Walsall can lay down a 'significant marker' in Salford City clash

Walsall can lay down a significant marker if they beat League Two leaders Salford City under the lights at Bescot on Monday night.

Lee Grant’s charges are the only unbeaten team in the Football League, but Walsall will be chasing back-to-back league wins for the first time since December 2025.

That latest success in a 3-0 win over Oldham Athletic on Tuesday was their third in five home games in League Two and Grant has helped reclaim Bescot as a fortress since taking charge.

Grant has also transformed Aaron Pressley into the Saddlers’ surprise talisman and the Scotsman extended his season tally to eight in all competitions with his second brace of the campaign.

Pressley has surpassed his tally of seven from the previous campaign after just 13 games and needs just one more to exceed a career record for goals in a single season.

His form is truly extraordinary and his total after 10 league appearances (seven) has trumped even the likes of Nathan Lowe (six), Daniel Kanu (five) and Freddie Draper (four) across the three seasons prior.

Tai Sodje has also hit the goal scoring trail, after having to bide his time following his summer switch from sixth-tier Buxton.

The 23-year-old failed to find net in his first 456 minutes in Walsall colours, but has since notched four times in his last 254 over the course of the past three games.

His confidence levels are soaring and the ‘floodgates’ have truly opened, as he said he hoped they would after scoring his first two goals against Fulham under-23s in the EFL Trophy.

The former Manchester City academy striker has repaid Grant for back-to-back league starts by scoring in both games against Swindon Town and Oldham respectively.

Jed Ward also stole the headlines, but not necessarily for his heroics between the sticks for once, even if he did keep his eighth clean sheet in 13 appearances in his last outing.

His outrageous assist, which skipped stunningly into the path of Sodje to score the opener against Oldham, has been somewhat of a viral hit over the past few days.

Grant has wanted to whisper his scintillating start to life as Saddlers’ No 1 as quietly as possible, but his remarkable form is making that impossible.

Ward is beyond halfway to the number of shutouts registered by his predecessor Myles Roberts last term (14) and currently boasts the best save percentage in the division (86.8%).

The Bristol-born shot-stopper has been instrumental to the Saddlers watertight defensive record, even if it has been very much a collective effort.

Only Exeter City (six) have conceded fewer than Walsall (seven) in League Two this term, although the Grecians have also only mustered a lowly tally of eight at the other end.

Walsall will be without right-back Elicha Ahui, who will serve his one-match suspension following his red card last week.

Fellow full-back Roman Dixon is not expected to be available again, while Antony Evans, Alex Pattison (both hamstring) and Harry Williams (Achilles) remain long-term absentees.