Magic Weekend Preview: Salford City Reds v Widnes Vikings

Salford City Reds have the opportunity to move off the bottom of the Super League table when they face Widnes Vikings on Sunday.

The Reds will also move to within two points of their opponents Widnes should they win over Magic Weekend.

Salford have won just one of the four Super League games that head coach Brian Noble has been in charge of and were beaten 28-7 by Bradford Bulls last time out. 

Denis Betts’ Widnes will go into the game knowing a win will pull them away from the bottom of the table and could start a late push for the Super League play-offs if they are victorious at the Etihad Stadium.

Salford are without second-row Chris Nero, who is continuing his recovery from a neck injury he suffered in last week’s defeat by Bradford Bulls. Nero is replaced by Jordan James, with prop Jacob Emmitt also named in Noble’s 19-man squad.

Widnes are boosted by the news that two key players signed new contracts this week as winger Patrick Ah Van and full-back Rhys Hanbury both extended their stay at Stobart Stadium Halton. Prop Adam Lawton makes way for the Vikings, who make their second Magic Weekend appearance.

Salford City Reds 19-man squad: Broughton, Gibson, Gleeson, Gaskell, Foran, Ashurst, Dixon, Wild, Godwin, Mauro, James, Neal, Fages, Sneyd, McGoldrick, Evalds, Griffin, A. 

Walne, Emmitt.

Widnes Vikings 19-man squad:  Allen, Brown, Clarke, Craven, Dean, Flynn, Gore, Hanbury, Joseph, Kavanagh, Leuluai, Marsh, Mellor, O’Carroll, Owens, Phelps, Pickersgill, White, Winterstein.

Prediction:

Magic Weekend summary:

Salford: Won 1, Lost 4

Widnes: Won 0, Lost 1

(No previous Magic Weekend meeting)

Super League summary:

Salford won 7

Widnes won 4

Salford highest score: 38-18 (A, 2012) (also widest margin)

Widnes highest score: 58-24 (H, 2013) (Widest margin: 46-8, A, 2012)