This Saturday sees the return of the A420 derby. Oxford United welcome Swindon Town to Grenoble Road with both teams desperate to get some points on the board as a result of poor starts.
Oxford are unbeaten in two following a win at Wigan and a draw at high-flying Portsmouth, while the Robins have lost twice from their last three league games.
The U’s are ahead of Swindon in the table but only on goal difference with both sides on 13 points. Oxford also have a game in hand.
Oxford have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the derby, but Sean Clare will miss the game through suspension. Manager Karl Robinson rested a number of players at Pompey so there could be a few changes ahead of the game.
Zeki Fryers, Diallang Jaiyesimi, Jordan Lyden, Dion Conroy and Tyler Smith are all within a fortnight of potentially returning to Town’s matchday squad, leaving them out of the game.
Smith could be a big loss for the Robins as the striker is their top goalscorer with five from nine games. A number of players, including Hallam Hope, Brett Pitman and Joel Grant, have scored twice this season. Former Oxford midfielder Jack Payne has one goal this season.
The U’s are yet to keep a clean sheet in the league but the return of Rob Atkinson alongside Elliott Moore has certainly shored up the defence.
Obviously, the U’s are unbeaten against Swindon in eight meetings – a run stretching back to 2002. The Robins have also failed to score since the U’s moved to the Kassam Stadium and have suffered five defeats on this ground. The two teams haven’t met since 2017 when Rob Hall scored the winner in a 2-1 win at the County Ground.
Predicted line-up: Simon Eastwood, Josh Ruffels, Rob Atkinson, Elliott Moore, Sam Long, Alex Rodriguez Gorrin, Mark Sykes, Anthony Forde, Jordan Obita, James Henry, Matty Taylor.
Prediction: Oxford United 4-1 Swindon Town
