Oxford United return from the international break with a tricky home clash against Middlesbrough.
Des Buckingham’s side managed just one win from their last nine games so he will be hoping the extra time on the grass will help prepare for this fixture.
Oxford United Welcome Middlesbrough
Team News, Form and Prediction
The U’s put in a decent display but lost at Watford last time out, which followed a win over Hull in their most recent home game.
Boro have hit form at a good time. Michael Carrick’s side are creating plenty of goalscoring chances but have only found the net consistently in their last two fixtures, winning 4-1 at QPR and 5-1 at home to Luton.
Middlesbrough have three wins and two losses in their last six games but have found the net 13 times. However, they have also conceded 10. As for Oxford, they have one win and two draws from their last six, scoring just four.
Oxford have still lost just once at Grenoble Road from eight matches, drawing against Burnley and West Brom respectively. On the road, Boro have the sixth-best record in the league with ten points on their travels.
Buckingham will be hoping Cameron Brannagan and Przemyslaw Placheta will be available for this game having both been long-term absentees. However, Ben Nelson has joined the injured list and Peter Kioso is a doubt after returning from international duty with illness.
Boro are without Hayden Hackney and Aidan Morris, who both picked up knocks while on international duty, while Lukas Engel and Rav van den Berg are also unavailable.
The last time these two sides met was a thrilling FA Cup fifth round encounter at the Riverside which saw the U’s come from two goals down to level the game, before losing in stoppage time. Prior to that, the last league meeting came in 1998, which Boro also won. In fact, the North Yorkshire side are unbeaten in the last nine, winning seven.
Predicted line-up: Jamie Cumming, Ciaron Brown, Elliott Moore, Sam Long, Greg Leigh, Josh McEachran, Idris El Mizouni, Hidde ter Avest, Ruben Rodrigues, Tyler Goodrham, Dane Scarlett.
Prediction: Oxford United 2-2 Middlesbrough