Cambridge United currently find themselves staring into the abyss. Sitting at the foot of League One, the decision to sack head coach Garry Monk last week was met with little surprise or objection from U’s supporters, with the prospect of League Two football looking palpable. However, the club made a bold statement in reappointing Neil Harris and Mark Bonner as head coach and director of football, respectively; could this herald a great escape, or is it already too late for Cambridge to preserve their League One status?

Although the return of two former managers in both a managerial and directorial capacity certainly represents an interesting strategic experiment, it wasn’t exactly an unbelievable appointment. Prior to Monk’s departure, the bookies had Harris and Bonner as the favourites to take the helm at the Abbey. Bonner was sacked in November 2023 despite guiding Cambridge to promotion two years before, whilst Harris, his successor, enjoyed a brief stint at the club before returning to Millwall in February 2024. Their dual appointment reflects an ongoing review at United, where the need to reorganise and modernise football operations has been identified as a key area for improvement.

The pair certainly have their work cut out, with Cambridge currently eight points adrift from safety. The U’s have scored fewer goals than almost any other side in League One, and with one of the league’s weakest defences, Cambridge mustered only five league victories before Monk’s departure. It’s been a season of false dawns, too. There have been brief glimpses of hope, with the U’s beating relegation rivals Shrewsbury and Burton and picking up valuable points against title contenders Wycombe and Wrexham, but all too often, these results have been punctuated with an extended run of defeats.

“These victories have marked an incredible defensive turnaround for United”

Arguably, the most frustrating aspect of Cambridge’s woes this season has been their inability to see through games. The U’s have dropped at least five points this season from goals conceded within the final ten minutes, which could make all the difference between survival and relegation come the end of the season. This will be something that Neil Harris will certainly be hoping to rectify. During his previous tenure, which lasted for just over two months, Harris oversaw a significant uptick in form, losing only five of the thirteen games he was in charge of.

This is also a Cambridge side with potential, as recent results have shown. An emphatic 2-0 win over an in-form Stockport County was matched with the same scoreline away at Crawley last weekend. These victories have marked an incredible defensive turnaround for United, whilst Bristol City-loanee Josh Stokes has added the necessary offensive finesse. However, a lacklustre 1-0 defeat at home to Stevenage on Tuesday may have shown that Harris’ ‘managerial honeymoon’ could already be over, with Cambridge failing to register a single shot on target.

“The Cambridgeshire derby could make or break Cambridge’s survival prospects”

With twelve matches left to play, Cambridge faces a difficult final run-in. Birmingham, Wrexham, and Leyton Orient, who are all in contention for promotion, are yet to be welcomed to the Abbey Stadium, and the U’s will also be making the trip to Yorkshire to face a Huddersfield side hoping to return to the Championship. The real test, however, will be how Cambridge continues to perform against the sides also battling the threat of relegation. Despite securing a vital three points against Crawley, fixtures against Shrewsbury and Burton are must-wins, as victories here could continue to alter the balance of the bottom four.

The Cambridgeshire derby between the U’s and Peterborough on the 15th March is another standout fixture that could make or break Cambridge’s survival prospects. Though Peterborough have traditionally dominated the fixture, this season has proved to be a remarkable disappointment for the Posh, who are currently hovering above the bottom four by just five points. A victory here, which seems more realistic than ever for United, could build the necessary momentum needed to survive a relegation battle.

Of course, Cambridge’s performances on the pitch will only translate to their league position if they can better the teams around them. Since arriving at Shrewsbury in November last year, Gareth Ainsworth has taken a sensational six points from Birmingham and Wrexham, though The Shrews’ form has dipped of late. Burton and Crawley have both had productive January transfer windows, which could potentially dampen Cambridge’s chances of survival. Whilst Crawley has spent money to shore up their defence, Icelandic forward Jón Daði Böðvarsson has helped to fire Burton into form with four goals in his first five appearances for the Brewers. A combination of budgetary constraints and failed medicals have hampered Cambridge’s window, worsening their existing problems with squad depth.

So, will Cambridge United manage to stay up? It is too early to tell, in my opinion. Once the novelty of the Harris-Bonner partnership has worn off, it will be interesting to see whether Cambridge has it within them to grind out the necessary results. If Cambridge can manage to beat their relegation rivals and maybe even come away with a point or two from sides chasing promotion, survival could well be within reach. But, in classic EFL fashion, plenty could still happen between now and early May.