Oxford United travel to Newcastle this weekend in the fourth round of the FA Cup with the U’s looking to reach the fifth round for the first time since 2017.
Karl Robinson’s side have had two good cup runs this season, reaching the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup before losing to holders Manchester City, while their FA Cup run has seen them knock out three opponents from lower leagues.
In the league, the U’s are fifth but have picked up just two points from a possible 12 in 2020. This weekend, their promotion rivals could move above them with the cup game leaving them out of league action.
Meanwhile, in the Premier League, Newcastle under Steve Bruce have exceeded expectations this season, and sit ten points better off than they did last year under Rafa Benitez.
Despite still being in the bottom half of the table, the Magpies are seven points clear of the drop. The last few results have also been impressive – a 2-2 draw at Everton despite being two goals down in second-half stoppage time, a 1-0 win over Chelsea, and a 1-1 draw at Wolves.
Bruce’s side have also held Manchester City to a draw, won at Sheffield United and saw off Manchester United.
But in the FA Cup, Newcastle needed a replay to see off League One opponents Rochdale after it finished 1-1, winning the replay 4-1.
Oxford’s injury list is getting better but Robinson is still without eight key players, however, Cameron Brannagan could return.
Newcastle currently have nine players out injured, but a couple of them could be available for a return against the U’s, including Dwight Gayle and Andy Carroll.
Nabil Bentaleb has joined the Magpies on loan from Schalke and could make his debut this weekend.
The last time these sides met was in the same round of this competition three years ago when the U’s saw off the Premier League outfit 3-0 to set up a fifth-round tie at Middlesbrough, but the previous meeting before that was back in 1993.
Predicted line-up: Simon Eastwood, Josh Ruffels, John Mousinho, Rob Dickie, Sam Long, Alex Rodriguez Gorrin, Shandon Baptiste, Nathan Holland, Tariqe Fosu, Marcus Browne, Jamie Mackie.
Prediction: Newcastle United 1-2 Oxford United
