Looking to return to winning ways and move further clear of the League One relegation zone, Leyton Orient welcome newly promoted Cambridge United to Brisbane Road on Saturday afternoon.

The O's suffered a second consecutive defeat last weekend after conceding a late winner in a 2-1 loss away to Burton Albion, while the U's missed the chance to move into the playoff places on Tuesday night, drawing 1-1 with Sheffield Wednesday.

Match preview

Following a close call with relegation last season, Richie Wellens and his Leyton Orient side will be determined to avoid a repeat of that experience this time around. 

However, after 12 league outings, the O's sit 16th in the table with 14 points, having recorded four wins, two draws and six defeats, with their latest loss proving particularly frustrating after they surrendered a lead late on at the Pirelli Stadium.

Wellens' men went into half time 1-0 ahead thanks to a long-range free-kick, but second-half strikes from Kegs Chauke and Will Collar condemned Orient to another defeat, with the decisive goal arriving in the 86th minute.

Despite sitting in the lower reaches of the League One table, the O's could end the weekend seven points clear of the relegation zone and will be hoping their encouraging defensive record can help them create some much-needed breathing space.

Leyton Orient head into their 13th league match of the season having conceded just 14 goals, with only one side in the bottom half boasting a better record.

As for visiting Cambridge United, they have adapted well to life in the division above after securing automatic promotion from League Two at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, finishing third with 82 points.

Under the stewardship of Neil Harris, the U's have made an impressive start to their return to the third tier and currently sit one place outside the top six, four points behind league leaders Huddersfield Town, who have a game in hand on the Cambridgeshire-based side.

While Harris' men may have been expected to spend the campaign battling towards the bottom of the table, they have exceeded expectations so far and will be looking to mount a serious challenge for promotion to the Championship, although they know there is still a long way to go in the 46-game season.

The U's have made an impressive attacking start, scoring 21 goals in 13 matches, a tally bettered by just four League One sides, which may come as a surprise given how important their defence was to securing promotion last season.

Cambridge ended the previous campaign having conceded just 33 goals in 46 matches, with no other side in the English Football League managing a better record.

After spending a season apart, the sides meet for the first time since April 2025, when Leyton Orient recorded their fourth consecutive victory over Cambridge United, whom they have not lost to since April 2021 when they met in a League Two encounter. 

Leyton Orient League One form:

Cambridge United League One form:

Cambridge United form (all competitions):

Team News

Leyton Orient welcome Cambridge United for Saturday's early kick-off with the luxury of naming an unchanged starting XI after suffering no fresh injury concerns in their defeat to Burton Albion.

However, Wellens will remain without Rarmani Edmonds-Green and Somto Boniface, who are all dealing with injury problems.

O's top scorer Jaze Kabia is expected to continue leading the line as he looks to add to his four League One goals this season, potentially alongside former Tottenham Hotspur forward Dane Scarlett or Irish international Aaron Connolly.

Harris can also consider naming the same side that drew at Hillsborough on Tuesday night, although the short turnaround between fixtures could encourage him to make changes.

Shane McLoughlin and Callum Perry have both returned from injury and featured in Cambridge United's most recent outing against Sheffield Wednesday.

Ben Knight is expected to continue operating out wide, where he will look to provide support for the lone striker.

Louis Appere led the line against Sheffield Wednesday but has struggled to find the net consistently, scoring just once in 12 appearances, which could open the door for Shayne Lavery to start after providing an assist off the bench last time out.

Sullay Kaikai, who scored Cambridge's only goal at Hillsborough, also came off the bench alongside Lavery and could be rewarded with a starting place on Saturday, potentially at the expense of Isaac Heath.

Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:

Baxter; Stevens, Forrester, Gilchrist; C. Wellens, Gilbert, Hayden, El Mizouni, Morris; Scarlett, Kabia

Cambridge United possible starting lineup:

Eastwood; Bennett, Heffernan, Watts, Perry; Hoddle; Knight, Mpanzu, McLoughlin, Heath; Lavery

We say: Leyton Orient 1-2 Cambridge United

With Cambridge looking to break into the playoff places and Leyton Orient desperate to collect points at the other end of the table, Saturday's contest promises to be an important one for both sides, but we are backing the visitors to come away with the victory.

The U's have scored nine goals across their last five matches and arrive at Brisbane Road with the more consistent form behind them, while their unbeaten away record this season offers further encouragement that Harris' side can return to winning ways.

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