Following Friday night’s victory over Lincoln City, Oxford United now have a free week for the first time since January. However, by the time their next game comes around, it will be a tough test as the U’s face the divisions most in-form side.
On Good Friday, Karl Robinson takes his side to the Stadium of Light to face high-flying Sunderland. The Black Cats are in terrific form and are unbeaten in their last 12 games in all competitions, which includes nine wins. As a result, Lee Johnson’s side sit third in League One, just three points off the league leaders Hull City with two games in hand.
The U’s then follow that up with a home game against Accrington Stanley on Easter Monday. While they have been in and around the playoffs for most of the season, John Coleman’s side have struggled of late and find themselves in 13th position after a run of seven defeats in their last 14 games, which includes three draws. Stanley have just one win and four losses from their last five matches.
On their day, Oxford could beat either of these sides, but from the evidence of this season, could also lose them both.
Sunderland have suffered just five league defeats all season – half the amount of the two teams above them in the table. With that in mind, picking up a point in the northeast will be a credible result. The Black Cats won the reverse fixture 2-0 and also won the meeting before, but the four previous games all ended 1-1.
However, to keep their playoff hopes alive, Robinson’s team need to follow up that point with a win over Accrington. The U’s won the reverse fixture 4-1 and are unbeaten in the previous three meetings, including a 3-0 success in this fixture last season.
Picking up four points from these two tricky fixtures could be crucial as the season draws to a close. Oxford see out the seasons against three sides that could still reach the playoffs in Crewe Alexandra, Gillingham, and Plymouth Argyle, but also face sides that could still go down in Shrewsbury (twice), AFC Wimbledon and Burton Albion.
Playoff rivals next two fixtures and predicted points:
5/ Portsmouth: Rochdale (h), Wigan (a) – 6
6/ Blackpool: Swindon (a), Gillingham (h) – 6
7/ Doncaster: Charlton (h), Bristol Rovers (a) – 2
8/ Oxford: Sunderland (a), Accrington (h) – 4
9/ Charlton: Doncaster (a), Lincoln (h) – 2
10/ Gillingham: Wigan (h), Blackpool (a) – 3
11/ Ipswich: Bristol Rovers (h), Rochdale (a) – 4
12: MK Dons: Lincoln (a), Crewe (h) – 2
From our predicted points tally, four points from the U’s will see them in touching distance of the playoffs. If Portsmouth and Blackpool pick up maximum points as predicted, then they would be on 64 and 63 points respectively, with the U’s in seventh on 60 points.
Doncaster and Ipswich would be eighth and ninth respectively on 59 points. Charlton would be one point behind, level on points with Gillingham, while MK Dons would be four points behind the U’s on 56 points.
