton’s academy, Thomas arrived in SE7 after featuring at youth level for Arsenal. The defender spent eight years with the Addicks before joining Wigan Athletic in 2017 after he was released without making a senior appearance.
The 25–year–old was loaned to Sutton United during his one-year spell with the Latics and was signed by Wimbledon in the summer of 2018.
Thomas has established himself as a regular at the heart of the Wombles defence when fit, culminating with him earning the Player of the Year award last season, as voted for by the supporters.
Head-To-Head
Saturday’s encounter will be the tenth instalment of this fixture with the Addicks winning three and the Dons four, with the spoils shared in the remaining two games.
The last league meeting saw Bowyer’s side run out 2-1 victors on the road. After falling behind to Michael Folivi’s strike, Naby Sarr equalised early in the second period before Igor Vetokele snatched a dramatic 91st-minute winner.
Wimbledon’s last trip to The Valley came in December 2018 and resulted in a 2-0 win for the Addicks. Naby Sarr was shown a red card in the first minute, but both sides were reduced to 10 men after referee Trevor Kettle showed Wombles midfielder Mitchell Pinnock his second booking of the afternoon in the 33rd minute. Lyle Taylor struck on the hour-mark with Mark Marshall then securing the three points when he netted late on.
