After the departure of Matt Gray as manager earlier in the week, assistant Jason Goodliffe wll take charge for a game that sees the visit of a side beaten only once in the league this season but one that has not beaten Sutton in the previous four EFL meetings between the teams.

Mansfield were the last side in the EFL to stay unbeaten this season in league games, going without defeat in seventeen games until losing at Swindon four weeks ago, but they have drawn almost as many games (nine) as they have won (ten), and so are maybe not as high in the League Two table as might be expected, coming into the weekend programme in fourth place, one point behind Wrexham and Barrow. The latter could widen that gap before Mansfield step on to the VBS pitch tomorrow as they visit Crewe tonight, whereas a win for Crewe would move them a point ahead of Mansfield as well and push the Stags down to fifth. Striker Will Swan could return from illness.

Sutton have won both meetings at the VBS since joining the EFL, Tope Fadahunsi coming off the bench to score the winner last season after Josh Neufville’s fine goal had been cancelled out by Oliver Hawkins, while the previous season Louis John and a screamer from Omar Bugiel gave U’s a 2-0 win.

With U’s looking to bounce back from last weekend’s thrashing at Stockpport, Jason Goodliffe still has to juggle fitness concerns, with Omar Sowunmi forced off at half time at Stockport. Both Sam Hart and Rob Milsom returned in that game with no ill effects, and should Milsom be involved tomorrow it will be his 200th appearance for U’s.

Tomorrow’s referee is Alex Chilowicz, an American who has been a Major League Soccer official since 2017 and refereed the game between Arsenal and Barcelona in Los Angeles in the summer.

Admission prices are as usual, £21 for adults, £15 for concessions and £7 for ages 12-18. Tickets for Under 12s are free if bought in conjunction with an adult or concession ticket. Stand seats are £4 more in all cases. Tickets can be bought on line here, or at the ticket kiosk at the ground on the day, although prices for tickets bought in person on the day rise by £2, an increase not applied to on line purchases.

The programme for the game is a double issue that also covers the New Year’s Day game against Newport, and will be on sale around the ground. Anyone not at the game can order a copy here to be posted out after the game, price £4 plus postage.

The Sutton United fanzone will be open from 12.30pm, with a Signal Happy Hour until 1.30pm with beer at £3.50 a pint. The Sutton Christian Centre will be performing Christmas Carols from 1.45pm, and festive turkey and gammon rolls will be on sale.

Anyone not going to the game can listen to a full audio commentary on our iFollow service, with a match pass costing £2.50. Monthly (£4.49) and annual (£45) passes are also available, and those will be valid for the Emirates FA Cup tie at Plymouth in a fortnight, when match passes will not be sold. Overseas viewers can watch the action live for £10, or take advantage of the half-season ticket offer, with a pass costing just £85 to cover all league games to the end of the season, though not FA Cup ties. Click here for more information and to buy the required pass.

Tickets will be on sale tomorrow for the games at Wimbledon, where only a handful of our allocation remain, Gillingham and Plymouth, where in both cases there will be no tickets available to Sutton supporters on the day.