One key Barnsley dilemma facing Poya Asbaghi ahead of Stoke City clash

Barnsley are fighting valiantly now to avoid the drop back down to League One, with the Tykes now sitting in 23rd place and just six points off safety.

It seemed as though the club were doomed to start preparing for the third tier but after three wins in their last five games, they have now moved off the bottom of the division and closer to safety.

With big results against big teams like QPR and Middlesbrough too, it shows that the Tykes can certainly upset the odds when they need to. They’ll be hoping to do similar against Stoke in their next game, having lost at the weekend to another relegation struggler in Derby.

To lose that clash would have been a blow and does give the Rams the upper hand for now. However, some dropped points from Wayne Rooney’s side – and some victories for Barnsley – would once again turn the tide in their favour. That makes this next fixture an important one for Poya Asbaghi.

I suppose the real question facing the manager then is does he stick or twist with his team selection?

Amine Bassi was electric against Middlesbrough, as he scored two and setup a third in their win. Carlton Morris was equally as adept in attack with a further two assists to his name as well. At the back, Barnsley weren’t able to keep out Boro but the likes of Mads Juel Andersen and Michal Helik ensured the points went to the Tykes.

A game later though and the side crumbled. Despite fielding pretty much the same side, they were on the receiving end of a 2-0 thumping against a side they would have fancied their chances against.

The issue here then is whether Poya Asbaghi should ring in a few changes after such a bad result and mess with the team that emphatically saw off Middlesbrough or stick with the same unit and hope