Charlton Athletic are the visitors to the Mazuma Stadium in Sky Bet League One on Tuesday 23 November.
Both sides head into the fixture on the back of league wins, with Morecambe claiming maximum points and the bragging rights in last Saturday's Lancashire derby away at Fleetwood Town, whereas the Addicks beat league leaders Plymouth Argyle 2-0 at The Valley.
Tuesday night's clash will be the first time the two teams have met in any kind of game, having never previously faced off since either club was formed.
The Opposition
Form guide
Athletic have enjoyed an up and down start to the 2021/22 campaign and currently sit 12th in the table. Since taking over as manager following the sacking of Nigel Adkins last month, caretaker boss Johnnie Jackson has taken charge of seven matches, winning five, drawing one and losing one, averaging out at 2.29 points-per-match.
Jackson enjoyed a successful playing career that spanned across 492 games, 20 of which came in the Premier League for North London outfit Tottenham Hotspur. The 39-year-old also represented the likes of Watford, Derby County and his current employers Charlton Athletic. Throughout his career, he scored 75 goals and provided 35 assists. In his one previous spell as caretaker manager at Charlton, Jackson won his one game at the helm, overcoming Bristol Rovers in League One by three goals to two back in March 2021.
Addicks' key players
Leading Athletic's goalscoring tally so far is striker Jayden Stockley who has racked up a total of 10 goals in all competitions. The 28-year-old arrived in the summer on a permanent deal from Preston North End after spending a six month loan spell at the club last season. In 370 career appearances to-date, the Poole-born man has scored 105 times.
Another summer arrival is experienced midfielder Harry Arter who is on a season-long loan from Championship side Nottingham Forest. The 31-year-old Irish international has experience across the top three divisions in English football, making 94 appearances in the Premier League for Bournemouth and Cardiff City respectively, scoring a total of three goals.
Tricky winger Jonathan Leko is enjoying his second spell at The Valley having initially spent the first six months of the 2019/20 season with the South-East London club. Despite his young age, the 22-year-old Birmingham City man already boasts an impressive level of experience, with 170 appearances to his name, including over 10 games in the top flight. Leko has represented England at youth level, from the U16s through to the U20s, and is currently joint leader of Charlton's assist table with three (alongside Elliot Lee).
Shrimps’ pre-match thoughts
First team coach Diarmuid O'Carroll was full of praise when discussing Tuesday night's opponents ahead of the fixture.
He said: “They have a lot of quality within their squad, the money they have behind them, the size of the club and the support that they have, they are a big club.
“I think there was twenty-odd-thousand at their game the other day, we have gone away and watched their games, reviewed them and we know that they are a good side.
“You look at them and they should be in the top-half of the table, we will go out there and compete, and on our day we are a very good side as well.”
Meet the men in black
Tyne-and-Wear based Andy Haines will take charge of the clash, with Peter Gooch and Paul Graham running the lines. Matthew Parry will take up the position of fourth official.
Haines has taken charge of 15 games so far this season, including our Papa John's Trophy fixture at home to Everton U21s earlier in the campaign. In those games, he has issued a total of 42 yellow cards without producing a red.