Oxford United kick off their Championship journey this Saturday against Norwich City.

Following their play-off final win, the U’s have been able to recruit some shrewd additions, with Malcolm Ebiowei just one of many promising signings for them.

Des Buckingham’s side will be desperate to kick off their campaign with a win, especially in front of their home supporters, but they face a fairly tricky task.

Norwich will be desperate to bounce back following their play-off heartbreak against Leeds United in May – but this time – they will be under a new manager.

Johannes Hoff Thorup will be keen to make a good impression during his first managerial spell in England – and he currently has a fairly talented group of players at his disposal.

Recently getting a loan deal for Callum Doyle over the line, the Canaries’ squad looks strong and with their talented players in mind, they will be expected to beat the promoted U’s this weekend.

However, some key factors could prove to be beneficial for Oxford and disadvantageous for Norwich.

Norwich City factors could benefit Oxford United

There are a number of factors that could make life a little difficult for Norwich on the opening day.

Firstly, they have lost Gabriel Sara and that is a crushing blow for them, considering how effective he was in the final third last season.

Because of his goal contributions, he was undoubtedly the Canaries’ most important player and he will be tough to replace. It wouldn’t even be a surprise if Thorup’s side feel the effects of Sara’s absence at the Kassam Stadium this weekend.

The Adam Idah saga is also a bit of an issue and an unwanted distraction.

Having failed to make the pre-season trip to Austria, the Irishman has faced a disciplinary and that isn’t ideal, with the Canaries needing him out on the pitch.

Scoring nine goals in 19 competitive appearances for Celtic during the second half of last season, he could be a real asset for Thorup’s team, but his recent incident may affect his chances of making an impact during the early stages of the campaign.

Another player who could be key during the upcoming season, Jonathan Rowe, is currently being heavily linked with a move away from Carrow Road, amid interest from Leeds.

That isn’t a helpful situation for the Canaries – and it will be interesting to see whether he starts on the opening day.

Manager Thorup, meanwhile, will need time to adapt to life at Carrow Road, with the club’s recent 3-2 friendly loss against St Pauli reinforcing this.

With the 35-year-old still needing to find his feet, you have to wonder whether that will end up working in Oxford’s favour.

Considering Norwich are the stronger side on paper, the factors listed above could be very useful for the U’s.

Reasons to be hopeful for Norwich City

Oxford enjoyed a fairly good pre-season, with their recent 2-0 win against Southampton clearly a promising sign.

They played very well that night – and they have a fairly decent squad at their disposal – partly thanks to their shrewd summer business.

But considering they have brought quite a few new players in, it may take Oxford some time to get into a rhythm, even with a decent chunk of their squad knowing manager Buckingham inside out.

Norwich also have a strong squad on paper, despite losing Sara.

The likes of Idah, Rowe, Ashley Barnes and Josh Sargent can all make a difference in the final third when on top form – and it wouldn’t be a shock to see the former two feature this weekend despite their transfer sagas.

It isn’t all doom and gloom for Norwich, but they face a very tricky assignment on Saturday.