Team news;

Bradley Garmston and Luke O’Neill have returned to Gills' starting line-up for the game at Shrewsbury.

Manager Steve Lovell looks set to play a 4-4-2 formation, despite the return of central defender Alex Lacey.

Lacey is one of three changes to the eleven, but he's expected to play as the defensive midfield in a diamond midfield.

Regan Charles-Cook and Connor Ogilvie have both missed the game through injury and midfielder Billy Bingham hasn’t been able to shake off an ankle problem in time for the match.

Gillingham: Holy, O'Neill, Garmston, Ehmer, Zakuani, Lacey, Reilly, Byrne, Parrett, Parker, Hanlan. Subs: Eaves, Wilkinson, Fuller, Nasseri, Simpson, Rees, Hadler.

Shrewsbury: Coleman, Emmanuel, Sadler, Beckles, Walley, Norburn, Grant, Waterfall, Docherty, Angol, Amadi-Holloway. Subs: Arnold, Okenabirhie, Bolton, John-Lewis, Gilliead, Laurent, Barnett.

Preview;

Gillingham dropped into the bottom four last weekend and their hosts aren't faring much better.

Both teams are keen to put a string of results together, in a bid to pull clear of the battle at the bottom, and a weekend win would be a great start.

The Gills have picked up just one point from their last seven games and Shrewsbury - last season's surprise package - have won just one of their opening nine games.

Shrewsbury went 15 games without defeat at the start of last season and challenged for a promotion place for the remainder of the campaign, eventually finishing the season third behind Wigan and Blackpool and then losing to Rotherham in the play-off final at Wembley.

Play-off final heartache was followed by the departure of their manager Paul Hurst and several key players.

Gillingham head to Shrewsbury with a number of injury concerns and his hopes of success may depend on who he has to leave behind in Kent.

Head to head;

Gillingham wins: 19 Draws: 20 Shrewsbury wins: 24

League form;

Gillingham (LWLLDL): Peterborough (h) 2-4, Rochdale (a) 3-0, Wimbledon (h) 0-1, Barnsley (a) 1-2, Coventry (h) 1-1, Sunderland (h) 1-4.

Shrewsbury (LWDDLD): Scunthorpe (a) 0-1, Southend (h) 2-0, Portsmouth (a) 1-1, Bristol Rovers (h) 1-1, Luton (a) 2-3, Doncaster (a) 0-0.

Last meeting at Shrewsbury;

Shrewsbury 1 Gillingham 1 (20 Feb 2018)

Mark Byrne hit a late equaliser for the Gills at Shrewsbury last season.

Shrewsbury missed out on going top because of Byrne's top-corner effort as the Gills continued their good run of form.

Abu Ogogo's goal gave the home side a goal advantage at the break but Gillingham were better after the turnaround.

A deserved equaliser was scored by Byrne with nine minutes left, finding the far corner with a cracking hit after 82 minutes, and he capped a great display with a crucial goal-line clearance with a minute left.

Last time out;

Gillingham 2 Peterborough United 4

Gillingham were outgunned by Peterborough last weekend.

The Gills were a goal behind at the break, Jamie Walker's strike separating the sides, after an entertaining opening half.

It remained all-action in the second. Goals from Callum Reilly and Mark Byrne put the Gills ahead shortly after the restart but the visitors responded.

Siriki Dembele levelled things up and Ivan Toney put United back infront before Callum Cooke's late strike sealed the win for the visitors, taking them back to the top of League 1.

More on the Gills;

Scally: Dangerous pitch had to be replaced

Barry Fuller turns 34 but he isn't slowing down

The Shouting men with Gills midfielder Mark Byrne

Team news;

Manager Steve Lovell has a host of injuries to contend with ahead of their trip to Shrewsbury.

Ankle injuries led to Regan Charles-Cook and Callum Reilly both limping out of the match against Peterborough last weekend.

Dean Parrett and Connor Ogilvie also picked up injuries while Billy Bingham is a doubt ahead of the weekend.

Read what the manager had to say.

From the opposition;

Defeat to Scunthorpe last weekend was Shrewsbury first loss in four league outings.

A couple of draws and a win against Southend suggested the Shrews were turning a corner, before putting in a disappointing display against Scunthorpe.

Shrewsbury lost 1-0 and manager John Askey was critical of his side's second half display.

Speaking to the Shropshire Star, Askey said: "As a player, you've got to look at it individually and ask 'did you do enough?

"It's up for me to analyse it and see what we can do better, whether it's that we need to work on stuff in training or not. But again we played well in spells."

Town goalkeeper Joel Coleman was kept busy in the second half, ensuring it was only a one-goal defeat in the end.

Askey, who arrived in the summer after leading Macclefield to the National League title, will hope his players respond this weeked.

"We've got players who have ability," he added.

"If somebody isn't running around and putting their foot in, that's not about ability, skill or technique, it's a lack of willingness to do it.

"For a manager that's not good enough. It's obviously something as a manager I've got to look at. We need people who are going to compete for 90 minutes."

One to watch - Alex Gilliead;

The former England youth international can play on the wing or upfront.

He arrived in the summer from Newcastle United, with Town beating off several other clubs for his signature.

The 22-year-old had previously impressed on loan spells, at Carlisle, Luton and Bradford, before finally departing his boyhood club Newcastle for good in the summer, with a move to Shrewsbury.

He played 48 games for Bradford last season, a regular for them in League 1, so is no stranger to this level of football. He faced the Gills last season for the Bantams, with an effort cleared off the line in what was a lively performance at Valley Parade.

Fancy a punt?

Shrewsbury are the 10/11 favourites with BoyleSports, who price the Gills up at 10/3 for a win at the weekend. The Shrews have drawn four of their opening nine games and it's 9/4 for another share of the spoils.

The Gills haven't scored a first half goal in their last five league games and are 15/4 to be ahead at the break.

Gillingham haven't kept a clean sheet in the league since the opening day. Gills are 3/1 to do it on Saturday against a team who have only scored seven goals so far.