Notts County vs Salford City Predictions

Notts County vs Salford City Predictions for this League Two fixture. Notts County face Salford City at Meadow Lane on Saturday, with both seeking their first victory of the 2025–26 League Two season. Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips.

League Two | Aug 09 2025 at 12:30 pm UK at Meadow Lane

Notts County vs Salford City Predictions

Could Salford’s away form turn this into a goal-fest?

• Goals galore expected – Four of Notts County’s last five home league games and four of Salford’s last five away have each seen at least three goals scored.
• History points to action – The last three meetings between these two have all produced at least three goals, showing a consistent pattern of open matches.
• Defensive leaks on display – Salford’s xG against in their opening fixture was 3.94, the highest of any team in League Two last weekend.

Best Bet for Notts County vs Salford City

There’s something about an early-season fixture between two teams still trying to figure themselves out that just feels a bit unpredictable – and that’s exactly the case when Notts County welcome Salford City to Meadow Lane on Saturday. Both clubs are still waiting for their first win of the new League Two campaign, both have managers with fresh ideas to implement, and both showed last week that their defences still have work to do. That’s a recipe for drama, and perhaps a few frayed tempers in the technical areas.

Notts come into this one buoyed by the spirit they showed at Newport. They fell behind early but rallied through Jodi Jones’s equaliser, refusing to let the setback derail them. It wasn’t flawless by any stretch – set-piece defending looked as wobbly as a flatpack wardrobe in a wind tunnel – but the signs of a side willing to fight were there. Martin Paterson, still at the start of his tenure, knows his team are a work in progress, yet there’s enough attacking flair to trouble anyone in this league.

Salford’s start, in contrast, was much more sobering. They began brightly against Crewe but squandered a penalty before conceding via an own goal. Kadeem Harris at least redeemed himself with a quick equaliser, but the defensive collapse that followed was alarming. Karl Robinson’s summer rebuild has injected new faces and energy, but it’s also left them with the cohesion of a five-a-side team meeting for the first time.

Best Bet for This Match: Over 2.5 Goals

Here at BettingTips4You, we believe in picking one standout tip for each match rather than bombarding you with a shopping list of bets. For Notts County vs Salford, our choice is Over 2.5 Goals – the single strongest angle for this fixture. The reasoning? Both teams have already shown in just one game that their defences can be breached, and they each have forwards capable of capitalising.

Looking deeper, Notts have the combination of Jones’s movement and Matthew Dennis’s work rate to stretch Salford’s shaky backline. Their new-look midfield, anchored by seasoned heads like Oliver Norburn, should be able to create enough openings. On the other side, Salford’s wide play, particularly through Harris and the delivery from Kallum Cesay, will test a Magpies defence still learning Paterson’s system.

There’s also the psychological factor. Notts have struggled in recent meetings with Salford, losing four of the last five, and that will force them to push harder at home to change the narrative. Salford, meanwhile, can’t afford to sit back after their defensive showing last week – a high press and counter-attacking bursts are likely. Those styles clashing could lead to a game that’s far more open than either manager would ideally like.

As BettingTips4You.com expert Steve Harrington put it:

“When two teams both need a result, both have attacking strengths, and both have defensive weaknesses, the maths is simple – chances will flow.”

Given the evidence from opening day, plus the attacking talent on both rosters, this feels like a fixture destined to tip over the 2.5-goal mark.

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Likely Correct Score: Notts County 2-1 Salford City – The hosts’ home support and slightly better balance in midfield could give them the edge in a game that still offers plenty for the neutral.

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