ONLY Premier League top two Chelsea and Manchester City have lost fewer league games in English football’s top five divisions than York City’s hosts tomorrow.

Wycombe Wanderers, who only escaped relegation to the Conference on the final day of last season, have lost just three times in Sky Bet League Two this term, going down to Tranmere (2-0), Exeter (2-1) and Burton (3-1).

That record means the top-of-the-table Chairboys, along with Ipswich and Bristol City, have established themselves as one of the three toughest Football League teams to beat this term.

Wycombe are currently one point clear of nearest rivals Burton at the top of the league standings and would be further ahead but for eight of their games finishing as draws.

Only their opponents this weekend, with 12, have shared the spoils on more occasions this term.

Wycombe’s results at their Adams Park base also fall short of that expected from a title-chasing team.

The Buckinghamshire outfit’s home record is only the eighth best in the division and they have also been knocked out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and FA Cup respectively by visiting pair Coventry and AFC Wimbledon.

A total of 14 League Two sides, meanwhile, have scored more times on their own soil, including third-bottom Carlisle, who have plundered 19 compared to Wycombe’s 17.

Despite that return, Gareth Ainsworth’s men remain the division’s highest scorers with 38.

Ex-Scunthorpe striker Paul Hayes, released from the Glanford Park club by City boss Russ Wilcox in the summer, is the Chairboys’ leading marksman on nine goals but the much-travelled 31-year-old forward has not netted for seven games.

Paris Cowan-Hall also departed for Millwall on New Year’s Day after hitting the target in five of his last six matches for Wanderers – a run of form that saw him nominated for the League Two Player of the Month award, as well as earning him a move to the Championship.

Wycombe are now hoping on-loan attacker Fred Onyedinma, who has moved in the opposite direction from the New Den, can build on his first professional goal during last weekend’s 1-0 home victory over bottom-of-the-table Hartlepool.

That result meant Ainsworth’s side extended their unbeaten league run to a seventh game, including four wins, since a 3-1 home loss to Burton on November 17.

But the hosts could not name a full complement of substitutes against Hartlepool, falling one short of the seven permitted.

Former skipper Stuart Lewis was part of that matchday squad but has since signed for Ebbsfleet United, although Max Kretzschmar, Matt McClure and Hogan Ephraim are all close to returning from injury and could feature tomorrow.

Only four players from last season’s struggling squad – keeper Matt Ingram, defender Aaron Pierre and midfielders Josh Scowen and Sam Wood – are expected to start for Wycombe against the Minstermen.

Wycombe (probable): Ingram, Jombati, Pierre, Mawson, Jacobson, Onyedinma, Murphy, Scowen, Wood, Hayes, Holloway.