If the league table can play tricks in the opening few months of a season, November is the time when the shape of the promotion and relegation battles becomes much clearer.

With a third of the season already gone there is still plenty of clearing up to do at the top of League Two, where three points separate the top seven contenders, but all of the sides up there are in contention on merit, and look well-placed to remain so.

The title-chasers will soon emerge out of that pack and the two City sides – Bradford and Exeter – will look to steal a march on their rivals and lay down a statement of intent when they go head-to-head at Valley Parade.

The Grecians are in the better position, two places and four points better off in second, and made their ambitions clear with a remarkable 4-0 thumping of local rivals Plymouth Argyle last weekend, injecting confidence after two surprise defeats on the bounce. Matt Taylor missed out on the play-offs by just a solitary point in his first managerial campaign last season, but his side look determined to ensure there is no such disappointment this time around.

For the Bantams, the aim is a quick rebound following a disastrous season in which three different bosses tried and failed to prevent a finish at the very bottom of League One. The last of those, Gary Bowyer, was allowed to lead the resurgence and, after some early fixing, has got Bradford looking like one of the fourth tier’s most accomplished sides.

Both of these teams are likely to be mixing it in the top seven regardless of the outcome of their meeting in West Yorkshire, but those three points will seem particularly important when the race for automatic promotion – and the league title – soon takes shape.

Team news

Bradford have an attacking double boost for the match as Dylan Connolly (calf) and Harry Pritchard (back) are back in contention after missing the last few weeks.

Midfielders Jordan Gibson and Matty Palmer are closer to making comebacks but are not expected to be ready in time, while striker Clayton Donaldson is still out.

For Exeter, Lee Holmes has suffered another setback in his bid to feature for the first time this season. The winger has been out since picking up an injury in pre-season and has now broken his toe, which is likely to hold him back for another couple of weeks.

Nicky Ajose and Lewis Ward are back in training but this game comes too soon for them, while Gary Warren also remains out.

What the managers have said

Bradford have had extra rest for this fixture following the postponement of last weekend’s trip to Macclesfield Town. Helped by the return of some key players, manager Bowyer says that his team are looking fresh for the Grecians clash.

“You always want to try and come back strong again and the group that we have want to do that,” he said.

“The way that they’ve trained all this week has been particularly impressive, the intensity at which we’ve been at. There’s a freshness about us because of the fact we had a weekend off, and they’re really looking forward to what should be a good game between two good footballing teams.

“Exeter were up there all last season before dropping out of the play-offs at the end and they’ve strengthened again.”

Taylor - who had a short ill-fated spell at Bradford as a player, making only three appearances in the 2013-14 season – has called on his Exeter players to back up their superb performance in last week’s Devon derby.

“The players rightly enjoyed Saturday, as did the supporters, but as staff our attention quickly shifted to Bradford and we have had a good week’s training,” he said.

“If we felt Plymouth was a big game, then Bradford is as big a game. There could be 15,000 people there and two good teams hopefully going at it.”